Focus: Sentech, South Africa's broadcast signal distributor

VVVolVolVolVol o6 o6 66l l. .No. NoNo. No77 N N 55 oo5.. 11 Decembe 2018r 2019

AFRICA

Space assets critical to ending insurgency in Nigeria

Nwanneka Ibekwe A new leader and player in the aerospace industry

C O N T E N T S Vol. 7 No. 11

Editor in-chief Aliyu Bello Women, STEM and leadership Executive Manager Tonia Gerrald Egypt launches new communications satellite for broadband SA to the editor in-Chief Ngozi Okey connectivity Head, Application Services M. Yakubu Gulfsat, PALSAT renew agreement for Editorial/ICT Services John Daniel broadcasting Palestinian channels Usman Bello Gilat reports strong growth in Q3 2019 Alozie Nwankwo Juliet Nnamdi Facing new threats from foreign acquisition Client Relations Sunday Tache Nigeria’s tech solution to bridge knowledge gap in the Lookman Bello space sector Safiya Thani Dubai airshow hosts aviation and space professionals Marketing Offy Pat Tunde Nathaniel Angola’s top Satellite Services Company signs on Wasiu Olatunde Spacecom for C-Band Capacity on AMOS-17 Media Relations Favour Madu AfricaCom: SA wins Government Leadership Award Khadijat Yakubu Nwanneka Ibekwe: A new leader and player in the aerospace Zacheous Felicia industry Finance Folarin Tunde Dr. Mae Jemison: The first black woman to travel to space Sentech, South Africa's broadcast signal Space Watch Magazine is a publication of The dilemma of Nigeria’s digital switch over Communication Science, Inc. All correspondence should be addressed to editor, space Watch Magazine. Abuja office: Plot 2009, Awka Street, UTC Building, GF 11, Area 10, Garki, Abuja, Nigeria Tel: 234 80336471114, 07084706167, email: [email protected]

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Editorial

Women, STEM and leadership

When talking about working women and Attracting and retaining more women in universe. Engineers design many of the women in leadership, the issue of glass the STEM workforce will maximize things we use daily, talk of space shuttle, ceiling often comes up. A glass ceiling i n n o v a t i o n , c r e a t i v i t y , a n d launchers, bridges, computers, cars, comes across in an organization at the top competitiveness. wheelchairs, and X-ray machines. of the hierarchy and prevents women Women and men are biologically When women are not involved in the from achieving the same positions as different from each other, and usually design of these products, needs and men. Some argue that the glass ceiling culture and society shape and desires unique to women may be has been already shattered and others strengthen gender roles. The traditional overlooked. argue otherwise. Maybe instead of a role of men is to support their family and glass ceiling, women are now facing a the role of women is to take care of One notable gain is girls' increased glass labyrinth. Women have the children and home. Traditionally, men representation in the ranks of the possibility to rise to higher positions but are considered to be more aggressive highest achievers in mathematics. they face many obstacles on the way, and women nurturing. Among students with very high scores instead of getting ahead straightforward on math tests, boys continue to as men often do, according to a social However, expanding and developing outnumber girls; however, the analyst. the STEM workforce is a critical issue for proportion of girls among the highest government, industry leaders, and math achievers has greatly increased In global context, the number of women in educators. Despite the tremendous during the past few decades. senior management has risen, but only gains that girls and women have made slowly. From 2004 to 2012, the in education and the workforce during Within the past decade, there have also percentage of women in senior the past 50 years, progress has been been increases in the numbers of management has risen five per cent at uneven, and certain scientific and women who are studying space most. Between 2009 and 2011 the engineering disciplines remain sciences in higher education. According number fell from 24 per cent to 20 per overwhelmingly male. to a study the numbers of women cent, and in 2012 it stood at 21 per cent. In participating in space srudies have 2013, the number of women in senior The number of women in science and increased in recent years. management rose again to 24 per cent engineering is growing, yet men globally. continue to outnumber women, A recent finding also reveal that the especially at the upper levels of these importance of insuring that the space The number of companies with a female professions. In elementary, middle, and professionals are of a diverse set of CEO showed a positive increase. In 2012, high school, girls and boys take math individuals, with the obvious inclusion of the global average of companies with a and science courses in roughly equal women. "Given the need for a highly female CEO was 9 per cent and in 2013, it numbers, and about as many girls as technically skilled workforce, the space rose to 14 per cent. Globally, there have boys leave high school prepared to industry seeks to attract and retain the not been this many female CEO's ever pursue science and engineering majors best and brightest talent for its future before. in college. Yet fewer women than men and growth. And that of necessity pursue these majors. Among first-year means drawing from a diverse talent A study conducted by McKinsey & college students, women are much less pool". Company, researched the effects of likely than men to say that they intend to Moreover, "to ensure that space having more women in management in major in science, technology, industry has the future workforce it relation to organizational and financial engineering, or math (STEM). needs to ensure that jobs are open to all performance. The study identifies nine members of society. There is clearly criteria to measure organizational By graduation, men outnumber women untapped potential in groups that have performance. They are leadership, in nearly every science and engineering been historically underrepresented in m o t i v a t i o n , v i s i o n , c a p a b i l i t y, field, and in some, such as physics, the industry" accountability, work environment and engineering, and computer science, the While these movements within the values, coordination and control, external difference is dramatic, with women industry are encouraging, the fact that orientation and innovation. As can be earning only 20 percent of bachelor's the participation rate of women in seen from figure nine, companies which degrees. Women's representation in higher education has not improved hold more than three women in science and engineering declines within the last ten years is disconcerting. management perform better in every further at the graduate level and yet It is obvious that more women are criterion, than those that do not have any again in the transition to the workplace. entering the industry, but it appears that women in management. The positive the numbers in the supply line have effects of gender diversity can be seen Scientists and engineers are working to leveled off. Considering the rapid rise in m o s t p r o m i n e n t l y i n t h e w o r k solve some of the most vexing the number of women in higher environment, values and vision challenges of our time finding solution to education and in the workforce, one The foundation for a STEM career is laid tackle global warming, developing would hope that these improvements early in life, but scientists and engineers renewable energy sources, and may trickle into the space sciences field. are made in colleges and universities. understanding the origins of the

5 APPOINTMENTS

McCarthy has spent the past five years as Space Research Organization's Satellite Thomas Van den an entrepreneur and consultant in the Center, focusing on “Pseduo-Noise media and entertainment and technology Driessche and Regenerative Ranging for Deep Space sectors. He previously spent nine years at Missions”,. He was also selected as “Interim FrederikSimoens Pace and worked for Cisco prior to this. Communication Subsystem lead” for a With his extensive industry experience, Mars Robotic Mission at NASA Ames appointed to key McCarthy will play an instrumental role in Research Center. further developing Irdeto's global executive roles for ST Rama said: “Nothing can be more exciting leadership position within the media and than starting my career in the space Engineering iDirect entertainment industry. industry with the world's largest commercial spectrum provider, ManSat. With ManSat's ST Engineering iDirect has named 20 years of extensive expertise and Thomas Van den Driessche and experience in satellite filing process and CPI appoints Andrew FrederikSimoens to pivotal executive c o n s u l t a n c y a c r o s s d i f f e r e n t l e a d e r s h i p r o l e s f o l l o w i n g S T administrations around the world, I feel Ivers as Chief Operating Engineering's successful acquisition of honoured to have joined the company as a Officer Newtec Group NV. Thomas Van den Spectrum Engineer. Driessche has been appointed the President of the Executive Strategic SES' Pascal Wauthier is Communications & Power Industries (CPI) Board and Chief Commercial Officer has announced that Andrew C. Ivers will (CCO). Building on his wealth of new Chairman of SDA join the company as its new chief operating management experience, most recently officer, effective November 4, 2019. Ivers as Newtec's Chief Executive Officer, Pascal Wauthier, Space Operations Senior will report directly to Bob Fickett, president Thomas will lead the newly-formed Vice President at SES, has been elected as and chief executive officer of CPI, and will Strategy Group which comprises product the new Chairman of the Space Data be responsible for implementing the lifecycle management (PLM), vertical Association (SDA) an international non- company's growth strategies and helping market development, marketing and profit association of satellite operators. lead operational excellence initiatives. strategic business development. In this Pascal has succeeded Inmarsat's Mark Ivers is an experienced manager and role he will spearhead the company's Dickinson, who will remain a director of the engineer in the electronic components and efforts to establish a new standard in SDA. subsystems industry, and a seasoned ground infrastructure to propel further Pascal brings a wealth of knowledge and veteran of defense and communications transformation and market opportunity expertise to the role. He joined SES in 1990 companies. Prior to joining CPI, Ivers across the satellite communications as Flight Dynamics Engineer and is served as an executive for 18 years at L3 (satcom) industry. As CCO Thomas will currently leading SES Space Operations. Technologies, most recently as corporate steer the global sales organization to He is responsible for safely operating SES senior vice president and the president of better serve customer needs as the GEO and MEO (O3b) satellites. This its Communications Systems business industry evolves. includes charge of operational teams of the segment. Under his leadership, this FrederikSimoens has been appointed to Satellite Control Centres located in business segment reported significant the role of Chief Technology Officer. He Gibraltar, Luxembourg, Manassas and growth in both revenue and operating will draw upon his history of innovation, Princeton as well as the Flight Dynamics i n c o m e . H e a l s o h e l d p r e v i o u s which will be invaluable to ST Engineering, Software Engineering and management roles at Harris Corporation Engineering iDirect as it further Operations Architecture teams. and Raytheon Co. harnesses its pioneering role in leading During his 29 year career at SES, Pascal the satellite industry forward. Frederik has guided the Flight Dynamics section to Khrunichev Space has served as Newtec's CTO since 2015 become a Centre of Excellence on safe co- and brings with him invaluable expertise location operations and management of Center announces in satcom, standardization, physical layer close approach risk with other objects. He technologies, networking and network also championed orbital software changes in ILS virtualization. development and transfer orbit mission management design, as well as leading the integration of Rama TheerthaKasi the satellite operations of News Skies, Americom, O3b and ASTRA fleets joins ManSat Group Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, the majority as Spectrum Engineer Shane McCarthy Joins shareholder of ILS International Launch Irdeto as Chief Services, (ILS) announced the departure The ManSat Group has appointed Rama of Kirk Pysher as ILS President. John TheerthaKasi as Spectrum Engineer as Operating Officer, Video Palme, ILS Chief Operations Officer, will the company continues to expand its Entertainment serve as interim President until a service offerings and grow its team on the successor is appointed. In a separate Isle of Man. Rama joins ManSat having action, the ILS Board of Directors previously worked as Network Engineer Irdeto announced that Shane McCarthy has announced that it has engaged outside at Ericsson, serving clients across been appointed to the role of Chief counsel, Thomas P. Tshudy, former several countries. Rama holds a Masters Operating Officer for its video entertainment Senior Vice President and General in Space Studies from International business. A developer by background, Counsel for ILS, to serve as special Space University and a Bachelor of McCarthy previously held a number of roles counsel to advise the company on a Electronics and Communication at Pace, including the President of the variety of legal matters to assure legal Engineering from Amrita School of International Business, where he achieved and regulatory compliance as the Engineering. strong growth on the way to building a near company makes organizational changes A member of the Institute of Electrical and USD $1B business. In his new role at Irdeto, and transitions to providing broadened Electronics Engineers, EuroScience and he will be responsible for defining the customer offerings. Space Generation Advisory Council, strategy and overseeing execution within Rama worked as an intern in the Indian Irdeto's video entertainment business. IN THE NEWS

Egypt launches new Thuraya upgrades landmark tracking, communications satellite monitoring platform for broadband connectivity

Egypt's TIBA-1 communications satellite was successfully blasted off into space on-board Ariane 5 rocket alongside Inmarsat GX5 on Arianespace's VA250 flight. The satellite was launched from the Guiana Space Center (CSG), Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Fitted in the upper passenger position in Ariane 5's dual-payload configuration, TIBA-1 was successfully separated after 27 minutes to Geostationary transfer orbit where it l transitioned to its operational orbital slot position at 35.5° East. Designed to remain in service in orbit for more than 15 years, the satellite had a launch mass of 5,600 kg on lift-off and an electric power capability of higher than 9 kW. T h u r a y a f urther light, “For a has generated a lot of TIBA-1 is owned and will be operated by the Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s terminal of its class, customer interest due to government of Egypt. It will provide broadband Company, the mobile Thuraya T2M-DUAL its adaptiveness. Aside communications services to Egypt via its dual mission s a t e l l i t e s e r v i c e s does a lot. from cost-controlled Ka-band payload. It will also provide secure military subsidiary of the Al Yah Firstly, it can gauge and a u t o m a t e d n e t w o r k communication for the Egyptian military and Satellite Communications continually monitor selection, Thuraya has government agencies. TIBA-1 is the fourth satellite to C o m p a n y ( Ya h s a t ) , events within and out of retained all the original be launched by Arianespace for Egypt, with u n v e i l e d i t s h i g h l y cellular networks. As a features such as geo- Arianespace having deployed three satellites for versatile T2M-DUAL result, operators are able fencing, internal battery Egypt's publicly-traded satellite operator, Nilesat, IoT/M2M solution with to make decisions and backup, robust design, between 1998 and 2010 enhanced capabilities. d e p l o y m e n t s location and sensor data Officials say the TIBA-1 is major milestones that will Operating on both satellite seamlessly, amplifying capture that have made it see internet and telecom services cover the entire M 2 M a n d c e l l u l a r operational efficiency. a firm market favorite. country. The satellite is key to augmenting the networks, Secondly, it can help Besides the T2M-DUAL, country's terrestrial infrastructure and internet Thuraya T2M-DUAL is the tra ck a n d ma n a g e T h u r a y a ' s I o T / M 2 M networks, giving millions of people in remote and rural world's only dual-mode assets – fixed and portfolio consists of areas internet beamed down from space. There will be tracking and monitoring m o b i l e – a c r o s s FT2225 and IP M2M no such thing as “system is down,” said Mohamed El- solution with the widest distances and borders, service offerings that Qomsy, CEO of the Egyptian Space Agency, choice of connectivity over thus ensuring constant enable lite IP and high describing the satellite as a key to boosting social S a t e l l i t e , i n c l u d i n g safety of persons and throughput applications development in the country of 100 million people Satellite Messaging, property. Our data plans respectively. especially in enabling telelearning and telemedicine in GmPRS IP Data and backed by the pooling Thuraya's L-band satellite under-resourced schools and hospitals, as well as Circuit Switched 9.6 data. option, make the T2M- network does not suffer offering strong telecom networks for the social It enables smarter, more DUAL all the more from high signal loss insurance system. s t r e a m l i n e d a n d attractive, because c o m m o n t o h i g h “Once the current terrestrial communications system automated data capture users have to contend frequencies, and is breaks down, there will be a second network to from multiple sources, with only predictable therefore less susceptible replace it. This means guaranteeing a strong, secure including fixed and mobile costs. With the demand to disruptions, providing communications network at all times,” El-Qomsy adds assets. for multi-functional IoT reliable services even in in a TV interview. solutions soaring, and u n s t a b l e w e a t h e r TIBA-1 was developed by Thales Alenia Space and T h u r a y a T 2 M - D U A L the satellite IoT/M2M c o n d i t i o n s . I t s l o w Airbus Defence and Space as co-prime contractors, brings unprecedented market tipped to reach frequency range is ideal ease of integration to with Thales Alenia Space acting as the consortium's US$2.5 billion by 2023, for IoT applications like applications that are lead partner. Airbus supplied the Eurostar E3000 we foresee excellent f l e e t m a n a g e m e n t , traditionally more complex platform and assembled and tested the spacecraft. opportunities for such remote tracking and to monitor and manage. Thales Alenia designed and built the communications cost-effective, flexible monitoring of mobile The terminal's robust payload. solutions.” assets. The L-band has a s y s t e m a n d TIBA-1 is Egypt's 9th satellite and the 4th satellite wider beam width, and interoperability make it the launched in 2019 following the launch of EgyptSat-A, Thuraya T2M-DUAL hence does not require a best-in-class solution for a replacement satellite launched in February, and p r o v i d e s t h r e e high-quality antenna with l a r g e s c a l e m o b i l e independent modes of accurate directionality that NARSSCube-2 and NARSSCube-1, two indigenously operations in sectors like operation. On tracker developed Cubesats launched in July and September is mandatory for higher t r a n s p o r t a t i o n , mode, it relays CANbus, respectively. bands. As a result, government, energy and GPS or I/O data from TIBA-1 is Egypt's 4th communication satellite in Thuraya's services are utilities, agri-tech, hydro moving entities. When space. Egypt's publicly-traded satellite operator has easier to process and environment and mining. assets are fixed or launched three communication satellites in the past: require only low cost Moreover, its automated deployed, the terminal Nilesat 101, Nilesat 102 and Nilesat 210. Radio Frequency (RF) network mode selection can also be used in NileSat recently confirmed it is planning to build a new equipment, culminating based on least cost routing logger or modem mode satellite, NileSat 301, to augment its current satellite e n s u r e s o p t i m i z e d to interface with data in major operational and capacities, and has received several bids from connectivity and unrivalled loggers to exchange vital financial savings. potential contractors. Some sources say the company total cost of ownership. information from remote budgeted USD 300 million for the construction and Chief Commercial Officer, sites. Launched in early launch of the satellite. Shawkat Ahmed sheds 2018, the T2M-DUAL IN THE NEWS

Gilat reports strong Gulfsat, PALSAT renew agreement for growth in Q3 2019 broadcasting Palestinian channels

Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd., a worldwide leader in Gulfsat Communications Co, Zawawi. rewarding and a reliable satellite networking technology, solutions and a leading specialized On the Palestinian side platform to fulfill our prime services, has reported its results for the third p r o v i d e r o f s a t e l l i t e t h e c e r e m o n y w a s objective; Gulfsat is quarter ended September 30, 2019. YonaOvadia, communications solutions, attended by Minister renown to be one of the CEO of Gilat, commented: “We achieved t e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s Ahmed Assaf- Chairman, best companies in the significant milestones in the Third Quarter, both services and TV broadcast MazenHamarsheh – industry throughout the on the financial and the business sides, as we announced the renewal of CEO and Board Member, region, offering services continued to execute our strategy to build high the cooperation agreement Palestinian Ambassador m a r k e d w i t h h i g h quality, profitable revenues through our growth with Palsat, first Palestinian in Turkey, Dr Fayed definition while preventing engines of Broadband, Mobile Cellular Backhaul company specialized in M u s t a f a a n d o t h e r a n t i - j a m m i n g o n and Mobility IFC. Satellite TV Broadcasting, members of Palsat team. Palestinian channels. Our “On the financial side we attained substantial also a subsidiary of the Commenting on the t r u s t i n G u l f s a t progress as we continued to improve profitability. Palestinian Broadcasting agreement renewal, capabilities stems from We have attained a record achievement of Corporation (PBC). Minister Ahmed Assaf our initial cooperation double-digit millions of dollars of Adjusted said: “we anticipate that over the past five years, EBITDA, $10.1 million to be exact. This has been The agreement renewal took this agreement will play a therefore we are proud to achieved only once before since we made growth place in a signing ceremony pivotal role in reinforcing renew our agreement”. in profitability one of the pillars of our strategy, and in Istanbul in presence of the Palestinian media From his end, Gulfsat's we have every intention to repeat it going forward. high-caliber representatives platform, which comes in- CEO, Mohammed Al-Haj “On the business side, I am excited to report that from both companies. line with our commitment pointed out that the Gilat reached a landmark achievement with the Gulfsat communications was to offer our compatriots renewal of the agreement selection of Gilat's platform by SES for the O3b presented by Mohammed the best media mediums reaffirms the long-built mPOWER Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) Alhaj, CEO and Board to keep them connected trust between the two Communications System. Gilat was selected due M e m b e r , a n d t h e to the latest updates companies and provides to our innovative ground segment, that Commercial and Sales worldwide through TV an opportunity to outline significantly reduces cost per bit, best-in-class Director DrReyadDoughlas, channels”. f u t u r e d e v e l o p m e n t spectral efficiency, and a step function in modem in addition to their honor H e a d d e d : “ o u r milestones to boost the performance. This win positions Gilat at the guest Ambassador of Kuwait cooperation with Gulfsat Palestinian TV channels. forefront of ground networks for Non-Geo to Turkey, Ghassan Al- p r o v e d t o b e v e r y He said: ” Stationary Orbit (NGSO) constellations and as well as a prominent player for the new generation of HTS and VHTS GEO satellites. The Satellite Industry welcomes WRC-19 “In Peru, our goal has always been the profitable recurring revenues from operations and sales of Decisions services, and indeed, further to last quarter's The Global Satellite Coalition decision on Earth Stations feeder links, and the achievement of moving to Operations in three )GSC( welcomes the decisions in Motion (ESIM) in the Ka decisions to make ample awarded regions, I am pleased to share that this taken at the ITU World Band (28 GHz and 18 GHz spectrum available to HAPS quarter we won a $10 million five-year project for R a d i o c o m m u n i c a t i o n bands) into which billions of (High Altitude Platform 3G/4G backhaul services over the network that Conference 2019 )WRC-19(, dollars of investment have S t a t i o n s ) a n d I M T, we built and just started to operate. We are Sharm-el-Sheikh, which allow flowed over the last decade. ( I n t e r n a t i o n a l M o b i l e pleased to see our vision materializing, and satellite services to continue to The decision unmistakably Telecommunications) which expect that this contract will significantly expand bridge digital, education, health answers the need for more both acknowledge the need over time to additional multiple millions of dollars, and social divides and connect flexibility in the use of to protect incumbent as well as to selling additional services over our more and more citizens around e x i s t i n g s p e c t r u m services networks. the world. allocations to address “In Australia we have reached an important At the start of WRC-19, the increased demand for Furthermore, the continued innovation of the satellite milestone this quarter with NBN Co. with the GSC called for a practical connectivity for users on i n d u s t r y h a s b e e n launch of NBN's business satellite services. The approach to address both the planes, ships and trains. recognised through much- commercial launch of this flagship project initiates w o r l d ' s u n r e s o l v e d communications challenges Of crucial importance to welcomed new agenda our managed service to NBN, delivering revenue i t e m s f o r W R C - 2 3 of tens of millions of US dollars over a ten-year a n d t h e t e c h n o l o g i c a l millions of satellite users at this Conference, was the c o n c e r n i n g E S I M period. “In addition, we have seen continued imperatives of the future. WRC- decision to protect C-band c o m m u n i c a t i n g w i t h progress in our mobile and mobility growth areas. 19 proved again the vigour and downlinks in Africa and Asia g e o s t a t i o n a r y ( G S O ) Particularly in cellular backhaul Gilat continues to vitality of the satellite industry. Not only was the satellite using the 3.6 - 4.2 GHz satellite networks and be recognized as the global leader with the range. Administrations in NGSO satellite systems in selection of the leading Japanese MNO, NTT industry able to effectively c o n t a i n t h e p e r s i s t e n t these regions can now be Ku-band and Ka-band, DoCoMo. In Aero Mobility, we are encouraged by encroachments on spectrum assured that their vital C- respectively. the clear direction of airlines to offer free wifi, as allocated to satellite services, band services in this band Future conferences will also we already saw it starting to generate significant but also achieved big wins in will remain protected for look at making additional demand for Gilat equipment in this quarter. Both terms of added flexibility and years to come. spectrum available to mobile and mobility continue to be major growth new spectrum allocations. accommodate the growing engines for Gilat. The GSC also praises the demand for fixed and mobile “Lastly, in Q3, we also continued to strengthen The decisions of WRC-19 Conference decisions on satellite services to enable our partnership with China Satcom with an demonstrate that countries defining a regulatory b r o a d b a n d a n d 5 G agreement to upgrade to the most up-to-date, around the world recognize the f r a m e w o r k f o r n o n - applications. WRC-23 will efficient, and high-performance communication important role that satellite geostationary (NGSO) further study a number of network for aero and maritime mobility communications plays in the satellites to operate in the issues including technical applications as well as fixed applications.” Mr. development and growth of Q/V bands, the new considerations related to Ovadia concluded: “In closing, we are pleased their economies and the allocation of 1 GHz of space-to-space links, which with our momentum in the market-place and in provision of critical services to spectrum for the fixed- will be important for global parallel with our continued improvement in our their citizens. satellite service (FSS) in the NGSO and hybrid NGSO- bottom line. m line.” The GSC praises the WRC-19 51.4-52.4 GHz band for GSO networks. INDUSTRY INSIGHT

Israel space industry Facing new threats from foreign acquisition

Recently, a former Israeli Foreign Minister At the beginning of the 1980s, Israel Israel's imaging satellites are among the Avigdor Lieberman, Mr Lieberman was set its sights on developing the best in the world. At present, there are indicted at Jerusalem Magistrates Court industrial and scientific infrastructure five Earth observation active satellites on charges of fraud and breach of trust. required for full-fledged membership and eight reconnaissance satellites in The 54-year-old is accused of in the “Space Community”. The orbit: EROS A – Operating as a engineering the appointment of an Israeli government established the Israel commercial venture supplying imagery ambassador to Latvia as payment for a Space Agency in 1983 in affiliation to to the international market, followed by political favour related to another the Ministry of Science, Culture and OFEQ 5, EROS B, OFEQ 7, the second corruption case against Mr Lieberman. Sport and charged it with the generation of Electro-Optical Remote- The revised indictment filed by the Israeli coordination of the nation's space Sensing satellites. state prosecutor carries a charge of program. The emphasis continues to "moral turpitude" that would ban Mr be on building a broad space TecSAR, launched in 2007, employed a Lieberman from holding public office for infrastructure, and following the Ofek state-of-the-art Synthetic-Aperture- seven years. Before this incidence, and its Shavit launcher, a diverse Radar payload that enables night images Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit had scope of activities was established and penetration through clouds. Ahead announced criminal charges against both for defence led by Israel MOD of its time, Israel next generation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. and for civilian applications under the satellites l include: OPTSAT –3 a new leadership of ISA. generation of high-resolution Electro- However, Israel is one of the few countries Optical remote sensing satellites. that has been able to develop its own Currently, the Status of Israel's space VENUS – a Joint Israel/France Multi- indigenous space program since the '70s. activities are highly focused on High- spectral Mission to monitor vegetation Though, presently, it is facing a significant Resolution-Imaging satellites in Low and coasts (water quality), jointly slowdown in its various space programs, Earth Orbits. The funding levels for designed by the Israel Space Agency now there are five functional Israeli earth Israel's space program are still and CNES the space agency of France. observation satellites in place along with relatively modest. Nevertheless, the multiple telecommunication and program's achievements are among reconnaissance satellites. Israel's space the most impressive of Israel's high- Spacecom program began with university-based tech industries. On the basis of cost- Spacecom established in 1994, research in the early 1960s. to-performance and weight-to- launched its first geostationary satellite – performance, there is no doubt that AMOS-1 in 1996. A dynamic, growing, INDUSTRY INSIGHT

satellite operator- Spacecom operates The nano-satellites are also one of the Spacecraft (VENuS) together with the the AMOS communications satellite fleet, flagship projects of the Israel Space French Space Agency - Centre national covering diverse territories with an Agency, developed by research at the d'etudes spatiales (CNES), exploring the International global expansion growth Technion – Israel Institute of SHALOM project with the Italian Space strategy. Technology, Haifa, in cooperation with Agency - Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI), the defense-systems maker Rafael and which involves a hyperspectral satellite. Spacecom today is an established Israel Aerospace Industries. The project ISA also collaborates with NASA in the market leader in Europe, the Middle East known as Samson, for Space Mediterranean Israel Dust Experiment or with the 4°W orbital slot 'hot spot', has Autonomous Mission for Swarming and the MEIDEX project, which studied the established a significant footprint in Africa Geolocation with Nanosatellites, has Mediterranean region and its influence on and North America and is now expanding been designed to make satellites, each the weather and climate, the European to Asia. Spacecom has an excellent weighing a mere eight kilograms, Space Agency and others. reputation in the market with an requiring the expertise in miniaturization experienced and stable management that Rafael has. Each satellite was built Challenges and strong financial backing. Our out of six cubes, each 10 cubic Within the last few years, there have been collective vision is to position Spacecom centimeters. They will be thrust into significant reduction of budget for the as an international satellite services space together with the Israeli-French space programme, which was stated by provider — one that operates a Venus microsatellite, another innovative the Knesset Committee of Science and constellation of advanced satellites at project whose goal is to provide Technology to the Israeli parliament, after multiple orbital locations and maintains its precision agricultural imaging and the explosion of the Amos 6 satellite in personalized attention to its customers environmental monitoring. The three Florida, pointing out the manner in which over a wider range of territories. satellites will work as a team, with a it was becoming difficult to run the space The State of Israel has been engaged “leader” and two “followers,” orbiting in program due to lack of funds. According with Communication Satellites since the fixed formation no more than 250 to Joseph Weiss, President and CEO of early '90s. Two satellites were launched kilometers apart from each other – a Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Israel's to a geosynchronous orbit, Amos-1 in kind of coordination never achieved communications-satellite industry is mid-1996 and Amos-2 in late 2003. before by satellites in orbit 600 about to reach its end unless the Amos-1 and Amos-2 are providing kilometers above Earth's surface. government immediately intervenes for communication services to the Middle The programs and algorithms that its survival and provides a higher budget East, Central Europe and the East Coast manage the fight were developed by for its space program. of the United States. Amos-3 was Technion Space Research. Apart from launched in April 2008, to replace Amos- proving that it is possible to hold He further stated that the Israeli space 1. The Amos-1, 2, 3 series is of small- satellites in formation for a year or more, industry launches a communications class up to 1.5 ton) satellites. their purpose is to find signals of people satellite once every three to four years, on Earth who are missing or in distress. while competitors build five to seven in a The Amos-4 program was started in July But the team has other ideas for their year. He mentioned that the future of 2007 and was planned to be launched by satellite technology, among them as a reconnaissance satellites is assured due the end of 2011 which was delayed till platform for speedier communications to commitments by the government to December 2013. It offers coverage and very-high-resolution photography. build additional satellites in the future. across Southeast Asia along with high- The nano-satellite project has Beijing Xinwei Technology Group owned power coverage beams offering developed the Inklajn series of satellites by Chinese tycoon Wang Jing has been communication links from East Asia to the which are fit with a fusion of high planning to take over Spacecom for $285 Middle East. Amos-4 is a medium-class spectral and low resolution pan million, a 100 percent stake in Spacecom satellite. IAI/MBT-SPACE provides the cameras, which is sought by many Satellite Communications through its unit satellite owner, Spacecom with control countries for its reconnaissance L u x e m b o u r g S p a c e operations service.7 Amos-5 was capabilities. Telecommunications. However, with the launched on 11 December 2011, failure of the Amos 6 satellite, the providing coverage over the continent of Presently, various countries have been acquisition of Spacecom by Xinwei Africa, as well as Europe and the Middle approaching Israel to acquire such Technology has been postponed, which East. Amos-6 was proposed to be satellites for strengthening their remain to be a major hurdle for future launched on September 1, 2016, which respective military infrastructure. Five growth for the industry. exploded in the launch pad in Florida. years ago, Meir Nissim-Nir, the then Head of the Department for Satellite If defence technologies that have been Israel capabilities Control and Command for Israel Aircraft developed indigenously by Israel through Israel has independent capabilities to Industries stated that Israel possesses public - private partnership, and such launch satellites into low Earth orbits. It strategic capabilities in space satellites private firms are taken over by foreign also has capabilities developing, that produce targets for the Air Force. In acquisition, chances of next generation manufacturing and maintaining light high- Israel, ISA's partners include industry defence weapons and sensitive resolution remote-sensing satellites as and academia. In general, some 30 technology also being transferred well as communication satellites. The industries nationwide are involved in the through such take-overs, might pose as a main research objectives of the ISA are to space program, Israel Aerospace strategic challenge for other regions, assure that Israel continues to lead in Industries being its prime contractor. In disturbing their specific regional areas in which Israel has relative academia, Israeli universities lead in securities. Additionally, the likelihood of advantages, such as miniaturization, light astrophysics, space research and soft interference in the operation of space m a t e r i a l s , r e m o t e s e n s i n g , space engineering. systems by jamming or cyber attacks is communications, and fundamental and As a long-standing space-faring nation, on the rise along with the development of applied research. These research Israel has established cooperation with ASAT techlologies . This was also objectives have applications for all leading space-faring nations. For recognized by many in Israel who national needs, both military and civilian. example, ISA is currently developing perceive a direct link between cyber Vegetation and Environment New Micro threats IN THE NEWS

Euroconsult: Egypt to launch its first communications satellite Market for EO data and services Egypt is preparing to launch TIBA-1, its first satellite for forecast to grow by communications purposes, s e t t o p r o v i d e 9% annually over communications services towards the government and next decade commercial sectors. It will fully cover Egypt and some In its new survey titled, “Satellite-Based North African and Nile Basin Earth Observation Market Prospects to countries. TIBA-1 is being 2028”, Euroconsult, forecast that the m a n u f a c t u r e d b y t h e market for data and services derived from c o n s o r t i u m o f F r e n c h Earth observation (EO) satellites is companies expected to grow by 9.4 percent each year for the next ten years for a total upside Thales Alenia Space and market value of $12.1 billion by 2028. “We Airbus Defense and Space, expect that growth in demand for Earth who are of the largest imagery will be driven by a mix of defense international companies in and new commercial organizations,” said the field. The satellite will be Alexis Conte, report editor and Senior launched by Arianespace. It sectors. It will support all state Agency. TIBA is the first of the Consultant at Euroconsult. “This will be aims promotes development agencies in the fight against “TIBA Sat” series, which Egypt supported by the arrival of new b y p r o v i d i n g crime and terrorism, and plans to launch in the near constellation operators with lower-cost t e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s contributes to providing future. solutions, attracting new customers to the infrastructure and broadband broadband Internet services one-meter resolution market. At the same Internet to remote and f o r g o v e r n m e n t a n d The Egyptian National Authority time, some revenue from this segment is isolated areas, support commercial purposes. for Remote Sensing and Space expected to move to the 50-centimeter and development projects in S c i e n c e s , N A R S S w a s below resolution market, dominated by these areas, as well as The new satellite will provide established in 1991 to pursue, traditional satellites.” bridging the digital gap I n t e r n e t a n d transfer, and provide the most Governments are expected to continue to between urban and rural telecommunications services modern technology in the fields be key in driving growth over the next places. to some Nile Basin countries of Remote Sensing and decade. [AC1] [AC2] The research TIBA-1 also contributes to based on Egypt's efforts to peaceful applications of Space shows that the total civil government advancing the sectors of cooperate with the African Sciences, and build the self investment in EO programs, including petroleum, energy, mineral continent, especially in light of capability of utilizing these meteorology, in 2018, was $9.8 billion, resources, education, health Egypt's presidency of the technologies to support the reflecting 5% growth over 2017. This is the and all other government African Union in 2019 and its National development plans and 12th year of continuous investment growth hosting of the African Space objectives. from governments and the trajectory is likely to continue with more than $10 billion of investment in 2019. According to the Arabsat 6a, ST Engineering to transform forecast, 52 countries will have launched at least one EO satellite by 2028. Sudasat's Broadband Internet Connectivity

A growing focus on multi-satellite constellations is significantly changing the A r a b S a t e l l i t e Sudasat the possibility to take close collaboration and market landscape. Constellations C o m m u n i c a t i o n s advantage of Newtec Dialog's interaction.” increase the frequency of data collection Organization (ARABSAT) has multiservice capabilities in the Arabsat is the leading satellite for better global coverage and faster announced the signing of a future, enabling it to grow into service provider in the Arab change detection. Euroconsult identified contract between leading other market segments such World and has been serving more than 20 companies that intend to satellite service provider, as mobility, cellular backhaul t h e r e g i o n w i t h i t s develop low cost smallsat constellations Arabsat, Sudan-based VSAT and broadcasting. telecommunications and for Earth observation, including satellites service provider, Sudasat and “This new installation further broadcast services for over 40 designed to collect optical, radar and global leader in IP-based r e i n f o r c e s o u r s t r o n g years. hyperspectral imaging. The report satellite communications, ST partnership with Arabsat, “We have seen the Newtec provides detail on each of these proposed Engineering iDirect. The which has been established Dialog platform in action and constellations and the applications they agreement will see the over many years,” said we know that it is both reliable are pursuing. installation of a Newtec Thomas Van den Driessche, and scalable,” said Eng. Khalid Analytics derived from vast quantities of Dialog® hub that will provide President of the Executive Balkheyour, President & CEO multi-sourced data are driving the shift in Internet services across Strategic Board and Chief at Arabsat. “These were key revenue generation from imagery to Sudan on the Arabsat 6A Ka- Commercial Officer at ST attributes that we were services. “According to our findings, band satellite, which was Engineering iDirect. “We are searching for in order to enable business to business opportunities for launched by a Falcon Heavy proud to continue our work Sudasat to deliver the best value-added services that rely on EO data earlier this year and is together, enabling Sudasat to are growing,” said PacômeRévillon, Chief quality experience to its dedicated to connecting the i n t r o d u c e h i g h - s p e e d Executive Officer at Euroconsult. “If customers. We look forward to Middle East and African connectivity to Sudan and changes can be detected over a given serving Sudan and its bringing connectivity to area and relayed with low latency at a regions. neighbouring regions on businesses and individuals as competitive price, demand for EO-based The latest Newtec Dialog hub Arabsat 6A.” solutions will grow. Location-based to be installed in Africa will never before. We would also Sudasat's employees will services and financial services are likely to enable Sudasat to enhance like to thank both Arabsat and receive full training and be the first industries to benefit from faster its broadband connectivity Sudasat for their cooperation certification on the Newtec access to this low-cost data in a market across the Sudanese territory, and support in bringing this Dialog platform following its previously dominated by government w i t h t h e p r o s p e c t o f deal to fruition. Our Africa and installation and commissioning customers.” connecting many hundreds of Middle East teams also by the ST Engineering iDirect remote sites. It will also offer deserve recognition for their Team. INDUSTRY REPORT Nigeria’s tech solution to bridge knowledge gap in the space sector

Dr. Isa Patamni Honourable Minister opf Communication Technology Republic of Nigeria

A new tech solution unveiled recently in Nigeria, Unity board, has become the latest advancement with an embedded AI / IoT STEAM Education Kit designed to drive learning and teaching of IoT,, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence while accelerating local content development and indigenization of technology through human capital development in emerging technologies, according to this report.

A wholly Made-in-Nigeria Education computational thinking creating a perfect promoted through the (UnityBoard) Technology Platform, UnityBoard is a latest way to introduce middle school and older product will play a big role in the fulfilment hardware with an embedded AI / IoT students to physical computing that opens of the focus of the Nigerian space STEAM Education Kit designed to drive up a world of opportunities in the fields of programme to use the Basic Space learning and teaching of IoT,, Robotics and robotics, Internet of Things (IoT), Science and Technology for instance, to Artificial Intelligence while accelerating engineering, fashion, medical industries, provide the understanding of how the l o c a l c o n t e n t d e v e l o p m e n t a n d environmental sciences, performing arts universe works and what its impact is on indigenization of technology through and more; ensuring better preparedness to the world. human capital development in emerging enter the workforce of the future. technologies. STEAM, is an acronym that As a way to facilitate the upstream stands for Science, Technology, UnityBoard is the first product of its kind in activities, the UnityBoard will be useful as Engineering, Arts and Maths which aims to Nigeria in terms of essence and purpose. It the base equipment for fabrication of embed problem solving capability through was meant to be utilised to enable the command transmitters, tracking system creative thinking and problem-based e l u s i v e h a r d w a r e t e c h n o l o g i c a l and telemetry receiver. learning methods, especially at the early wherewithal in the Nigerian education age. sector in order to fulfil the technological Meanwhile, the locally generated product It teaches Physical Computing combining human capital development among all will enable locally-oriented ideas and hardware and software by focusing on categories of learners in the country. The inventions that will promote indigenous teaching of computer science and technological knowledge generated and ideas and technologies in the Nigerian INDUSTRY REPORT

fulfil peculiar needs more than the With the advent and growth of the IoT, products that are, most of the time, physical environments are becoming adapted to needs in Nigeria. Knowing smarter and more interconnected than the rudiments of the technology will ever before. This has changed the way we facilitate development of appropriate live by improving sustainability, efficiency, products to fulfil the quality envisaged. accuracy and economy in almost every aspect of our lives. IoT has been The implementation plan conceived for leveraged in many industries such as the tool has been through stakeholder healthcare systems, traffic management, involvement, which cut across public energy management, education, and private partners. It is believed that environment monitoring, smart homes accommodating all shades of opinion in and smart cities. the implementation will enhance Field Applications enduring and effective adoption of the UnityBoard is the perfect platform that tool to achieve improvement in national brings both Professionals and Students technological education and application (Industry and Academia) together; a for development. made-in-Nigeria IoT (internet of things) space industry. Further and consistent fully featured Development Board & development will ultimately lead to a The UnityBoard is built with the intrinsic Educational Kit bringing internet of things level where Nigeria will build its own capacity for feature like Internet of at your fingertips with the possibility of satellites!. In the downstream sector, Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI) talking to the cloud, creating great using the UnityBoard as the base, will and robotics. This makes the tool opportunities to assimilate smart facilitate fabrication of equipment like appropriate to meet the expectations technologies, design the next big thing encoder and decoder, antenna control from the 21st century technologies. and solve unique problems. system and tracking subsystem. It is maker friendly and fully compatible The UnityBoard is imbued with Scaling up the hardware with Arduino and peripheral modules components along the utility lines such NITDA is forging a collaborative network making it programmable via Arduino IDE as Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial among the stakeholders in IT hardware and compatible with all the example codes Intelligence (AI), robotic, from which hubs, IT educators, education funding and libraries for Arduino. It is also other utility aspect (such as s t a k e h o l d e r s t o e n t r e n c h t h e compatible with Graphical Programming Geographical Positioning System implementation of the product for Environment such as XOD, ArduBlock, (GPS) among others) can be application in education and industry Scratch for Arduino (S4A), Minibloq, consolidated for appropriate end user spheres. NITDA has been very open and Modkit, Visuino, Embrio, GraspIO etc tools will be open to all shades of useful UnityBoard will spark the spirit of suggestions that come from the Developers options innovation in learners, and ignite great stakeholders towards the successful things! When students are free to UnityBoard, an end-to-end platform helps implementation of the product. The idea IoT developers avoid tunnel vision and its invent and create, they begin to see and knowledge of the basic hardware technology as a means for solving real- c o n s e q u e n c e s b y p r o v i d i n g a product (UnityBoard) will thus be comprehensive set of hardware and world problems and taking their promoted through joint activities with the learning to the next level. software components that easily combine stakeholders to achieve national-wide into complete IoT applications, providing By introducing the Internet of Things adoption. (IoT) in education via UnityBoard and developers with a head start on their custom designs. a l l o w i n g I n t e r n e t b a s e d Technological innovations communications to happen between IoT applications bring a particularly tight By embedding sensors in objects and physical objects, sensors and convergence between hardware and i n t e g r a t i n g c l o u d c o m p u t i n g , controllers, it nonetheless will change software components, requiring a u g m e n t e d r e a l i t y, w e a r a b l e educational institutions massively. developers to account for myriad details in technologies and big data in this each domain; UnityBoard creates a single platform, different parameters of the platform designed to facilitate that Application to the Space educational environment can be convergence through an ecosystem that industry measured and analysed to provide provides a unified platform of components Given the fact that the space industry is useful information. It will also create a and services designed to address the a knowledge and technology-based. new interaction between people and the entire IoT application hierarchy. The product will be used as the basis to e n v i r o n m e n t i n e d u c a t i o n a l At the lowest layers of the IoT hierarchy, initiate and drive IT knowledge across environment. The Internet of Things hardware modules support high- board in Nigeria, especially the aspect (IoT) is a technological revolution that performance data acquisition and signal of hardware, which hitherto has enables pervasive interaction between processing while providing multiple experienced immense dearth of objects, people and environments. Data wireless connectivity options. patronage. will be gathered by embedded sensors UnityBoard reduces bread-boarding and As mentioned earlier, the upstream and and actuators, which are then sent to adopts a modular and scalable downstream activities in the space specialised applications to create architecture that addresses challenges industry will be facilitated and driven to actionable information. IoT has been facing the IoT adoption, adaptation and thrive as the indigenous technological acknowledged as one of the foundation deployment in Africa; in diverse areas development progress in Nigeria.The stones of Industry 4.0, due to its such as Government, Healthcare, Fleet UnityBoard, as conceived, will stand potential to change the existing management and telematics, Security. out and compete favourably in terms of industrial and business processes. Utilities & Service Providers, and eAgric quality and quantity as it will strive to etc NEWS ANALYSIS Dubai airshow hosts aviation and space professionals

This year's edition of the Dubai Airshow The event boasts unparalleled industry Delsaux, Deputy Director General of the attracted the global aerospace industry to recognition from around the world. “Dubai European Commission. DWC, made up of over 87000 aerospace Airshow provides a platform for international Recognising that collaboration will be professionals, 1300 exhibitors and close to aerospace experts and professionals to key to the success of any future moves 165 aircraft in the static and flying displays connect and share the latest trends, into the field of space exploration, from including Cargo Connect, and Global Air innovations and news within the industry,” the UAE's National Space Strategy 2030 Traffic Management. says Ismail Ali Abdulla, CEO of Strata to the Mission to Mars project, Dr. Al Likewise, support for the event reached Manufacturing, while Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO Ahbabi said any initiative of the UAE's incredible heights for this edition, with Dubai of flydubai adds, “The Dubai Airshow is one was an initiative for the whole of the Arab Airshow announcing its first ever Advanced of the most important events for our industry world. With 14 countries already Technology Partner, the recently launched and for the region.” collaborating on plans for a regional EDGE conglomerate integrating over 25 space strategy and satellite project, he defence entities and other independent The Space Pavilion at the Dubai Airshow highlighted examples of the European organisations. In addition, 2019 witnessed the space industry's biggest Space Agency and African Space The Helicopter Company, Saudi Arabia's first names with conference attendance. Women Agency, saying: “All the space scientific commercial helicopter operator launched in Space and Tech Talks, hosted by the UAE projects cannot be done without earlier this year, backed by Saudi Arabia's Space Agency, featured the evolution of the collaboration with other countries. We state-run Public Investment Fund (PIF), was global space sector. hope to one day have an Arab Space the platinum sponsor of the Dubai Airshow Agency too. We are next, I believe.” 2019. Over 40 influential speakers shared their “The Dubai Airshow 2019 is set to be the insights during two days of content, including Among the day's other key events, biggest and best edition yet,” said Michele H.E Dr. Ahmed Abdullah Belhoul Al Falasi, Colonel Al Worden, who served as the van Akelijen, Managing Director of show Minister of State for Higher Education and Command Module Pilot of Apollo 15, organisers Tarsus F&E LLC Middle East. Advanced Skills, Chairman, UAE Space hosted a keynote session examining the “The growth in exhibitors is a testament to Agency, Simonetta Di Pippo, Director, United lessons learned from the Apollo 12 moon the expanding aerospace industry in the Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs; Jean- landing. He also spoke about his new region and beyond, as our new exhibitors are Yves Le Gall, President, Centre National Endeavour Scholarship, launched in coming from Asia, Europe and the US as well d'EtudesSpatiales (CNES) and Leanne collaboration with Kallman Worldwide, as the rest of the world. I look forward to Caret, CEO Defence, Space & Security, which will see four Emirati students and welcoming the industry on Sunday to the Boeing. two teachers sent to space camp in the Dubai Airshow 2019.” Focusing on the future of space exploration USA. Colonel Worden said: “The UAE is The static display will include the latest civil, and its impact on the technology sector, the the first and we're going to do that with business and military aircraft plus a selection programme featured a host of keynote eight different countries initially, because of helicopters from industry leaders and new sessions from speakers including His these young people are our future. We're players, including an A330neo displayed by Excellency Dr. Eng. Mohammed Nasser Al trying to motivate them into space and Airbus; a Viking Twin Otter Series 400 from Ahbabi, Director General of the UAE Space we want them to understand what Viking Aircraft and Cessna Caravan C208B Agency, Masood M. Sharif Mahmood, Chief science, technology, engineering and alongside a G120TP from Grob Aircraft. Executive Officer at Yahsat, and Pierre maths are all about.” IN THE NEWS

Angola’s top Gilat achieves fastest ever modem speeds Satellite Services of 1.2 Gbps total throughput Company signs on Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd., a latency from NGSO creates industry's fastest modem Spacecom for C- worldwide leader in satellite opportunity for delay-sensitive m a r k s a s i g n i f i c a n t networking technology, applications such as 5G. breakthrough and a major Band Capacity on solutions and services, “Telesat is delivering on the milestone in realizing Gilat's a n n o u n c e d t h a t G i l a t p r o m i s e o f e x c e p t i o n a l vision of enabling plentiful, AMOS-17 achieved the fastest ever throughput, high data rate, low q u a l i t y a n d a ff o r d a b l e modem speeds of 1.2 Gbps latency applications and this broadband, by bringing Israel's Spacecom, operator of the AMOS total throughput over Telesat's demonstration highlights the innovative technologies that fleet of satellites that has long been Phase 1 LEO satellite. b e n e f i t s o f o u r L E O maximize the promise of delivering services to Asia, Europe, the constellation architecture,” said NGSO satellite constellations.” Middle East and Africa, announce that its This industry milestone Michel Forest, Director of Brigadier Michael Ogbonna Agu, rtd a new HTS satellite AMOS 17 has signed demonstrates the potential of Systems Engineering for the At Gilat, we are targeting areas a contract for C-Band HTS capacity with h i g h t h r o u g h p u t N o n - LEO Program at Telesat. where it is difficult to provide a leading Angola Satellite Services Geostationary Orbit (NGSO) “Telesat truly values our service through fiber, such as Company. The Angolan company will satellite constellations. Gilat's longstanding collaboration with cellular companies (additional utilize capacity on AMOS-17 primarily for t e c h n o l o g y o p e n s Gilat and we are pleased to services), development of cellular backhaul to better connect rural o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r n e w h a v e a c h i e v e d t h e s e innovative satellite services and low-density communities throughout telecommunications products r e m a r k a b l e l e v e l s o f and providing service on fiber. the Southern African country. and a wider range of customer performance using Gilat's To remain competitive in the experiences to markets innovative technology.” A f r i c a ' s n e t w o r k AMOS-17's C-band HTS capabilities d e m a n d i n g v e r y h i g h communications market, enable the satellite to target all of Angola throughputs such as cruise “The strong partnership with a single beam rather than use a ships, large airplanes, between Telesat and Gilat Gilat anticipate changes in number of smaller beams, as in most trunking and high-capacity marks another outstanding technology and industry other HTS satellite. This technological government applications. achievement for delivery of next standards and develop and advantage leads to economic benefits by generation satellite services introduce new products, reducing the client's initial CAPEX costs Additionally, the combination required for high-throughput applications and services, as as well as providing lower ongoing OPEX of high throughput provided applications,” said Amir Yafe, well as enhancements to our costs for it and its customers. b y G i l a t ' s i n n o v a t i v e Head of Global Accounts at existing products, applications Spacecom's Vertical Solutions Division is technology and the low Gilat. “Demonstrating the and services. supporting infrastructure deployment for the Angolan company.

Spacecom Sr. VP of Sales, Jacob Keret Eutelsat ships all-electric KONNECT satellite reported, "We are excited to welcome back this Angolan satellite service to launch site provider to the AMOS family. AMOS-17, The all-electric KONNECT the digital divide in Africa and goal of reducing the digital expected to begin commercial services communications satellite built Europe. The next major step divide. These satellites will work later in 2019, is already bringing new and by Thales Alenia Space, the forward will come in 2022 with with terrestrial networks by repeat customer business. We are very joint company between Thales the introduction of the p r o v i d i n g a d d i t i o n a l satisfied to see this movement. Within a (67%) and Leonardo (33%), KONNECT VHTS (very high connectivity resources, at a short time, Spacecom have three for the international operator throughput satellite), also time when access to high- satellites serving Africa: AMOS-7, Eutelsat Communications under construction by Thales speed Internet plays a major AMOS-4 and AMOS-17 all of which are (Euronext Paris: ETL) is now Alenia Space. role in both national and enabling clients to reduce Africa's digital undergoing final preparation The new KONNECT satellite regional economic and social divide.” prior to being shipped to the f e a t u r e s a l l - e l e c t r i c development.” Guiana Space Center in propulsion and operates in Operating from 17 degrees East, AMOS- Kourou, French Guiana, for a Ka-band. It is the first to use Jean-Loïc Galle, President and 17 expands Spacecom's coverage over launch planned mid-January Thales Alenia Space's all- Chief Executive Officer of Africa, the Middle East and Europe for an 2020. electric Spacebus NEO Thales Alenia Space, added: expected in-orbit lifetime of 15 years. The KONNECT will provide high- platform, developed under the “We are very proud to present satellite was launcheed in 2019. “AMOS- speed Internet services for Neosat Partnership Project our first all-electric Spacebus 17 is a multi-band high-throughput, state- markets in Africa and Western conducted by the European NEO satellite today, alongside of the- art satellite that will provide Europe. Offering total capacity and French space agencies our legacy customer Eutelsat. reliable solutions and offer a significant of 75 Gbps, by next autumn (ESA and CNES). K O N N E C T c o m b i n e s competitive advantage for our this satellite will allow the innovation and in-orbit heritage customers,” said David Pollack, operator to provide Internet Yohann Leroy, Deputy CEO to offer a fully modular platform President and CEO of Spacecom. access services for both and Chief Technical Officer of along with an innovative and Spacecom established in 1994, launched companies and individuals at Eutelsat, said: “KONNECT is intelligent payload to provide its first geostationary satellite – AMOS-1 up to 100 Mbps. In Africa, it will a key to our strategy of high throughput, highly agile in 1996. A dynamic, growing, satellite also allow several users to developing large-scale services in Ka-band. operator- Spacecom operates the AMOS share an Internet connection satellite Internet services. It communications satellite fleet, covering via public Wi-Fi hotspots; a will soon be shipped to This technological success has diverse territories with an International service sold via coupons that Europe's Spaceport for a been possible thanks to the global expansion growth strategy. can be paid on their mobile launch early next year. I would support from the French and Spacecom today is an established phones. like to thank our industrial European space agencies, market leader in Europe, the Middle East A pivotal part of Eutelsat's partner, Thales Alenia Space, which helped us develop with the 4°W orbital slot 'hot spot', has strategy to restore its growth, for their all-out commitment to Spacebus NEO, and from the established a significant footprint in Africa centered around connectivity, this programme. They are French Investment in the Future and North America and is now expanding the KONNECT satellite will involved in several of our Plan, for high-throughput to Asia. also play a lead role in bridging programmes, supporting our capabilities.” IN THE NEWS

UK to fund to small AfricaCom: SA wins Government Leadership satellite launch Award from Cornwall AfricaCom Awards, much like significant positive change in AfricaCom for once again AfricaCom itself, recognisese the lives of people in Africa. bringing the leading tech The UK Space Agency will award £7.35 some of the technology, We are delighted to present conference to the country. million to Virgin Orbit UK Limited, the UK m e d i a a n d this inaugural recognition to She remarked: branch of US launch operator Virgin Orbit, to telecommunications industry Minister Stella Ndabeni- enable horizontal launch of small satellites at elite, the Awards, and have Abrahams, South Africa's “At the heart of the Fourth Cornwall Airport Newquay, according to a continued to grow in number Minister of Communications Industrial Revolution (4R) is recent report. The funding will help to develop and influence and this year and Digital Technologies, people. Therefore it has been advanced ground support equipment, was no exception with the inhonour of her efforts to encouraging to note that the including UK-based manufacturing of key inclusion of new awards one, break the bar of connectivity d i s c u s s i o n s , v a r i o u s equipment, and conduct mission planning. recognising top women in in South Africa and her efforts t e c h n o l o g i e s a n d Together with funding from the Cornwall innovation in Africa and the to promote an inclusive innovations showcased Council for spaceport infrastructure, this o t h e r f o r G o v e r n m e n t connected society.” during AfricaCom, have grant helps secure the first satellite launch Leadership. p r i m a r i l y c e n t r e d o n from Spaceport Cornwall, which Virgin Orbit Minister Ndabeni-Abrahams technology as an enabler for are planning for the early 2020s, pending James Williams, Portfolio who had been invited to give s o c i o - e c o n o m i c regulatory approvals. Manager, Informa Tech, said: the welcoming address to the development. We were Spaceport Cornwall estimates a horizontal 'The Government Leadership a s s e m b l e d g u e s t s , further encouraged by the launch spaceport at Cornwall Airport Award is given to the graciously accepted the collaborations between Newquay could create 150 immediate jobs, government representative award, also expressing various organisations in with additional opportunities for local whose work in digital gratitude on behalf of the developing solutions. businesses in directly supporting the site. t r a n s f o r m a t i o n a n d South African Government, The Science Minister, Chris Skidmore said: technology has enabled t o t h e o r g a n i s e r s o f “We want the UK to be the first country in Europe to give its small satellite manufacturers a clear route from the factory to the spaceport. That's why it's so important Sudan launches its first ever satellite that we are developing new infrastructure to in partnership with China allow aircraft to take off and deploy satellites, a key capability that the UK currently lacks”. Sudan's first ever satellite for Access to space is a vital tool for global efforts conducting research in to tackle climate change, as satellites give military, economic and space the science community key measurements of t e c h n o l o g y h a s b e e n temperature, sea levels and ice cover, while launched by China, the improving management of natural resources. northeast African country's The government is clear that launch activities ruling body said. General must not unduly affect the environment and Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who independent research carried out by the heads Sudan's sovereign University of Exeter demonstrates that council, announced the Spaceport Cornwall is not expected to have a launch of the satellite at a significant impact on Cornwall's overall meeting of his top security greenhouse gas emissions and efforts to officials held in Khartoum. combat climate change. The UK Space Agency originally announced China's state news agency, its intention to award funding to Spaceport Xinhua, reported that the Cornwall and Virgin Orbit in June, subject to satellite was launched on approval, as part of a wider £20 million Sunday from north China's government of now ousted television, radio, Internet, and funding package from Cornwall Council and Shanxi Province. "The leader Omar al-Bashir mobile communications to the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local satellite aims to develop established the Institute of customers in the Middle East, E n t e r p r i s e P a r t n e r s h i p . To d a y ' s r e s e a r c h i n s p a c e S p a c e R e s e a r c h a n d Africa, and Europe. announcement by the UK Space Agency technology, acquire data as Aerospace (ISRA) as part of follows the completion of the necessary due well as discover natural an overall plan to develop T h e S u d a n r e c e n t diligence and conclusion of the grant resources for the country's space technologies. achievements provided the agreement with Virgin Orbit UK Limited. military needs," a statement foundation ahead of Sudan's Cornwall Council are expected to confirm issued by the council said. Recently, Sudan's publicly- newest space ambition. whether they will award £10 million capital The spokesman of the ruling traded telecommunications Accordingly, the Government funding to the project at a council meeting b o d y M o h a m e d a l - company, Sudatel Telecom of Sudan has rolled out later this month. FakhiSulaiman told AFP that Group, through its satellite a m b i t i o u s a e r o s p a c e , This new funding will complement the recent "in a few months the satellite communications-focused a v i a t i o n a n d award of £300,000 from the UK Space would be monitored from s u b s i d i a r y, S u d a s a t , telecommunication project Agency's targeted development fund to Sudan". announced that it will development portfolio; which further support Cornwall's ambition to be a “China launched the satellite leverage the four Ka-band also include a plan to launch centre for future flight technologies.The UK is as it is a partner in this transponders onboard Sudanese Communication a world leader in small satellite technology project." Sudan, which is Arabsat 6A to provide Satellite (SUDASAT-1) and and we are committed to supporting the UK battling an economic crisis, broadband communications Sudanese Remote Sensing as a world leader in space technology, and has been involved in a and services across the Satellite (SRSS-1) into space establishing a network of spaceports that national space programme Sudanese territory. Sudatel in the near future. The enables us to operate regular flights is key to f o r d e c a d e s c o v e r i n g Telecom partnered Arabsat government has already that. To help grow the UK’s spaceflight activities such as remote for the launch of the Arabsat awarded the contract for the capabilities, sensing and geoinformatics. 6A satellite at orbital position design and development of In 2013, the then Sudanese 30.5, where it will deliver the SRSS-1.

7 IN THE NEWS

Liquid Telecom Eutelsat announces new CIRRUS solution partners Microsoft on on the African continent connectivity in Africa At the inaugural day of AfricaCom 2019, Eutelsat Liquid Telecom, a leading pan-African Communications announces telecoms group, is working with Microsoft to a m u l t i y e a r c o n t r a c t signature with Orao Telecom launch new enterprise cloud services - Congo for video capacity designed to improve business collaboration, aboard one of its satellites increase productivity and drive business located at 7° East, a growth in Africa. Leveraging Liquid privileged position for Africa. Telecom's low latency, high capacity, In a first for the African resilient infrastructure, these new services continent, Orao Telecom extend Liquid Telecom's position as a Congo has also signed up to connectivity partner for Microsoft enterprise Eutelsat CIRRUS; Eutelsat's customers across Africa. hybrid satellite/OTT delivery Liquid Telecom is a launch partner in Africa of channels. for the new Azure Peering Service. This Orao has selected a satellite modern enterprise cloud networking service located at one of Eutelsat's key positions to launch from uses Liquid Telecom's unrivalled fibre mid-December a pay-TV network, strategically located data centres bouquet of 15 channels MbiloBompate, President of Eutelsat; "We are proud to and cloud architecture to provide featuring Congolese content the Directors Committee of have been selected by Orao organisations with optimised, reliable made up of series, movies, Orao Telecom Congo: “We to launch its new TV offer. Internet connectivity to Microsoft services, sports, kids shows and news. are delighted to embark on This contract is a reflection such as Microsoft Office 365. The DTH bouquet will be our first satellite broadcast both of the unparalleled reach broadcast to the Democratic venture with Eutelsat as our of Eutelsat's 7° East orbital “The launch of these new services marks an Republic of Congo, while trusted partner, bringing high position over DRC, as well as exciting new chapter in the trusted Orao will also leverage the quality, original Congolese its compelling portfolio of collaboration between Liquid Telecom and Eutelsat CIRRUS content content to viewers in DRC services and solutions Microsoft, and act as a catalyst for business delivery platform to offer an and further afield.” enabling broadcasters to growth across Africa,” says David Behr, OTT service aimed at the P h i l i p p e O l i v a , C h i e f reach viewers worldwide via a C o n g o l e s e d i a s p o r a Commercial Officer of satellite/OTT service.” Group Chief Digital Officer, Liquid Telecom. w o r l d w i d e . F r a n ç o i s “Liquid Telecom is the first choice for organisations wanting fast, reliable and scalable connectivity to their Microsoft services. With the new Microsoft Azure Thuraya successfully conducts aero mobility Peering service, the two organisations are demonstration to key government customers transforming connectivity to services like Microsoft Office 365, increasing business Thuraya, the mobile satellite Thuraya's L-band satellite agility, innovation and growth.” a t e s t a m e n t t o w a r d s services subsidiary of the Al network enabled the real- Thuraya's capability to Liquid Telecom is one of Microsoft's fastest Y a h S a t e l l i t e time transmission of HD providing reliable aero mobility growing network connectivity partners Communications Company aerial video and position solutions to our global anywhere on the African continent,” says Nic (Yahsat) in partnership with data from an inflight fixed- customers.”The Aero service Rudnick, Group CEO, Liquid Telecom. “The SCOTTY, a developer of wing Diamond DA62 MPP is available within Thuraya's scale and reach of our fibre network, data beyond line-of-sight (BLOS) surveillance aircraft to the satellite footprint, covering centre infrastructure, local knowledge and satellite communication mission control centre. more than 160 countries expertise enable Microsoft enterprise solutions based in Austria, across the Middle East, Asia, customers to realise their business has successfully conducted \The live surveillance Europe, Africa and Australia objectives more quickly and effectively. a live demonstration of its imagery, flight tracking, and regions. Together, Liquid Telecom and Microsoft are Aero Mobility capabilities duplex data was displayed Ideal for low-to-medium level creating a modern business foundation for platform – Thuraya Aero, on the ground using and beyond line-of-sight customers across Africa – one that inspires replicating a real-time ISR SCOTTY´s Mobile HD flights, Thuraya Aero delivers innovation, cloud-paced change, (Intelligence, Surveillance & portable receive station that new and exciting capabilities compliance and business growth.” Reconnaissance) mission supports critical applications f o r h i g h - e n d f u n c t i o n s The Liquid Telecom ecosystem brings cloud o v e r s a t e l l i t e including live exchange of including Search and Rescue Intelligence, Surveillance services in Africa together, offering communications to key (SAR), ISR (Intelligence, government customers. and Reconnaissance (ISR) customers a one-stop solution for cloud S u r v e i l l a n c e a n d information, transmission of Reconnaissance), Passenger computing, connectivity and professional T h e t e c h n o l o g y b o r d e r / c o a s t a l p a t r o l and Cockpit communications services. Since becoming an official demonstration highlighted imagery and first-responder on fixed-wing and rotary-wing Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) in t h e r e l i a b i l i t y a n d support. a i r c r a f t . T h u r a y a A e r o 2017, Liquid Telecom has consistently e f f e c t i v e n e s s o f Ali Al Hashemi, Thuraya's facilitates steady internet a c h i e v e d M i c r o s o f t ' s a c c r e d i t e d Thuraya'sAero solution for Chief Executive Officer access, voice calls, text independent technical support standards, various ISR (Intelligence, stated: “By fulfilling the messaging, and real-time, being awarded four Microsoft Gold Partner S u r v e i l l a n c e & growing requirements for high-speed data applications and one Microsoft Silver Partner R e c o n n a i s s a n c e ) secure, always-on mobile including video conferencing, a c c r e d i t a t i o n s . T h i s r e c o g n i t i o n operations associated with satellite communications on tracking, sensor and data acknowledges the company's capabilities border patrol, maritime and land, at sea and in air, we are collection and transmission. It for delivering scalable and secure cloud environmental protection, in looking to expand our strong has built-in video compression services to businesses in the region and addition to disaster relief partnership with the UAE capability, handling HD reflect the company's unique position at the missions. g o v e r n m e n t . To d a y ' s streaming speeds of up to 384 forefront of Africa's cloud. successful demonstration is kbps on a single channel.

8 IN THE NEWS

InterSAT, Hughes BT wins exclusive rights to UEFA Champions, rollout SkyFi UEFA Europa and Conference League until 2024 broadband across BT Sport will remain the broadcast in the UK, with football competitions in the exclusive home of all top flight every single game available world - whether that's sub-Saharan Africa European club football until on TV and via the popular BT broadcasting 12 games 2024, it was confirmed. BT have Sport App. There has been simultaneously or delivering secured the rights to all 420 the ground breaking Goals \UAE-based InterSAT has selected the industry leading images in 4K games of the UEFA Champions Show, world first broadcasts Hughes JUPITER System to power its new UHD. League, UEFA Europa League for the finals in 4K UHD, and 'SkyFi' satellite broadband service for “With increasingly more ways and the new UEFA Europa even 360° with alternative to watch our content, with consumers and micro/small-to-medium sized Conference League, for a commentary. BT Sport has enterprises (MSME/SME) across sub- more games on show than further three seasons. This a l s o b e e n t h e f i r s t ever before, and alongside Saharan Africa. represents an increase of 77 broadcaster to put the finals our excellent line up of other games from the previous deal, on YouTube for everyone to competitions and sports, BT Hanif Kassam, chief executive officer at and includes highlights and in- watch in the UK. Sport is going from strength InterSAT, said: 'The JUPITER System match clips, and commences in to strength.” provides InterSAT with a significant 2021. BT Sport is now available on competitive edge as we expand affordable, L a s t s e a s o n t h e U E FA moreMeasat-3b platforms and devices UEFA Marketing Director Guy high-speed SkyFi service throughout Africa.' Champions League and UEFA than ever before and will Laurent Epstein said: “UEFA According to Hughes, its High-Throughput Europa League was a huge continue to make highlights is delighted to continue its Satellite-based JUPITER system is the most success with all English team and the finals available for all strong partnership with BT widely deployed VSAT platform in the world, finals. BT Sport saw a 26 per to watch, while using the until 2024. All matches will be operating on six continents using C-band, Ku- c e n t i n c r e a s e i n U E FA latest broadcast innovations. available across the BT Sport band or Ka-band bandwidth to support Champions League viewer Marc Allera, CEO of BT's channels and digital services services including broadband internet/intranet h o u r s , w i t h t h e U E FA Consumer Division, said, and in addition UK football access, community Wi-Fi Hotspots, cellular Champions League final “We're delighted to remain fans will be able to enjoy club backhaul and airborne services. between Liverpool and Spurs t h e h o m e o f U E F A competition highlights for free available for all to watch in the Champions League in the on social media each match "The selection of the JUPITER System by the UK on social media, and a UK. BT Sport leads the way week, as well as the finals to service provider is testament to the value of record breaking 11.3m people when it comes to UEFA t h e U E FA C h a m p i o n s Hughes technology in meeting operator needs tuning in across all platforms. C h a m p i o n s L e a g u e League, UEFA Europa for high performing, economical and efficient Since BT Sport started coverage, and we're very League and the newly formed satellite solutions," said Vaibhav Magow, b r o a d c a s t i n g t h e U E FA excited to continue to bring UEFA Europa Conference associate vice president, International Champions League in 2015 it our world class coverage to League. has changed the way football is one of the most exciting u Division at Hughes. "The JUPITER System shines as the platform of choice in Indonesia and around the world, with its superior architecture enabling cost-effective satellite Remote Gloucestershire villages connected broadband to connect the unconnected.” InterSAT chooses JUPITER System as part of to UK's fastest broadband its winning solution to extend cellular services giving even the most remote to Indonesians in areas outside the reach of Two of Gloucestershire's most s u f f e r e d f r o m p o o r homes and businesses terrestrial (fiber or microwave) networks and to poorly connected villages, broadband, with speeds as a c c e s s t o b r i l l i a n t connect government offices and community Longney and Framilode, have low as 1Mbps. This made the broadband, with Longney centers to the Internet gone from being among the simplest of tasks, such as worst connected regions in the checking emails or online and Framilode perfect InterSAT will deploy cellular backhaul and UK to having the fastest internet shopping, nearly impossible. examples of this. Families Internet access sites using over 7 GHz of in the country overnight, Both villages are several living in these two villages satellite capacity across multiple satellites. overtaking the likes of central miles from the nearest had given up on the Moreover, the latest JUPITER technology London and New York City in supermarket and have a possibility of a stable and incorporates Layer 2 functionality to terms of bandwidth. limited local bus service. With e f f i c i e n t b r o a d b a n d seamlessly integrate high traffic terrestrial and This marks a significant access to a much faster and connection after being satellite traffic – supporting the acceleration of milestone for 550 homes in the reliable broadband, they can considered too remote by 16,000 TCP sessions – an essential feature for region, which have been now take advantage of a o t h e r b r o a d b a n d applications with many simultaneous users, connected to Gigaclear's whole new range of services companies. We're proud to such as cellular backhaul.The Hughes LTE ultrafast broadband network this online. have gone above and technology can also be integrated with the week. Surrounded by the River It will take less than one beyond to get them live this JUPITER System to backhaul mobile traffic, Severn and a canal, the villages minute to download a two- week, which we're certain enabling MNOs to quickly and cost-effectively had previously been avoided by and-a-half hour-long HD film - will revolutionise their lives.” provide 4G access to people in areas broadband providers as they are faster than microwaving the unserved or underserved by terrestrial extremely difficult to reach. popcorn - while music can be The connection was all connectivity – especially in remote and hard- I n s t a l l e d a s p a r t o f downloaded at a rate of 23 made possible when to-reach areas. In tests, the integrated solution G l o u c e s t e r s h i r e C o u n t y songs every 1.6 seconds. Gigaclear became the first sent 4G LTE traffic to the core network at Council's Fastershire project, Multiple smart devices, such broadband provider to drill speeds of 200 Mbps. "An economically the Gigaclear connection means as security systems and under the River Severn in a efficient way for mobile network operators to residents have access to a full personal assistants, like significant feat of civil reach new customers is by backhauling 4G Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) Alexa, can be operated at e n g i n e e r i n g . I n LTE traffic over satellite in areas where it's too internet service and speeds of once, while residents now c o l l a b o r a t i o n w i t h expensive to build terrestrial infrastructure," up to 1Gbps. This is much faster also have the choice to work Gloucestershire-based said Vinay Patel, senior director, International than cities like London and New from home. c o n t r a c t o r, C o m p l e t e Division at Hughes. "Now, we can offer VNC's York, where speeds average Peter Pentecost, Regional Utilities, a directional drill innovative 4G LTE technology integrated with anywhere between 10Mbps and G e n e r a l M a n a g e r a t was used to lay the fibre our Hughes JUPITER™ System to offer 18Mbps. Gigaclear, said: “We're cable 13 metres under the operators a new and cost-effective option to Until now Longney and p a s s i o n a t e a b o u t ground, and five meters expand their networks." Framilode residents had empowering communities by below the river itself.

11 IN THE NEWS

NSR: 8,137 Smallsats Smart cities, IoT seen to lead technology to launch in the next trends next year decade, generating Global technology services and Technology Services. shares data across the firm NTT Ltd. expects wider NTT Ltd. chief technology region, improving situational $42 billion in adoption of disruptive officer EttienneReinecke awareness through video cumulative revenue technologies next year, with said data, AI and secure by and sound data. With IoT t h e f u s i n g o f d a t a , design would be at the heart technology on a secure automation and internet of o f t h i s m o v e m e n t , infrastructure, it's created a NSR's Small Satellite Markets Report, 6th things (IoT) technologies to empowering devices to talk Edition has forecasts that the small satellite safer environment to live in, market would yield close to $42 billion in create connected cities and to one another and act on improving living conditions cumulative revenues from manufacturing and societies. that information without and, ultimately, saving lives. launch services by 2028. While NSR At the launch of its “Future human intervention. Projects like these need a anticipates a partial deployment and a slower Disrupted” forecasts which “Smart cities and IoT will v a r i e t y o f d i f f e r e n t ramp-up than publicized, constellations will look at technology trends for become the norm as they technology capabilities to lead the small satellite market, with 54% of the the next 12 months and improve productivity, come together in order to total market revenues. Mega-constellations - beyond, NTT said 2020 will growth and innovation achieve great things, so SpaceX'sStarlink, Amazon's Project Kuiper, finally see all the hype across entire regions,” he building fully connected and OneWeb - will drive this growth, making words of the past decade said. environments will be the key communications the dominant application, come together to create “The industry has been focus point next year,” he followed by Earth observation (EO) completely connectedFarhad talk iKhan,ng a Chiefbou tCommercial differen tOf ficeradded., Yahsat environments that are technologies, including the Smallsat Manufacturing: Small satellites have c a p a b l e o f r u n n i n g cloud, data, AI and security NTT Ltd. is the newly formed historically been associated with a low-cost themselves autonomously in different siloes. But 2020 company bringing together barrier-to-entry; opening doors for new to build more intelligent is the year that will change. 40,000 people from across players from all industry backgrounds. This cities, workplaces and Next year, we'll see 31 brands – including NTT opportunity creates a presence of diverse businesses – and on a c o m p l e t e e n d - t o - e n d b u s i n e s s m o d e l s a n d i n n o v a t i v e C o m m u n i c a t i o n s , technologies, boosting growth in developed secure basis. computing come to the fore, Dimension Data and NTT and developing countries alike. However, due bringing to life fully Security – to serve 10,000 to the ever-increasing competition prices are Formed from key insights intelligent environments clients from around the on a downward trend. from its technology experts, t h a t a r e c o m p l e t e l y world. Using the insights “The industry is starting to wonder how long the company outlines the connected and will have a gathered from its global before the price decline reaches a natural trends that will shape the big impact on the world we client base, NTT Ltd. is able saturation point,” notes NSR Senior Analyst b u s i n e s s t e c h n o l o g y live in.” to better understand the and lead report author, ShagunSachdeva. landscape throughout 2020 “We will see most cities and future and shape the most “While NSR forecasts the manufacturing across six key areas: societies starting to follow in e f f e c t i v e i n t e l l i g e n t market to lead revenues; some of the biggest Disruptive Technologies, the footsteps of Las Vegas technology solutions for its planned systems will be manufactured in- Cybersecurity, Workplace, City, which has become customers. house, thereby lowering the total addressable Infrastructure, Business intelligent in the way it market for small satellite manufacturers,” Sachdeva added Smallsat Launch: There are over 130 small launch vehicles currently in development Spacecom's AMOS-17 successfully completes globally. With a diversity of newer launch options coming to market, operators will have IOT; begin commercial operations more control over their mission needs with more specialized and custom solutions, Spacecom, operator of the commencement of AMOS-17's driving market growth. A M O S s a t e l l i t e f l e e t , commercial operations, This increasing competition puts a lot of announced that the AMOS-17 Spacecom now has three pressure on the countless newcomers. “With communication satellite has satellites servicing Africa's SpaceX and Ariane Group expanding their successfully completed its In growing telecom, broadband smallsat rideshare footprint, we will see more Orbit Testing (IOT) protocol and broadcast needs: AMOS- exits and consolidation in the market,” and is in orbit at its 17°E orbital 17, AMOS-7 and AMOS-4. comments LeenaPivovarova, NSR Analyst position. A M O S - 1 7 i s t h e m o s t and co-author. She adds: “We are already technologically advanced seeing beginnings of the launch bottleneck The company has begin satellite with HTS beams to easing, but launch delays are expected to commercial operations. service Africa and fulfills our continue. AMOS-17 is an HTS satellite promise to make Africa a key designed specifically to meet Despite the numerous challenges associated element in our overall global expansion growth A f r i c a ' s f a s t - g r o w i n g with the small satellite market, the impact – corporate strategy as we move strategy. Spacecom today is communication demands. Its direct or unintended - on the overall space forward to make a major an established market leader extensive C-Band HTS, Ka- economy is considerable. From the difference in bridging the in Europe, the Middle East band and Ku-band capabilities advancement in the ground segment to end of digital divide.” . with the 4°W orbital slot 'hot enable the combination of life disposal to Space Situational Awareness, spot', has established a broad regional beams and high the significance of small satellite market is not Spacecom established in significant footprint in Africa throughput spot beams to limited to the launch and manufacturing 1994, launched its first and North America and is now maximize throughput and markets.Since its establishment, NSR geostationary satellite – expanding to Asia. Spacecom spectral efficiency. It is offering supports satellite manufacturers, equipment AMOS-1 in 1996. A dynamic, has an excellent reputation in connectivity between Africa, vendors, service providers, satellite growing, satellite operator- t h e m a r k e t w i t h a n the Middle East, Europe, India, operators, end-users and financial institutions Spacecom operates the experienced and stable China and as far west as Brazil. in their technology and business strategy A M O S c o m m u n i c a t i o n s management and strong Spacecom CEO and president assessment and planning satellite fleet, covering diverse financial backing. David Pollack stated, “With territories with an International

12 IN THE NEWS

Euroconsult reveals How satellites drive intelligent management shifting strategies of of agricultural and livestock farms new market entrants H i s p a s a t , t h e S p a n i s h the crops in real time from their on the environment. in satellite industry communications satellite mobile devices, without having How satellite technology operator from the Red to move to more remote areas works Eléctrica Group, and Eurona, with land-based connectivity. In its latest research titled, “FSS Operators: Hispasat's satellite technology the Spanish multinational Both projects have been Benchmarks & Performance Review,” allows the company to provide telecommunications firm, are presented as part of the Euroconsult shows that 11 new FSS providers an immediate, reliable internet implementing two pilot DATAGRI framework, the have emerged over the last five years including connection at any location in projects to promote digital biggest digital transformation two in 2018. Many of these companies are Spain, which makes it the ideal transformation in the rural event in the Spanish agrofood state-owned national operators, which will technological solution for the agrofood sector and to bridge sector, which is held this week mostly serve national interests. Twelve new agrofood sector. the digital divide in the field in Zaragoza. satellite operators are planning to enter the FSS Eurona's hotspot technology is through technologies like Satellite technology provides geostationary (GEO) market by the early to mid a perfect complement in that it satellites and WiFi hotspots. connectivity in areas in which 2020s, including companies targeting national can equip agricultural farms The initiatives are being l a n d - b a s e d market such as NepalSat, and Royal Group of with satellite WiFi hotspots to carried out in the provinces of telecommunications are Cambodia. Included in these twelve operators, make it easier for farmers to Á v i l a a n d A l i c a n t e i n insufficient and allow actors in are three with plans for small GEO satellites, communicate, run their farms, collaboration with local the rural area to join in on the which may indicate a new trend in the FSS and send the photos and farmers and ranchers. digital transformation process. information received from the industry facilitated in part by digital payloads, Spain still lacks broadband electric propulsion, and lower launch costs. field in real time. The first is being developed by coverage in rural areas and The research demonstrates that the market D i g i t a n i m a l , w h i c h there are more than 2,040 structure of the FSS industry remains Likewise, a small-size, energy- manufactures systems to towns which do not have concentrated at the top with growing efficient, and easy-to-install locate and monitor livestock. Internet access fragmentation at the bottom. The top four satellite terminal is capable of T h i s p r o j e c t i n v o l v e s . operators (SES, Intelsat, Eutelsat and Telesat) transmitting continuous data i m p r o v i n g s a t e l l i t e Using these innovations today represent approximately 60 percent of sent from the sensors that connectivity for a 400-hectare benefits both the companies the industry's revenue, a share that has monitor the livestock or crops. farm located on a mountain in that conduct the intelligent decreased in recent years. Five years ago, they Lastly, self-orienting satellite Ávila through an antenna management of agricultural combined for 64 percent of total revenue. The terminals are an optimal aimed at the Hispasat fleet. farms, allowing them to landscape behind the top five is rapidly evolving solution for connectivity in This antenna can send the expand their market share and with three new companies joining the top ten in mobility environments like data received from the reach territories that lack land- the past five years. These include YahSat, agricultural machinery. All sensors placed on 130 cattle based communications, as China Satcom, and ISRO. these can work with a solar to the control centre. well as the farm owners “Our analysis shows that FSS operators are energy plate. The other pilot programme is themselves, allowing them to exploring new strategies to address the Agriculture 4.0, a fundamental located in a crop field in take better decisions, increase evolving market,” said Dimitri Buchs, Senior step to respond to the growing Florette, the packaged salads their productivity, and reduce Consultant at Euroconsult and editor of the world population In Spain, and vegetables company, the consumption of water, report. “We noted that several satellite around 3.2 million people still where a satellite WiFi hotspot fertiliser, and plant health operators are transitioning from sole wholesale cannot access a quality has been installed. This products. This technology bandwidth suppliers to managed services Internet network, especially in t e c h n o l o g y p r o v i d e s ensures that products are providers. This helps them increase the value rural, sparsely populated, and broadband connectivity so that traceable and helps to they bring to their customers and minimize difficult-to-reach areas. the farmhands can manage minimise the impact of the commodity pricing. Some satellite operators, agricultural-livestock activity such as SES, are even pushing towards end-to- end network solutions for selected markets and/or customers.” Oracle plans new Data Centre in Egypt's To meet data-driven market demand, the survey reports that many FSS operators are C o m p u t e r s o f t w a r e c u s t o m e r s i n E g y p t , fourth of December at the shifting their investments from traditional corporation Oracle has made including four to five E g y p t C e n t e r f o r satellites to High Throughput Satellites (HTS). a financial offer to establish a government and private International Exhibitions in The number of FSS operators with an HTS data centre within the new banks. 5th Settlement. payload doubled between 2014 and 2019, administrative capital. Waleed He stressed that the local growing from 12 to 24 with the total HTS supply He said Egypt is competing Abdul Hamid, Oracle's Sales market is witnessing a with the markets of Romania, expected to reach more than two terabits per Vice President of Application technological breakthrough second by the end of 2019. India, and Ireland in the Solutions in CATLEENA, said with the availability of The market survey quantifies available capacity availability of qualified the data centre aims to host an economic, political, and by operator, breaking out regular transponders h u m a n r e s o u r c e s . unlimited number of clients security stability of the state. in orbit versus gigabits per second of HTS Accordingly, the parent from government agencies This breakthrough also capacity. It also addresses non-geostationary c o m p a n y d e c i d e d t o orbit (NGSO) projects currently in development and ministries in the capital for came about thanks to the establish a centre to provide or planned. It discusses the projects that have a nominal financial figure. This s u p p o r t o f p o l i t i c a l consultancy from Egypt to progressed the furthest, which include came after the company leadership, as well as customers in the Middle East OneWeb, Telesat LEO and SpaceX'sStarlink obtained the approval of the p r o m i s i n g i n v e s t m e n t and Africa with about 85 constellation, as well as other projects that parent company to provide opportunities in the activity of employees. It has also could materialize in the longer term such as this offer, which was then asset management solutions established a business Amazon's Project Kuiper, and Chinese projects presented to the NAC. using technology. On the development hub with 40 to Hongyan and Hongyun. other hand, he revealed that 5 0 e m p l o y e e s . I t i s Market forces continue to impact the FSS He told Daily News Egypt that the company is discussing noteworthy that Oracle has industry in 2019. In 2014 at the market peak, the Oracle has a large market mechanisms to participate in been working in Egypt for overall size of the industry reached $12.3 share in cloud applications for the Cairo information and more than 12 years, and billion. In 2018, the industry had an overall size t h e b a n k i n g a n d technology (ICT) exhibition implemented many national of $11.5 billion, with revenues down 0.4 percent communications sector. The and conference, which will projects in cooperation with year-over-year.[EV1] company has 30 to 40 be held from the first to the the government.

18 SPECIAL INTERVIEW

Nwanneka Ibekwe A new leader and player in the aerospace industry

Nwanneka Ibekwe is the President of Women In Aerospace Nigeria and the Chief Engineer at the National Space Research and Development Agency. She has pioneered the concept of gender mainstreaming in Nigeria's emerging space sector advancing the participation of women in the space industry as a whole. In over 20 years of Nigeria’s active involement in the Aerospace sector, women participation have become an important engines of research and innovations. While this is encouraging, a new study has revealed that the level and extent of female employees' presence in mid-to upper-level space indsutry jobs is still quite low. To this end, Nwanneka championed the Picture source ADB advocacy campaigns for increase participation of women in the aerospace sector. At the Picture source: ITU national levels, women are under-represented in the Aerospace industry decision-making structures including policy and regulatory institutions, as well as ministries responsible for science and technology, boards and senior managementCourtesy- SpaceX of private companies. In Africa and Nigeria in particular, one of the challenges Air Vice Marshall Tommy Udoh today is that, decision-making in science and technology sphere is generally treated as a purely technical area - typically for male experts, thereby offering little or no space to Women. “Therefore, representation is important in creating the conditions and regulations that will enable women to maximize their possibilities of benefiting from Aerospace industry. Nwanneka was born and raised in North Eastern Nigeria where the level of participation of women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education is still abysmally low and as such was etched in her consciousness during her upbringing.Please join us in this special edition as we profile the contribution of Women in Aerospace Nigeria to the advancement of women participation in the space sector.

Please kindly introduce I was one of the Nigerian Engineers that Development Agency, NASRDA, I yourself participated in the design and observed the low representation of development of NigeriaSat-X, one of women in Space Science and Technology. I'm Nwanneka Ibekwe, born in Maiduguri, Nigeria's earth observation satellites still To this effect, I set up Women in Borno State, North Eastern Nigeria. I hold orbiting the earth. I have also participated Aerospace Nigeria, WIAN to foster female a Masters of Engineering, M.Eng. in in several other projects of National Space participation and visibility in the aerospace Electronics and Communication Research and Development Agency, industry in Nigeria. Engineering, Masters of Business NASRDA As an association, WIAN intends to be a Administration, MBA in Management, after At present, I'm the Chief Engineer working veritable platform for the voice of women the conclusion of my Bachelor of at the ground segment, and the unit head, in the industry. A driving force to motivate Engineering B.Eng. studies in Electrical Spacecraft Control and Monitoring of the more young girls from high school to take and Electronics Engineering. I had a one- N a t i o n a l S p a c e R e s e a r c h a n d up Science, Technology, Engineering and year work training on satellite design, Development Agency. Mathematics. The association is also a development and operations at Surrey Over the past few years, as an employee of platform for technical and leadership Satellite Technology Limited, UK. N a t i o n a l S p a c e R e s e a r c h a n d training for women and young girls in order

19 SPECIAL INTERVIEW

to build their capacity and confidenceto face the challenges they might come across on the job as well as in leadership.

Could you please tell us about Women in Aerospace Nigeria, its overall objectives, mission as well as the activities designed to achieve its goals?

Women in Aerospace Nigeria is dedicated to expanding women's o p p o r t u n i t i e s i n p r o f e s s i o n a l development, increasing their visibility and impact in aerospace community by creating a network in Nigeria, Africa and across the globe. Our membership, consist of women who share an interest in a broad spectrum of aerospace issues, including human spaceflight and exploration, astronomy, aviation, remote sensing, satellite communications, robotic missions, commercial space, We ensured that female technical staff based projects) space tourism, and the policy issues are active in their departments and ·Code4Dev (coding program) surrounding these fields. Women in placed in projects. We also went into ·WGG (Women for Girls to Girls) Aerospace Nigeria is an umbrella body one on one mentoring encouraging mentorship program. for women in the industry. It is dedicated female technical staff especially ·Scholarship Scheme. to expanding women's opportunities in Engineers to further their studies to professional development, increasing masters and PhD levels and attend Please could you speak briefly theirCourtesy- visibility SpaceX and impact in space and relevant trainings. aerospace community by creating a I realized that women are still under- on your membership strength, network in Nigeria, Africa and across the represented in STEM related careers openings as well as globe. so wian intentionally began to create opportunities for new awareness on STEM, hoping to members? Our objectives include: influence young girls in primary and secondary schools to take up STEM ·To be a networking platform for At present, wehave over 200 members women in aerospace related careers. We have reached out to over 500 students. Some initiatives and new members are welcomed. The ·To give young girls a head start association has decided to create student in Mathematics, Science, that can help influence more girls to study STEM courses were set up. forum and we have secondary and Technology and Engineering primary school WIAN club. ·Attract more women to the aerospace sector The initiatives are Much more significant, the ·Foster the interests of women ·T E C H E N G e x p r e s s i o n working in aerospace and typewriter helped free women ( h a n d s - o n space from financial dependence on Technology/Engineering ·Improve access of women to l e a d e r s h i p p o s i t i o n s i n aerospace ·Advance aerospace education ·Advocate political commitment to aerospace programs ·Recognize the achievements of women in aerospace ·Be an ambassador for space in Nigeria

Women in Aerospace Nigeria (WIAN) as an association has been working tirelessly to increase women's visibility and access to leadership positions in the space agency/industry. WIAN organizes training on space science and technology for both new and existing female technical staff, which comprises of Scientist, Technologist, Engineers, and Mathematicians to build capacity.

20 SPECIAL INTERVIEW

Does your office has the discretion to grant or refuse membership to interested persons?

Yes. In fact, membership can be retrieved

Could you speak a little bit more on the governance of the Women in Aerospace Nigeria and how it arrive at its various decisions?

The Executive members meet at the end of every year to design the activities for the coming year after holding general meeting with members, and then deliberation on the feedbacks. Once a month, the executives meet to appraise activities and any cogent issues. the men in their family, their understand trends in technology, and have hands-on experience. This makes How is Women in Aerospace fathers, brothers, husbands, usgood mentors and role models to uncles, and inlaws. What are younger professionals and the girl child. Nigeria funded? your organization doing to increase the participation of For now, we are self-funded but our “Women that are activities are open to sponsorships, women in IT and aerospace partnerships and collaborations. industry? experts in the field of

We organize trainings on coding, apps space industry should What are your expectations design and website design. These be given the from the governments and trainings are 100 percent hands-on. We private companies in the organize trainings for women in the opportunity to get to aerospace industry on space science space industry in related to and technology Today, the number of the top” your set goals? Women in science and technology spheres and by extension, the world of II want to start by saying that for the space aerospace is still low. One of the unique things about us is that industry to grow in Nigeria and Africa, women solely carry out all our activities more private companies should be that is our initiatives. This creates the encouraged to participate in space How is your organization programs. The government has a great contributing to the promotion desired impact and outcome of tackling Technophobia amongst women/girls. role to play in encouraging STEM of STEM policy in Nigeria? We are in the industry experiencing first- education and participation of the girl hand the importance of technology, the child by providing a level playing field for For now, we are mostly creating mother of all technologies – Space women in STEM related fields. awareness and providing trainings for science and technology so we train and capacity building. We intend to engage create awareness from the point of Increase in girl child participation in more with the government to see that understanding. STEM can greatly be achieved when women in STEM have a voice, part of their role models are seen to be properly decision makers in the field and see that Could you please comment engaged in different STEM industries like the government come up with a STEM space industry and women having more policy that is gender sensitive. on the eligibility criteria of access to managerial level thereby persons that can be admitted participating in decision-making process. Could you briefly comment on into the board of your Women in STEM fields should not be organization? seen to be done a favor when one or two the factors that have made are appointed into managerial positions. Women in Aerospace Nigeria There are women that are experts in the Prospective persons must be in the field in the space industry, and should be one of the most successful aerospace industry as staff or non-profit institution in the given the opportunity to rise to the entrepreneur, highly skilled, with the position of director general. The work industry? interest of the organization at heart, environment should be such that women committed financially and must have are accommodated for enhanced Women in Aerospace Nigeriahas over 10 years relevant working participation. achievedgreat success as an experience. association because our members are highly skilledprofessionals that 21 FOCUS

Dr. Mae Jemison: The first black woman to travel to space

Dr. Mae Jemison has built her career by taking big risks in pursuit of helping others and bettering our world -- while constantly searching for brand new ones for us to explore. In 1992, she became the first African American woman to travel to space as a crew member on board the Space Shuttle Endeavor.

In 1992, Dr. Mae Jemison became the first African American woman to travel to space as a crew member on board the Space Shuttle Endeavor. Before her tenure as a Courtesy- SpaceX NASA astronaut, Jemison practiced medicine across the world, and served as a medical officer in the Peace Corps, overseeing care in Sierra Leone and Liberia when she was just 26-years-old. The physician and engineer is also an educator. She taught environmental studies at Dartmouth University and is currently the lead ambassador for Bayer's science literacy program Making Science Make Sense.

Jemison is also the leader of an organization called 100 Year Starship. Founded in 2011, it's mission is to make it possible for humans to travel beyond our So I left myself completely open without solar system within the next 100 years. What was a critical decision anything set out. I was called down to the The Alabama native says she believes that you made in your career that dean's office and she said, "Why are you innovation cannot happen without y o u k n e w w a s r e a l l y doing this? You know you're throwing collaboration between people who have away your career?” different perspectives, disciplines and important, but you weren't backgrounds. She's especially passionate sure of what the outcome I applied for a position as a Peace Corps about getting women engaged in STEM would be? medical officer. I took care of Peace fields and careers. Corps volunteers and State Department personnel in Sierra Leone and Liberia for “One of the big issues is, how do women In my fourth year of medical school, we two and a half years. I was one of the take their place at the table and [move] were supposed to be choosing youngest doctors they ever had in that things forward? We have a tremendous residencies and internship programs to position. I actually thought that those two amount of resources and power. We have apply to. I decided that I wanted to do a and a half years were basically going to to be willing to use it and not shy away from rotating internship with nothing after it, be throwaway years. Then I'd come back it,” said Jemison. “Sometimes we sit back because I realized if I actually planned and I'd get into biomedical engineering. and allow others to sort of set the stage. We everything out I would never go overseas But what it did was it gave me a lot of have to be willing to support each other. to another developing country or pick a operational experience. I was on call 24 When somebody steps forward don't just position like that, [which I wanted to do]. It hours a day, seven days a week, 365 just leave them standing there.” would be just too hard to get off the track. days a year. I had to make life-and-death

22 FOCUS

decisions. approach it? the parts of growing up and learning that My first two weeks in Sierra Leone, I had to maybe you can't [change things]. Maybe call a military medical evacuation that cost it's not you. There may not be anybody over $80,000 to take care of a volunteer I was an environmental studies who's at fault. It's just not a good fit. who was very ill. I had to be very forceful professor at Dartmouth and I worked on with a number of folks and [understand] a ton of issues around sustainable \ that this was my ability and my authority to development. It's taken a while for the What are you working on do this. That's one of those things that issue of the environment and sticks with you. Sometimes if I start to sustainable development to flow into now that has you excited falter, I can look back at my 26-year-old [the mainstream]. Fifteen or 20 years about the future? self. My mantra was, my job is first and ago, it wasn't necessarily the thing to talk about, especially in corporations foremost for my patients, to the volunteers I'm very excited about continuing my and to people's health, and I will do my job. and board meeting or banks. But I [told myself], well, what difference does it work with science literacy. We need to fill And I won't be intimidated from doing my this gap of the upcoming job shortage. job. make? Do your job. Your job is to bring a different point of view -- your point of That's the reason why we need to get view and the experiences that you women involved and underrepresented When I got back, I applied for the astronaut minorities. But for me it's not just the program and it turns out that [operational have. Even though you know people are going to get irritated or they don't number of people -- it's really about the experience] was important to [them]. different perspectives that are brought to When they looked at me, they saw want to hear it, you have to do the right thing. bear so that we get more robust someone who had been working on their solutions. own in very difficult circumstances and in I think one of the things that we do is to extreme environments and extreme I'm also excited about the work I'm doing medicine. It also set me on the path of give away our power by not talking about things, by not bringing them up. with 100 Year Starship. In 2011, it was really understanding and fully appreciating seed funded through a competitive grant the idea of trans-disciplinary work, that you Women very frequently are taught not to not to make waves. People from DARPA. [Our mission is to] make need to have different people at the table sure we have the capabilities for human coming up with solutions. sometimes see you as more combative than they would see a male who brings interstellar travel, to the outer solar up the same thing. It's not even that system and to another star within a What do you do when you're you're combative or aggressive, you're hundred years. [When we applied for the faced with a big decision or bringing up a different point of view. grant] I was channeling my younger self. And I brought in what I've learned about when you know you're going They get kind of irritated when you have your own views, especially if they the importance of different perspectives. to be taking a big risk? depart from the baseline of what they I thought that if anyone could do this, I are looking at. And that's where you should know how to do this, in terms of The first thing I do is I actually make a pros have to have the fortitude. That's putting together the organization. and cons list. I look at the things I really like sometimes difficult, because you may to do and things I don't like to do. And then know that you're not going to get The title of our proposal that we put what things I'm good at and what things I'm brownie points for doing that. You have together was "An inclusive, audacious not so good at. And those are different lists, to figure out what's important to you at journey transforms life here on Earth and right? I might like to do some things that I'm that time and how strong your position beyond." And the first word is inclusive. not necessarily good at. And there may be is. [Not just] ethnicity, gender and some things you're good at that you're not geography, but also the range of particularly interested in doing. Which disciplines and getting people involved In your career, what as a who were not just "space people" and usually means that you don't do as good a mistake you've made and how job at those things in the long run. subject matter experts, but the public as did you address it and move well. It's what we need to do to get things I think about what my younger self would forward from it? accomplished. We also have to connect it have advised me to do. You get wisdom \ to how we transform our lives here on when you get older but sometimes you Hiring people and not letting them go Earth. also get a little bit of trepidation. You may soon enough. And then you end up with Source: The Entreprenuer not take those risks that are actually really all this baggage that you have to clean good for you to take. And the other thing I up when you finally realize it's time to let rely on is I've always been a quick study. I go. The mistake is not necessarily in think I rely on my innate ability and the hiring them. The mistake is when you confidence I have in myself. If no one has recognized that something was wrong ever done it before, I can give it a try. and you kept telling yourself it's going to get better, maybe it's something I'm What was a time when you doing that I need to correct and change. If it keeps going on and on and you don't knew you had to stand up for act on it, you end up wasting a lot of what you believed in despite time, money and energy. And that's any pushback you might particularly true in a small company have gotten? How did you when you have very few people. One of IN THE NEWS

Infinet Wireless Sen becomes a Simera Sense long term partner showcases solutions Simera Sense, one of video Charles Black, Founder and which are bridging Africa's fastest-growing . C E O o f S e n , s a y s : NewSpace companies, “Following on from our the digital divide in announced that it signed a In the framework of the contract for the first five Africa at AfricaCom m e m o r a n d u m o f m e m o r a n d u m o f x S c a p e 2 0 0 o p t i c a l understanding with Sen understanding both Simera payloads, we are pleased to 2019 Corporation (Sen) for long- Sense and Sen intend to enter this understanding for term cooperation. The work closely and align their our longer term ambitions to Infinet Wireless, the global leader in fixed m e m o r a n d u m o f goals. The objective is to scale our constellation with broadband wireless connectivity, showcased understanding follows the enable both parties to scale Simera's world class its brand-new millimetre-wave-band solution, signing of an agreement to the production of earth telescope as our primary as well as its leading wireless broadband supply Sen with five observation satellites as optical instrument. product families which are being deployed xScape200 optical payloads quickly as possible in a cost- across Africa, enabling service providers of all over the next two years. effective manner. Sen requires best in class sizes to bridge the gap between urban and These optical payloads are t e c h n o l o g y a n d t h e rural communities at AfricaCom 2019. in the process of being “Simera Sense focuses on xScape200 is the right manufactured by Simera establishing long-term balance between size, During the event, Infinet Wireless will also Sense in South Africa. relationships with its m a s s a n d o p t i c a l showcase its brand-new Axion 28 portfolio – customers,” says Johann du performance. Put simply, its latest breakthrough in wireless broadband Sen's first CubeSat will be Toit, CEO of Simera Sense. the xScape200 punches access within the 28 GHz frequency band. operational in early 2021. “With the signing of this above its weight. Simera This portfolio is designed to enable operators The initial mission will be m e m o r a n d u m o f Sense have a proven track to significantly increase capacities to the end followed by an additional understanding Simera record of designing and users and reduce latencies, whilst at the same four satellites each with an Sense and Sen are aligning building imagers for space, time reducing capital expenditure and xScape 200 optical payload our long-term objectives. and we are looking forward operating costs. onboard. The memorandum This agreement will allow to working with them now With Axion 28, Wireless Internet Service of understanding is looking Simera Sense to keep and in the longer term as we Provider (WISP) multiservice-networks past the delivery of the first extending its optical payload scale Sen's space TV infrastructure can be rolled-out in urban areas f i v e i n s t r u m e n t s a n d production infrastructure in constellation of video and remote landscapes to extend network addressing Sen's plan for a South Africa and provide satellites. coverage and bridge the current digital divide. more extensive constellation Sen with the best optical The Axion 28 family of solutions has been to monitor events on Earth solutions for their needs in designed to support the deployment of high- with real-time and timely an agile manner.” density multipoint networks that deliver performance up to 1.2 Gbps in only a 56 MHz channel size. “Infinet Wireless is very much looking forward to showcasing our products at AfricaCom 2019, the leading event in the drive towards HTS key to 480+ Gbps of GovMil bandwidth enabling digital transformation in Africa, as it is consumption by 2028 a great platform to demonstrate to the region's service providers and end users what our solutions can deliver in terms of quality of service and to improve operations” said Kamal Mokrani, Global Vice President at NSR's newly released fueling the growth in satellite t o c r e a t e a r o b u s t Infinet Wireless. Government and Military connectivity services across commercial market for “Our brand-new products that we'll be Satellite Communications, all aspects of Government & Gov& Mil customers.” As showcasing represent an opportunity to all 16th Edition (GMSC16) Military operations,” states more capacity continues to players in the region to speed up the radical report finds another year of report author and Principal enter the market across all digital transformation of Africa's connectivity growth for commercial Analyst Brad Grady. “Even spectrum bands, Ku/Ka/X/L landscape. For example, as Africa responds satellite connectivity. as the debate between – prices for connectivity to its booming urbanization with smart city M I L S A T C O M a n d continue to drop on a per- initiatives, our wireless solutions, such as As HTS-based services start COMSATCOM approaches Mbps basis – accelerating Axion 28, have the capabilities to lay the to really take-off in the a fever pitch, commercially- uptake foundations for smart cities to be built from market, retail revenues are sourced services will distributed enterprise networks with as much up $600M from 2017, to over remain. Terminals remain Gov& Mil end-users in 2018 as 10km between sites, as well as CCTV and $5.6 Billion. Driven by strong the key ingredient, yet new consumed 30 Gbps of traffic-management applications” said Kamal. growth for Aeronautical s o f t w a r e - d e f i n e d c o m m e r c i a l s a t e l l i t e Infinet Wireless will also present its Quanta Platforms (both Manned and networking concepts, HTS capacity. By 2028, that 70 family of wireless products which signal a Unmanned), the market ubiquity, and commercial figure is expected to new era in the 71-76 GHz frequency bands. remains poised to double innovation in the ground increase to over 480 Gbps. This new solution has been designed to over the next ten years. Just s e g m e n t b r i n g r a p i d Of that, Bulk leasing for enable wireless systems to deliver as Gov& Mil End-users are changes to Gov& Mil transponded capacity performance up to 480 Mbps in the 125 MHz planning updates to their own markets accounts for almost 40% by band at distances of up to 5km. The MILSATCOM networks, the 2028. Meanwhile, Managed development of this product family was opportunities for commercial Even as the RF domain services continue to drive primarily driven by the availability of this players remain robust. becomes more congested revenue growth enabling a licence-free spectrum and can be used to and contended, beam host of new and emerging create high-density networks with minimal “Just as we are seeing in the forming satellites, multi-orbit operations over the next ten interference. c o m m e r c i a l m o b i l i t y network designs, and robust years. Infinet Wireless' solutions have been SATCOM markets, HTS is waveforms are all maturing deployed across Africa's diverse locations CORPORATE PROFILE

Sentech, South Africa's broadcast signal distributor

SENTECH was established as a technical remaining at the cutting edge of e.g. tetra networks, two-way radio networks division of the SABC, responsible for the technology and being leaders in the ICT and signaling networks. Connectivity corporation's signal distribution services. In infrastructure services market. The services are applicable to all different sectors 1992, the division was corporatised as strength of our company lies on the a c r o s s S o u t h A f r i c a i n c l u d i n g SENTECH, a wholly-owned subsidiary of commitment of our teams at all levels. We Telecommunications Organisations, the corporation. In 1996, the SENTECH Act are dedicated to putting organizational Governmental Institutions, Educational (No. 63 of 1996) was amended, converting health as a priority towards developing a Institutions, Health Sector and Corporate SENTECH into a separate public entity, culture that is responsive to the needs of Companies. responsible for providing broadcasting our customers and strengthen Our products and service signal distribution services as a common relationships with all stakeholders. We carrier to licensed television and radio operate in an environment where the only offerings broadcasters. The Company is wholly certainty is change and it occurs at a rapid BTV owned by the Government of the Republic of pace in ICT. With the rapid development SENTECH's Business Television (BTV) South Africa and the Shareholder and evolution of the ICT environment and brings the power of this dynamic medium to Representative is the Minister of technologies, SENTECH is re-configuring boardrooms, offices, shops and anywhere Telecommunications and Postal Services. itself and adapting its culture to be more else it is needed around the country and SENTECH provides broadcast transmission agile in order to meet customer demand. around the world. Business Television services to SABC's radio and television Customer-centricity is not a buzz-word at provides cost-effective communications stations, eTV, MNet, and over 150 SENTECH, it is the new SENTECH-way, s o l u t i o n s t h a t d e l i v e r r e a l t i m e community radio stations country- wide. Its a lifestyle. communications on a national scale. infrastructure and data communications SENTECH exploits its expertise in Business Television offers a secure medium platforms also provide services to South operating transmission networks and of communication and broadcasts. This is Africa's telecommunication sector and explores opportunities to assist based on a process of ensuring only mobile providers. municipalities, law enforcement and conditional access to designated decoders. We are a technology company, always emergency medical service providers in Business Television is easily available and aspiring to see beyond the horizon, operating their communication networks. can be used to communicate at short notice.

24 CORPORATE PROFILE

DTH provided to public, commercial and Services. SENTECH's Direct-to-Home (DTH) Satellite community broadcasters. platform is a universal open access Consultancy services interoperable platform that is designed to MW Services Consulting services forms part of the provide broadcasters and content aggregators SENTECH MW broadcasting platform is a product offering including technical rapid deployment of a universal accessible terrestrial method of radio broadcasting investigations for interference problems, satellite broadcast platform. The platform has using amplitude modulation (AM) band. The technical evaluations on transmission contributed hugely to the emerging redefinition platform provides customers with larger e q u i p m e n t a n d c o n s u l t i n g n e w of the country's Digital Multi-Channel coverage and high quality free-to-air audio b r o a d c a s t e r s o n t r a n s m i s s i o n television broadcasting industry. It aims to sound distribution from the customer studios infrastructure establishment and planning. contribute to the future growth of the Content through our high sites transmission Training includes all elements of the signal Industry in general and the Free To Air (FTA) infrastructure within the boundaries of South distribution chain, from basic FM and TV Broadcasting and emerging Subscription Africa (SA). This platform's transmission courses to more advanced measurement Broadcasting Industries. SENTECH's DTH power configurations and coverage vary techniques. The training is provided locally platform offers broadcasters a flexibility, from 1 kilowatt (kW) to 100 kilowatt (kW). and internationally. Training is conducted affordable and easily deployable direct to Services can be provided to public, on all material as prepared by SENTECH's home television platform. commercial and community broadcasters. school of technology. These courses The product enables open access platform include fundamental subjects such as with larger coverage for broadcasters to basic FM and TV courses to more advance Terrestrial television transmit audio content and sound subjects such as advance measuring broadcasting information services to a broader spectrum techniques. The courses are structured as Television is still one of the nation's favorite of radio listenership within the boundaries of introductory, basic, intermediate and past times, part of the fabric of our society. SA. advanced. Courses are presented in SENTECH owns a main site network for the Short Wave (SW) Services South Africa as well as in foreign countries. broadcast and delivery of radio and television SENTECH's SW platform is a method of content in South Africa. More than 270 sites terrestrial sound broadcasting within and SENTECH's Socio Economic and throughout South Africa provide audio-visual beyond the boundaries of SA. The platform Enterprise Development program content for more than 11.4 million homes provides customers with readily available continues to deliver on its objective to aid through its broadcasting network. Terrestrial cross country free-to-air audio sound businesses to be sustainable, create jobs, television faces competition from emerging IP distribution from the SENTECH Meyerton empower the previously disadvantaged (streaming) based platforms, where content to site. Transmission power configurations and communities and increasing SMME the consumer plays an important role. coverage vary from 100 kilowatt (kW) to 250 competitiveness. However, SENTECH's terrestrial network kilowatt (kW). The product enables a readily In addition, enterprise and supplier covers 98% of the population and is in a unique available cross country free-to-air platform development forms part of SENTECH's position to provide customer specific for audio content distribution to a broader transformation and development distribution requirements. It is for this reason spectrum of listeners beyond the mandate. Through its ESD initiatives, the that SENTECH is investing in value added boundaries of SA. company stimulates the growth of small services that would complement its current and medium enterprises, create jobs and terrestrial services. provides critical ICT intensive skills for the Facilities leasing economy. From 2015 to date, SENTECH Digital Terrestrial TV (DTT) SENTECH offers leasing of facilities on has incubated 20 SMMEs, of which 18 are more than 194 of its transmitter high sites for potential suppliers and 2 are existing SENTECH is in the process of migrating its various communication services. analogue television network to a digital suppliers. The programme creates an SENTECH also offers hosting of in-building environment in which entrepreneurs can terrestrial television network. The benefits of equipment and storage services for its migrating from analogue to digital terrestrial develop the entrepreneurial competencies customers. SENTECH Facilities leasing required to grow profitable and sustainable broadcasting include higher video and audio offer a wide range of products and services quality; greater spectrum efficiency; more businesses. The SMMEs have been for various communication services in South groomed, are now sustainable and more programme channels, information services Africa. The products and services are and the potential for special interactive focused than they were before reliable and cost-effective. SENTECH's commencing the programme. SENTECH services (e.g. e-government delivery). infrastructure is in a unique position to SENTECH is in the process of migrating its continues to provide advisory and provide customers with the best population mentorship role for the SMMES on a analogue television network to a digital coverage. terrestrial television network. The benefits of demand basis.Early payment cycles migrating from analogue to digital terrestrial favorable to SMMEs is one of SENTECH's broadcasting include higher video and audio Managed infrastructure services initiatives to support healthy cashflows for quality; greater spectrum efficiency; more Managed Services is the proactive its SMMEs. programme channels, information services management of an ICT assets or objects by and the potential for special interactive a third party, on behalf of a customer. Most of SENTECH has partnered and collaborated services (e.g. e-government delivery). SENTECH's customers own a network of with three universities (University of some sort, including among others networks Pretoria, University of Witwatersrand and for the provision of telecommunications; University of Cape Town) to sponsor FM Services broadband connectivity; and fleet tracking research and bursaries for undergraduate SENTECH's FM broadcasting platform is a services. With its vast experience in and postgraduate students in the terrestrial method of radio broadcasting using managing different types of networks, from Engineering field. To enhance graduate frequency modulation band which falls within broadcasting to telecommunications, skills levels and ensure a smooth and the VHF usually 87.5 to 108.0 MHz. The SENTECH has built a strong capability in effective transition between university and platform provides customers with high quality network design, deployment, operation and the business environment, there is a need free-to-air audio sound distribution from the maintenance. These skills and technical to increase opportunities for students to customer studios through our high sites capabilities are the ideal foundation to offer acquire relevant work experience during transmission infrastructure within the network infrastructure management their studies. To this end, the sponsored boundaries of SA. Transmission power services to other similar networks owners. students have an opportunity to work at configurations and coverage vary from 1 Watt This would extend SENTECH's portfolio of SENTECH during their vacation time. (W) to 20 kilowatt (kW). Services can be services to include Managed Infrastructure 25 SPECIAL REPORT

The dilemma of Nigeria’s digital switch over

Nigeria is, like the rest of Africa, located in ITU Region 1 and therefore subject to the removal of protection for its analogue television frequencies in June 2015.However, in what also appears to be an attempt to reestablish stability and clarity to the Nigerian DSO ecosystem, the NBC has announced that GOtv and StarTimes Nigeria “would no longer be licensed to continue to operate in their dual nature as content providers and signal distributors,”according to this report

Nigeria is, like the rest of Africa, located in However, Friday Ukwela, a member of the inaugurated and as a result, there was no ITU Region 1 and therefore subject to the Presidential Advisory Committee said the need to specifically define the role of these removal of protection for its analogue report recommended setting up a Digital established broadcasters of DTT services television frequencies. In response to the Transition Implementation Team and a in Nigeria. Thus, it appears that there is no global agreement taken by the International deadline of June 17, 2012 for a complete harmonized framework between the Telecommunications Union World switch-off of all analogue television provisions of the white paper, as released Radiocommunication Conference in 2007, transmitters in the country. by the Federal Government, and the the Federal Government commenced the previous decision of the NBC to issue DSO process in 2008 following approval by In 2012, three years after the submission of operational licences to established then President, Umaru Musa Yar'Adua. the Presidential Advisory Committee report broadcasters like StarTimes and GOtv Based on the advice of the National there was no significant action recorded, or with provisions to operate as both content Broadcasting Commission (NBC), a any established position taken on the providers and signal distributors Presidential Advisory Committee was set up implementation of the DSO process by the simultaneously. According to the Chief in October, 2008 and assigned the Federal government. In those three years, Operations Officer of StarTimes Nigeria, r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f d e s i g n i n g a n d the NBC organized a series of seminars unfortunately, by the time the white paper recommending an implementation and workshops on the DSO process and was published, it was already obsolete. By framework for the digital switch over, DSO also focused its regulatory oversight on the the time the white paper was approved in process in Nigeria. private broadcasters that dominated the 2012, StarTimes had been launched and Nigerian digital television terrain. It became DStv also came up with their own DTT The composition of the Presidential Advisory apparent to analysts and stakeholders of services which they called GOtv. The Committee, predominantly comprised the Nigerian broadcast industry that the White paper was completely silent on the representatives of the major state-controlled political will required to drive the Nigerian role of PayTV operators in the digital institutions participating in the Nigerian DSO process was lacking. terrestrial television environment. broadcast industry, such as the National Broadcasting Corporation, National In the ensuing period, the Federal Subsequently, the implementation team, Television Authority (NTA), Federal Radio Government, through the Federal consisting of seventeen members, was Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), National Executive Council, published a white paper inaugurated in December, 2012 and a Film and Video Census Board, Ministry of based on the recommendations of the PAC transition completion deadline of June 17, Science and Technology, Ministry of in April, 2012. The white paper is a 2015 was announced. Among the existing Environment and the Consumer Protection regulatory document that provides the digital television broadcast services, the Council. Prior to the commencement of the framework on the implementation and composition of the DigiTeam involves a DSO process, most of the state-controlled scope of the Nigerian DSO Programme. representative of the NTA-StarTimes broadcast services operated on the Before the publication of the white paper, venture, but the terms of reference of the analogue spectrum and their operations the NBC had licenced two DTT service white paper ignored the role and were largely structured on the PSB model. providers, StarTimes, which pioneered participation of the established private Due to the heavy financial investment DTT services in 2010, and GOtv, which broadcasters. required for digital broadcast operations and commenced operations in October 2011. a digital television terrain that is primarily driven by market imperatives, the transition According to the provisions of the white Digital switch over and the of state-owned broadcast services could not paper, the licencing regime and distribution digiteam have been possible without the involvement of functions of digital television However, the appointment of the of the national government. broadcasting are divided between Content DigiTeam was a renewed attempt to providers and Broadcast signal distributors, implement the DSO process in Nigeria. According to the Director General of the and no broadcaster is expected to be The DigiTeam, in March 2014, issued a NBC, Mallam Kawu, the Nigerian DSO i s s u e d b o t h t y p e s o f l i c e n s e public invitation for an Expression of process benefitted the Federal Government simultaneously. This distribution of Interest (EoI) to both local and in the following areas including lease of functions is completely different from the international parties that may be spectrum totaling N35 billion, signal terms of the operational licence issued to interested in making infrastructural distributor license Fee in the sum of N the StarTimes and MultiChoice. investment in the digital signal distribution 1.3billion, Set top boxes manufacturers service. Based on the terms of the white authorization fee that exceeded the sum of N However, the NBC maintained that there paper, the NBC was mandated to issue 350 million As well as content aggregator was no DTT services in Nigeria at the time 'only' three Digital Signal Distribution license fee in the sum of N150 million. the Presidential Advisory Committee was (DSD) licences, which would include a

26 SPECIAL REPORT licence exclusively reserved for the digital the investments of the licenced STB relatively affordable Set-Top Boxes, should broadcast operations of the NTA, another manufacturers. According to the Director of have been allowed to have access to the licence reserved to encourage market Engineering and Technology of the NBC, FreeTV channels and this approach could competition to be issued through a public “So it was in place, also to protect the have saved the Federal Government huge bidding process, and a third licence investment of the STB manufacturers, financial capital, and the switchover reserved for future market necessity. Nigeria also got the services of another process could have been implemented company to develop a software that would more smoothly and within the international Similarly, the DigiTeam was required to sit on the STB such that the STB being deadline. On a similar note, participation of determine the necessary framework on the manufactured in Nigeria would only be the state should rather focus on bridging dual existence of the national broadcaster authorized to search for signals that are marginalized communities that may be (NTA) as a signal distributor and digital coming from the shores of Nigeria” outside the scope of market imperatives. content provider. Due to this requirement, However, this offer by StarTimes Nigeria the Integrated Television Service (ITS) was Apart from the freely-issued STB by the appears to have been declined by the “unbundled” out of the NTA in September, Federal Government during the pilot Federal Government due to what can be 2015 and licensed as a signal distributor. scheme of the DSO process in the city of summarized as a conflict of interests. The ITS was registered with the Corporate Jos and those subsidized in the Federal According to a member of the DigiTeam, Affairs Commission (CAC) as a state- Capital Territory, the cost of the specified “These two DTT outfits have rolled out and owned enterprise and expected to operate STB for anyone who was unable to take up have covered almost 80% of the Nigerian as a commercial entity. Under this the free offer or in the other part of Nigeria TV landscape. Nevertheless, about fifteen arrangement, the ITS became the national is largely “unaffordable” However, as noted companies expressed interests for the broadcast signal distributor and would run by one of the players, public consumers second slot of the digital signal distribution its operations on the existing broadcast must purchase these expensive STB in licences. infrastructures of the three main broadcast order to access the FreeTV channels. institutions of the Federal Government Voice of Nigeria, the Federal Radio Emergence of Pinnacle Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and the Consequently, the rationale to restrict Communication Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). cross-network accessibility has two main By July 2014, following a series of technical effects, among others, on the Nigerian and financial evaluations, the DigiTeam However, some of these existing broadcast DSO process. First, there is little market announced Pinnacle Communication infrastructures of the state-owned demand for the specified STB due to the Limited, as the winner of the bidding broadcast institutions, particularly the fact that the Nigerian digital TV market is process for the second licence of national Nigerian Television Authority, were also already saturated with affordable STB from digital signal distribution services. Pinnacle deployed to serve as part of the broadcast the two major DTT services. Due to this low Communication Limited is a Nigerian- infrastructure of StarTimes Nigeria across market demand, the manufacturers of the owned company working with two the country. specified STB are struggling and “have no international partners based in the United incentives” to increase production since States, GatesAir and Jampro. The The absence of clarity between the role of there is no market guarantee for profit. company was able to finalize a technical the newly licensed Digital Signal Secondly, with the control of the PayTV plan for the deployment of its broadcast Distributors (DSD) and the existing market by the established media infrastructure within the scheduled infrastructure of broadcast and signal conglomerates, the revenue flow of the deadline of the Nigerian DSO Programme. distribution by both StarTimes and GOtv transition does not guarantee a turnover As a result of the financial and resulted in a major setback for the DSO that is proportionate to capital investments. infrastructural investment of the national Process in Nigeria. Literally, the shortage signal distribution services, Pinnacle of funds meant ITS was unable to meet its “So, there is a stalemate because the Communication Limited became a crucial schedule for national coverage of its DSD signal distributors are investing majority of stakeholder in the Nigerian DSO Process. operations. As a result, the role of ITS, as a the capital investment but the middleware state-owned digital signal distribution and content aggregators [who accept Ordinarily, if ITS had been funded to take service, was outsourced to the StarTimes television content from the transmitters of advantage of the existing broadcast television network based on a partnership the analogue television broadcasters and infrastructure of the NTA, then there would arrangement. Riding on the existing DSD either upload for digital transmission or be no need for the private-owned second infrastructure of the StarTimes, ITS was store in a database for future broadcast] signal distributor but because of the able to complete the first and third phase of who are investing nothing or little to the “scepticism of getting being controlled by the DSO process in Jos and Ilorin, two value chain are taking the chunk of the the government”, private television major cities in Nigeria. revenue and the main corporates who are broadcasters felt there was a need for a investing so much money are left hard and private-owned signal distributor. Given the enormous financial cost in dried”. building the platform, which ought to come On the other hand, the white paper from the government, the partnership [with I n c o m p a r i s o n , t h e b r o a d c a s t completely ignored the existing digital StarTimes] had afforded ITS the capability infrastructure of StarTimes and GOtv has terrestrial television services, GOtv and of developing the capacity in a Public proliferated across the entire country and StarTimes with national coverage for digital Private Partnership arrangement as their STB are readily available and signal distribution. The white paper did not encouraged by government. However, the affordable. StarTimes Nigeria extended an state whether the three DSD licences would specification for the Set-Top Boxes (STB) offer for the Nigerian Government to be inclusive or exclusive of the existing of the Nigerian DSO process, as decided implement the DSO Programme using its digital signal distribution infrastructures by the DigiTeam, was exclusively limited to existing broadcast infrastructures owned by the two digital terrestrial the FreeTV channels and not compatible deployed to all states. “StarTimes says television services such as StarTimes and with the existing STB of other digital they are willing to make their infrastructure Gotv. television services such as StarTimes and be used. They are willing that the Gotv Conditional Access and Encryption is such The DSO process was further hindered due that their STB that is already in the market to a legal case filed against NBC by the The basis of this decision of the NBC to can be used and accessible to FreeTV” newly licenced signal distributor, Pinnacle restrict cross-network accessibility of the Communication Limited. Following the specified STB is to encourage and protect Also, the PayTV providers, with their terms of reference, two of the licences for SPECIAL REPORT

signal distribution services were awarded to attempt to complete the DSO process within NBC and license renewal state-owned signal distribution company, the scheduled time, the new management More recently, in a development in line ITS and private-owned PCL. Also, a third of the NBC came up with a plan in 2016 to with the policy framework of the ongoing licence appears to have been awarded to a carry out the DSO process in three phases Nigerian DSO Programme, the Director new private entrant, MTS Communications which, if successful, would cover eighteen General of the NBC announced that GOtv Limited. Consequently, there was an states of Nigeria. Each phase would involve and StarTimes Nigeria “would no longer absence of clarity on the position and installing all DSD networks and the be licensed to continue to operate in their involvement of the three additional DSD c o m p l e t i o n o f a l l t r a n s m i s s i o n dual nature as content providers and licences, MTS, StarTimes and GOtv as infrastructures in six states, one from each signal distributors”. This directive by the specified in the white paper. This prompted of the six geo-political regions. the PCL to file a law suit against the NBC. NBC is expected to take effect from June According to a report PCL claimed the 2019. As advised by the NBC, the two previous licences issued to the existing DTT The role of civil society media conglomerates in the digital service providers StarTimes and GOtv were organisations terrestrial television terrain must contrary to the term of reference of the white The involvement of Civil society commence discussion with either of the paper which required that only three signal organizations in the implementation of two licensed signal distributors. Likewise, distribution licences be issued for the the DSO process in Nigeria has been in what also appears to be an attempt to Nigerian DSO process. The terms of minimal. According to soirces, the only reestablish stability and clarity to the reference also specified that a company representative of Civil society Nigerian DSO ecosystem, the NBC has cannot be a content provider and digital organizations on the DigiTeam Nigeria “consciously delineated revenue signal distributor simultaneously. died in 2015. However, there have been streams” for all the participating players recent concerns by some Civil Society which include the broadcasters, Arising from the financial constraints and Organizations (CSOs), voluntary entities middleware and content aggregator, STB conflicting positions between the policy manufacturers and signal distributors. framework of the Nigerian DSO process and and non-for-profits organizations, about regulatory decisions of the NBC, many growing allegations of misappropriation Despite the challenges associated with unclarified questions are affecting a smooth of funds meant for the DSO process in transition within the scheduled time. Due to Nigeria. A statement by a coalition of Civil the ongoing transition to digital television, these complexities and the absence of society groups revealed that the Nigerian this directive of the NBC is likely to result clarity, Nigeria missed the ITU deadline of DSO process was delayed due to in two possible implications for the June 17, 2015. On this note, the need for a “alleged misappropriation of funds and Nigerian DSO ecosystem. First, the “clarity of purpose and political will” from the sharp practices within the industry. involvement of the Federal Government, government become very important. as the major decision maker of the The group indicated that the financial Nigerian digital television landscape, Subsequently, the NBC announced June 17, intervention of the Federal Government apparently threatens the market-oriented 2017 as the new deadline for the completion released to the Presidential committee economy which typically attracts and of the Nigerian DSO process. To meet the has been diverted into private pockets drives the necessary capital investments. financial schedule, the management of the and only a “paltry sum” was committed to Secondly, this intervention by NBC is a NBC opted to sell part of the anticipated the purchase of “very obsolete and distortion of the current market digital dividend of the 'yet to be released' substandard” broadcast equipment. equilibrium of the Nigerian PayTV 700MHz spectrum to South African-owned market. Before this directive was issued, mobile telecommunication giant, MTN there was an existing public-private Group for about ? 34 billion naira. However, partnership between the Star/NTA following a series of reports on the inflation of In addition, the Human Rights Writers venture and the state-owned ITS. contract funds from the purchase of digital Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) later STB and unauthorised diversion of funds demanded that the Mallam Kawu Inclusive of the benefits of this entangled from the sale of the spectrum bandwidth, Modibbo-led management of the NBC relationship, the signal distribution some former officials of the NBC, including provide transparent information around facilities of the ITS, to a large extent, is the former DG (Emeka Mba) and director of the payment of N2.5 billion issued to the driven on the backbone of the StarTimes Finance, were arrested and prosecuted on a second national digital signal distributor Nigeria. 15-count charged of money laundering and (DSD), the Pinnacle Communication procurement fraud. Limited. The HURIWA indicated that the The regulatory directive by the NBC is not NBC had issued this payment in complete likely to affect the StarTimes Nigeria. and Due to the management inaccuracies and secrecy and also demanded that the NBC appears to place the StarTimes Nigeria the financial constraints, the Nigerian DSO explain the “rationale behind the payment ahead of the market competition with the process was again delayed and seemed made from the public treasury to a private GOtv. At the time of writing, the extent by unlikely to meet the June 17, 2017 deadline. firm licenced by government to engage in which GOtv broadcast operation will be As a result, it became necessary for the the commercial enterprise of Digital affected by this regulatory directive is not Federal Government to intervene in the Signal Distribution”. clear. However,,report indicates that “it is ongoing Nigerian DSO programme. As part In response to this allegation, allegation, not clear how or why this license would of its direct intervention, a new NBC not be renewed, and as such the management team, led by Mallam Kawu the Federal Government, through the company will investigate further in the Modibbo, was appointed on May, 2016 with a office of the Attorney General of the directive to make the ongoing DSO Federation, has filed a lawsuit against the best interests of the many customers it programme a priority. Director General of the NBC, Mallam serves in the market”. Modibbo Kawu on a charge of “money Upon assuming office, the new management laundering and abuse of office” and the of the NBC was faced with the legal dispute former Minister of Information and filed by PCL and a financial constraint Culture, Lai Mohammed has also been affecting the Nigeria DSO process in the face summoned by the court on the same of a June 17, 2017 deadline. In another charges.

IN THE NEWS ASIA

not visible in optical satellite images. ISSTL announces UK Space Agency and invite UK Other features such as aquaculture sites organisations and other international NovaSAR-1 data deal along the coast and the rolling hills in the partners to work with them to scope with the Philippines central region of the island were also projects designed to deliver sustainable captured in the image. benefits to Small Island Developing States in the Pacific. The work will build on Surrey Satellite Technology Limited those systems already under way to help (SSTL) has signed an agreement with Australian Defence prevent and plan for disasters that are a Republic of the Philippines' Department of Department partners consequence of rising sea levels and Science and Technology-Advanced climate change. Science and Technology Institute (DOST- with CyberOps for ASTI) to provide a share of the tasking This follows a recent statement of intent and data acquisition services from satellite programs between the UK Space Agency and NovaSAR-1, the innovative small S-Band Australian Space Agency to establish a radar satellite launched into a 580km sun South Australia-based CyberOps has 'Space Bridge' to increase strategic synchronous orbit in September 2018. won a $299,000 contract with the collaboration and lay the foundations for Department of Defence to develop a swift negotiations for space-related The agreement gives DOST ASTI tasking security framework for nanosatellite opportunities under any potential future priorities over the Philippines and the development programs and operating trading arrangements. ability to access the raw data directly from systems. the satellite, with a license to use and In a joint media release with member for Science Minister Chris Skidmore said: share the data with their partners over an Sturt James Stevens, defence minister Increasing our investment in space initial 5 year period, extendable to the Melissa Price said that the growth of t e c h n o l o g y d e m o n s t r a t e s o u r actual lifespan of the satellite. Synthetic space technologies was providing determination to become a global science Aperture Radar (SAR) has the ability to opportunities in the space industry, with superpower, forming new collaborations image the Earth through cloud cover and security a priority. with countries across the globe. at night, and DOST-ASTI will use data from NovaSAR-1 in support of a number “We rely on space-based technology to We were the first major country to sign our of applications, including disaster support our way of life, including a range commitment to net zero carbon emissions monitoring, agricultural and forestry of communication activities, satellite by 2050 into law, and next year the UK will management, and coastal and maritime imagery and timing signals from GPS- be hosting the UN's climate conference, applications such as ship detection. type navigation systems,” Price said. COP26. Space has a crucial and “The contract with CyberOps aims to expanding role as a green technology, Andrew Cawthorne, Director of Earth improve Australia's growing sovereign providing vital data on earth observation Observation at SSTL said “I am delighted space industry by increasing the and climate conditions, which helps to to welcome DOST-ASTI colleagues to the security and resilience of our military predict the impact of climate change. We NovaSAR-1 data team. I anticipate that space systems.” Price noted that the are world leading in our expertise in the Philippines will benefit greatly from Defence Innovation Hub had invested satellite technology, and are seeking to NovaSAR-1 data, particularly as the more than $23 million in space-related become the first country in Europe which country has a tropical climate with innovations that will enhance situational will be able to perform both horizontal and frequent cloud cover, and an extensive awareness. Stevens added that vertical launches into space – this fund coastline and maritime territory.” CyberOps is one of many SA expands on our growing commitment to businesses that Defence is working become one of the world's leading space “The SAR imaging capability of with. “Companies working with Defence nations. One UK space company already NovaSAR-1 is a timely and powerful through the Defence Innovation Hub are having an impact is Surrey Satellite resource as we continue to push scientific developing cutting-edge and world-irst Technology Limited, which launched its data, computing and space technology in technologies to equip our warighters NovaSAR-1 satellite last year, part- support of evidence-based politics and with some of the most advanced funded by the UK Space Agency. decision-making in the country” according capabilities,” he said to Dr Joel Marciano, Jr, Acting Director of DOST-ASTI. “For one, NovaSAR-1's Northern Territory fund UK, Australia to use simultaneous acquisition of SAR and backs Singaporean Automatic Identification System (AIS) space technology to data targets enhanced maritime domain space startup awareness that is expected to lead to protect Pacific from more effective interventions” adds Mr climate change and Darwin-based Paspalis Innovation Alvin Retamar, Chief Science Research natural disasters Investment Fund has made a S$500,000 Specialist at DOST-ASTI. . investment in Singapore-based space Pacific island countries vulnerable to propulsion startup Alenia as it looks to Two sample SAR images of the climate change will benefit from space boost the Northern Territory space Philippines acquired by NovaSAR-1 have technology to help them plan for and economy and forge greater ties with the been released. The target area for the first prevent natural disasters, thanks to a region. image acquisition was Cebu city and the new UK and Australian partnership. The Alenia, which is developing a plasma- nearby Mactan-Cebu International UK Space Agency is looking for project based electric propulsion system for small Airport. The captured image shows sea- ideas, to be delivered through UK aid, satellites, raised a total of S$1.5 million going vessels around the shipping port that use the data collected by satellites (A$1.6 million) in a round led by Cap Vista together with the rugged terrain of the to improve decision-making for disaster Private, the investment arm of the interior of Cebu Island. Masbate Island in risk reduction, ocean monitoring, Defence Science and Technology Agency the Bicol region of the Philippines serves mangrove mapping and maritime of Singapore. As well as the Paspalis as the target area of the second image management contribution, Silicon Valley-based venture acquisition. The resulting image reveals a This will also see Australia's national capital irm 500 Start-ups also crater site hidden by forest canopy that is science agency, CSIRO, work with the participated. “Our investment in Aliena will 28 IN THE NEWS ASIA assist the company launch a satellite into surveying and mapping, urban and rural Tata Communications Transformation a low orbit and prove its plasma c o n s t r u c t i o n a n d s t a t i s t i c a l Services Limited (TCTS), partner of choice propulsion technology in a real space investigation, according to the China for the world's leading Communication environment,” said Darwin Innovation National Space Administration (CNSA). Service Providers (CSPs) and a wholly Hub and Paspalis CEO Harley The Gaofen-7, launched on a Long owned subsidiary of Tata Communications Paroulakis. “As the Northern Territory March-4B rocket from the Taiyuan Limited, and Fortinet, working with space ecosystem develops, it will Satellite Launch Center in northern Microsoft Azure, has launched a fully become increasingly important for China's Shanxi Province, is China's first managed SD-WAN offering for Azure Virtual players in this hinterland to look toward civil-use optical transmission three- WAN places like Singapore as a source of dimensional surveying and mapping . technology, payload and even potentially satellite that reaches the sub-meter launch vehicles.” level, CNSA said. The TCTS SD-WAN offering will help service providers create solutions to further As part of the investment, Alenia will work The satellite and carrier rocket were enable enterprises with seamless migration with the Darwin Innovation Hub to developed by the China Academy of to Azure, thereby helping to accelerate their advance its solution as well as Space Technology (CAST) and the revenue in IT migration to public clouds. collaborate towards the development of Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight This joint offering will also enable inter- the Arnhem Space Port in the Northern Technology under the China Aerospace branch connectivity for customers using the Territory, which NASA is considering for a Science and Technology Corporation. Microsoft backbone and help them to meet potential site for launching sounding The users of the Gaofen-7 satellite will SLAs while securing access to applications rockets into equatorial orbit. Further, be mainly from the Ministry of Natural running on Azure. This offering is one of the Paroulakis noted that Alenia, as a start Resources, the Ministry of Housing and first industry solutions of native hybrid SD- up from Singapore's Nanyang Urban-Rural Development and the WAN coupled with traffic steering and Technological University, brings National Bureau of Statistics. security protection for Azure's cloud. important international ties to the region. Via the same carrier rocket, three other In collaboration with Azure, Fortinet and “NTU Singapore has launched 9 commercial and scientific experiment Equinix, TCTS has augmented Azure's satellites successfully into space, and is satellites including one developed for current Virtual WAN offering in which leading the space tech front in Singapore Sudan were also sent into space. The application policies can be centrally and the region. A majority of Singapore- development of the Gaofen-7 has configured using Fortinet's SD-WAN based satellites were launched by NTU achieved a breakthrough in sub-meter technologies integrated with Equinix scientists,” he said. “We see NTU level 3D mapping camera technology, Network Edge to create Virtual Network Singapore as one of the technological meeting the highest mapping accuracy S e r v i c e s t h a t d e l i v e r e n h a n c e d leaders in this arena, and we would love requirement among the Gaofen series performance and security protection. As to test bed in the Northern Territory in Earth observation satellites, CNSA said. part of the larger TCTS award winning, most areas ranging from med tech, ag tech, It can obtain high-resolution optical 3D innovative cloud service, Cloud artiicial intelligence and advanced observation data and high-precision Networking-as-a-Service (CNaaS) manufacturing in sectors ranging from laser altimetry data and can realize portfolio, the offering utilizes some of the mining, oil and gas to healthcare and 1:10,000 scale satellite 3D mapping for industry's best product partners with TCTS' agriculture.” Alenia said the funding will civil use in China, according to CNSA. industry recognized virtualization allow it to expand its team, as well as consulting, deployment and operation commission further test infrastructure, The satellite can meet the needs of services including a space simulator and a test users in basic mapping, global facility in Singapore. The funds will also geographic information, monitoring and Madhusudhan Mysore, Executive go towards its maiden in-space evaluation in urban and rural Chairman and CEO of TCTS said, “TCTS's demonstration mission planned aboard a construction, agricultural survey and Cloud Networking-as-a-Service was SpaceX rocket at the end of 2020. statistics, etc. Cao Haiyi, chief designer developed to address the most complex of Gaofen-7 from CAST, said the real-world enterprise IT migration to the Paspalis and its related entities has satellite also has excellent positioning cloud. It offers a best-in-class white-labeled been operating as an investment accuracy. For instance, it is able to managed service provider (MSP) offering manager in Australia for the past 15 accurately locate the roads in the for operators worldwide to help them years. In 2017, the Darwin Innovation countryside. The new satellite will work accelerate their MSP revenues through Hub was awarded the right to deliver the together with other Gaofen satellites to Microsoft's worldwide enterprise customer Federal Incubator Support Program for form an Earth observation system with base. TCTS has a significant set of highly Northern Australia. The Darwin high resolution and high positioning skilled CNaaS technical consultants to Innovation Hub is a partnership between accuracy, which will help promote provide white-labeled services to operators Paspalis, the Northern Territory international sci-tech industrial worldwide, thereby supporting the easy Government and Charles Darwin cooperation through data sharing and adoption and ongoing use of Microsoft University and will focus on two-way support the Belt and Road initiative, said Azure. innovation and investment opportunities Wang Xiang, chief commander of the between the Asia Paciic and Northern Gaofen-7 satellite project. As cloud complexity continues to grow, Australia. - enterprises are grappling with the many Tata Communications functions, gateways, configuration, China launches new segmentation and monitoring of Virtual and Fortinet to enable P r i v a t e C l o u d s ( V P C s ) a c r o s s Earth observation service providers to Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) data satellite c e n t e r s , r e g i o n s a n d w o r l d w i d e accelerate revenue via deployments. Configuration of SD-WAN, VPNs, routing tables, security, gateways China announced the launch of a new Secure SD-WAN and hybrid connectivity within a public cloud Earth observation satellite, Gaofen-7, managed services continues to be a problem area for most which will play an important role in land enterprises. Additionally, as the cloud

29 IN THE NEWS ASIA expands to the edge, including managed successful it will open up a complete new A common satellite operating business network connections between the area for the space industry; tiny satellites focuses on satellites rather than services, clouds and service providers (ex: Azure (known as CubeSats) will finally be able to which makes it difficult to share satellite ExpressRoute, etc.), cloud complexity do propulsive operations and bigger resources among users due to the will be even more challenging to satellites will gain considerably in both considerable knowledge and expertise configure and operate complexity and cost of the propulsion required to access the information. The system. ThrustMe's founders have been new platform can provide users with " W i d e A r e a N e t w o r k ( W A N ) working on this for years, their idea of using integrated satellite resources through a requirements for the enterprise are iodine as an alternative propellant in space ground station network, which is more becoming more cloud centric. Microsoft was one of the drivers for them to create the streamlined and user-friendly, according Azure Virtual WAN (VWAN) is company. And they have not been alone, to Yuan Hongyi from the CASIC. As part addressing these needs by allowing the whole electric propulsion community of the commercial space development devices and sites to connect to Azure's has been striving to develop propulsion plan of the group, the platform is aimed at public cloud more easily and globally,” systems with alternative propellants, and meeting the demands of various added Ross Ortega, Partner Program iodine has stood out as a potential game industries for satellite resources, said Xu changer. In US, NASA together with Tao from the CASIC. Manager, Microsoft Azure Networking at established American companies and Microsoft Corp. “TCTS' SD-WAN research institutions have spent a decade managed services over Azure's VWAN, together with millions of dollars trying to Chinese Mars rover will enable service providers worldwide develop propulsion systems with iodine as completes landing trial to deliver CNaaS managed services.” propellant, so has ESA together with many of the larger European space corporates. ahead of 2020 launch Through this offering, enterprises at any given site can use a hybrid deployment “Iodine has remarkable advantages A test model of China's first Mars rover, of MPLS and Internet to steer the traffic compared to pressurized gases, but it has set for launch in mid-2020, performs a between mission critical traffic (MPLS also new technical and quite difficult landing test Nov. 14 inside a specially- and Carrier Ethernet) and non-mission challenges. It is not straight forward - you built rig in northern China's Hebei critical traffic (Internet), which further cannot just replace the pressurized gas with province. China has performed a hover connects directly to Azure via Azure iodine and think that it will work. We had to and hazard avoidance test on a model the ExpressRoute. This connection can be think outside the box, and we combined country's first Mars rover, while engineers established leveraging TCTS' highly many fields of physics, chemistry and ready the real spacecraft for launch commended platform, 'Virtual Cloud e n g i n e e r i n g t o s u c c e e d ” , s a y s toward the red planet in mid-2020. exchange,' for building within native DmytroRafalskyi, CTO of ThrustMe “The Comprising an orbiter, lander and rover, service provider environments or white- I2T5 is a cold gas propulsion system that we the mission aims to become the first labeled options using the Equinix' Cloud designed for CubeSats, however, it is also a Chinese spacecraft to reach Mars after Exchange Fabric™ (ECX Fabric™) and subsystem for our ion electric propulsion lifting off aboard a Long March 5 rocket — Network Edge solution offerings within product. So this technology demonstration the country's most powerful launcher — t h e i r d a t a c e n t e r s g l o b a l l y. we are doing together with Spacety is a big during a several week window opening in step for us - two birds with one stone”, says July 2020. The mission will launch from AneAanesland, CEO of ThrustMe. the Wenchang space center on Hainan French and Chinese Island, China's newest spaceport. space startups launch ST Engineering sets up China invited ambassadors and envoys entity in Israel from 19 countries, including the the first iodine- European Union, the African Union, propelled spacecraft Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd France, Italy and Brazil, to visit a test rig in announced that it has set up a wholly owned northern China's Hebei province Nov. 14 successfully tested in subsidiary, ST Engineering (Israel) Smart to view a ground test of the Mars lander. space Cities Ltd, in Israel with an initial equity The demonstration tested the rover's injection of NIS 900,000 (approximately ability to hover and autonomous avoid obstacles during descent under reduced Only 15 days after the successful launch S$360,000). The subsidiary will be gravity conditions, similar to those on of the first ever iodine-propelled satellite, engaging in the growing smart city business Mars, according to the China National ThrustMe and Spacety announce that in Israel, including autonomous vehicle and Space Administration. the first propulsive operations have been robotics. The setting up of the subsidiary is conducted. After 10 intensive days in not expected to have any material impact Billed by China as the public unveiling of orbit, Spacety managed to complete the on the consolidated net tangible assets per the Mars mission, the event last week in-orbit commissioning of the satellite.China launched It share two satellite and for earningsits GPSsystem per (Source: share China of Daily ST verified the lander's design, the Chinese was time for the two parties, Spacety and Engineering for the current financial year. space agency said. If it launches next ThrustMe, to test the I2T5 cold gas summer, the mission will reach Mars in thruster for the first time. “We had China launches satellite early 2021 and release the landing planned to do the propulsive operations module to enter the Martian atmosphere. after all the other payloads had been fully service platform After landing, the rover will drive off a tested, so in a 2-3 months' time from ramp to begin exploring the surface with a now, but we didn't have the patience to A Chinese company has announced the suite of scientific instruments. wait – it was just too exciting to test this launched a satellite service platform to historic system as soon as we could”, make satellite resources more accessible The orbiter will circle Mars to provide says Feng Yang founder and CEO at for users. China Aerospace Science and communications relay support for the Spacety. Industry Corporation (CASIC), the platform's designer, announced the news at rover and conduct its own scientific measurements. The orbiting module This thruster is a one-of-its-kind the 5th China (International) Commercial carries high- and medium-resolution propulsion system, invented and Aerospace Forum in Wuhan. cameras, a radar instrument to probe the developed by ThrustMe, and if

30 IN THE NEWS ASIA structure of the Martian subsurface, a satellite performance and function tests Networks, the Canadian manufacturer. At spectrometer to analyze minerals in the have been completed. The testing the heart of the ground infrastructure is a Martian crust, and sensors to collect included under different weather multi-beam VSAT Hub with DVB-S2X data on the interaction between the red conditions, and for different business technology and MF-TDMA with Adaptive planet's tenuous magnetosphere and scenarios such as website browsing, video Coding and Modulation. The modular the solar wind. chats and high-resolution streaming software-defined architecture of the UHP services Hub ensures high-availability of the .During the tests, there was no frame loss network. China sends two or buffering, and all functions and Shannon Fisher, MD at IPSTAR New global multimedia indicators met the design requirements, it Zealand stated “The newly launched said service represents a major step in satellites into planned improving digital broadband connectivity for orbit By the beginning of 2020, users across rural New Zealanders. It has record China will be able access the throughput and excellent Quality of Service, Two global multimedia satellites, KL-a- demonstration system of the Hongyun achieved by a combination of the powerful A and KL-a-B, was launched by Project, and they will be able to take IPSTAR satellite segment and advanced Kuaizhou-1A (KZ-1A), a carrier rocket advantage of what it described as ground technology from UHP.” in china. The two satellites are "Hongyun speed," CASIC said. international cooperative commercial VaganShakhgildian, CEO of UHP Networks projects delivered by the Innovation The Hongyun Project, which was commented “We at UHP Networks are Academy for Microsatellites of the announced in 2017, is expected to launch proud that our technology was selected for Chinese Academy of Sciences. They four more satellites to gain preliminary the new service in New Zealand by are mainly used for the Ka-band experience by 2020. CASIC expects to IPSTAR, a well-known pioneer in High- communication technology test, and have a total of 156 satellites in operation by Throughput Satellite connectivity. IPSTAR the user is a German company. the middle of the 14th Five-Year Plan has been our trusted partner in Australia for KZ-1A is a low-cost solid-fuel carrier (2021-25) some time. Together we achieved high- rocket with high reliability and a short speed maritime connectivity in our early preparation period. The rocket, The project can offer communication and projects. We are now pleased to extend this developed by a company under the internet services for China and less- co-operation to consumer broadband China Aerospace Science and Industry developed countries with reduced latency. services.” Corporation, is mainly used to launch Meanwhile, the project can also benefit low-orbit microsatellites. emergency communication, sensor data collection and remote control of unmanned More streaming equipment, CASIC said in 2017. Successful satellite International maritime satellites currently platforms commit to tests to facilitate are widely used for communications in ASEAN content code mountainous areas and for airplanes, but 'Hongyun speed' by these satellites, which will orbit 36,000 upholding user interests 2020 kilometers above the Earth, have time and signal delays as well as high costs for The Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) providing services, Yang Yuguang, a announces that NBCUniversal have signed The demonstration system for China's research fellow with CASIC, said when the the ASEAN Subscription Video-on- Hongyun Project, a low-orbit company announced the plan in 2017. Demand Industry Content Code, joining broadband communication satellite other industry players including ASTRO, system, will become operational at the IPSTAR launches dimsum, DOONEE, HOOQ, iflix, iWant, beginning of 2020, making substantial Netflix, tonton and TVB. progress toward the eventual goal of broadband service with The Content Code, first released in June providing internet connectivity to users VSAT technology from 2018, is a self-regulatory framework that around the world, developers told the aims to ensure the commitment of online Global Times UHP Networks streaming services in the ASEAN region to uphold the interests of their users by Liu Shiquan, deputy general manager providing content that does not infringe of space giant China Aerospace IPSTAR New Zealand, a major provider of satellite connectivity services in Australia, copyright and does not promote Science and Industry Corporation pornography, violence, terrorism, and hate (CASIC) announced Tuesday that New Zealand and throughout the Asia- Pacific region through its parent company crimes. It also aims to protect minors from testing of the first Hongyun Project accessing age-inappropriate and sensitive satellite has been successfully Thaicom, has launched Choice, a new service in New Zealand. The service content, empowers users and their families completed. Li was addressing the to choose video content that suits their ongoing 5th China International provides high-speed broadband access in the country's rural areas. Key applications needs, interests, passions, and values, and Commercial Aerospace Forum in serves to distinguish legitimate services Wuhan, Central China's Hubei include public services, distance learning, internet banking and WiFi spots. from pirate sites. Province NBCUniversal operates the hayu service in The project, also known as the H-cloud, The Choice offering delivers the highest 14 countries globally, including Singapore, was developed by CASIC. The first Hong Kong and the Philippines within the tech-experimental satellite for the broadband speed available in New Zealand with only 0.84 m antenna at the Asia-Pacific region. The company has also project was launched on December 22, announced that it is launching a general 2018 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch remote terminal. The download and upload speeds are up to 5 times faster entertainment streaming service, Peacock¸ Center in Northwest China's Gansu in 2020 in the US and later in international Province compared with standard technology. The service operates over high-power IPSTAR territories. Commenting on NBCUniversal's decision CASIC said in a statement it sent to the Ku-band HTS satellite and uses cutting- edge VSAT equipment from UHP to sign onto the code, Christine Fellowes, Global Times on Tuesday that all Managing Director for Asia-Pacific, said: 31 IN THE NEWS ASIA

“NBCUniversal is delighted to sign up to by Kacific Broadband Satellites Group strong supporter of China Mobile, ZTE has this important initiative, part of our (Kacific), this next-generation high- witnessed and participated in the full overall effort to deliver the highest throughput Ka-band satellite will stream process of China Mobile He-Fetion quality online services in a safe and broadband to 25 nations in South East Asia project. responsible manner. As audience and the Pacific Islands via 56 spot beams. “As a world-leading RCS service provider, viewing moves increasingly online, it is Kacific1 is based on Boeing's reliable ZTE is committed to promoting the critical that industry demonstrates the 702MP-satellite platform and will provide development of the RCS industry,” said high degree of responsibility that the most powerful signal level ever Chen Xinyu, President of ZTE's Cloud & consumers expect, and provides re- achieved in a commercial satellite in the Core Network Products. "ZTE will assurance to Governments of the region. continue to work together with China region that we are their partners in Mobile, contributing to the development of promoting a safe and lawful online Christian Patouraux, Kacific CEO, the He-Fetion service and the global environment.” founded the company in 2013 with the converged communications industry." vision to provide high speed, affordable Witnessing the signing, Louis Boswell, and accessible internet to extra-urban, In addition to the Project Delivery CEO of the Asia Video Industry rural and remote users. He saw a critical, Perfection award, ZTE also won the Association (AVIA), the trade unmet need in the Asia Pacific region, Highly Commended Award in the association for the video industry and where high prices and unsuitable categories of Telecoms Transformation ecosystem in Asia Pacific, also said, technology were prohibiting access. By award and the Industrial IoT Initiative of “We are delighted that more OCC combining next-generation satellite the Year, as a result of its 5G E2E Slice industry players see the Code as a way technology with a lean business model that Solution and NB-IoT Massive-connection to affirm their commitment to being cuts out the middleman, Patouraux has & multi-service Virtual-verification responsible industry players. Having a developed valuable infrastructure for local Platform Solution (NMVP) respectively. code which distinguishes legitimate, organisations and people. These awards recognize ZTE's industry- responsible content providers from leading approaches to 5G business pirated and user-generated-content Kacific1 will deliver high-speed broadband models and the Internet of Things (IoT). platforms gives regulators confidence services to previously unserved or under- The GLOTEL Awards, organized by and consumers control. We encourage served people in nations where Telecoms.com, is the premier event more companies to join us in this populations are widely dispersed, and recognizing innovation and excellence commitment. therefore expensive to connect. Many of from any company involved in advancing these nations are archipelagos or have and transforming today's telecoms rugged mountain ranges and large rural industry. China launches new territories, making satellite technology the BeiDou satellite best – and sometimes only – way to ZTE is a provider of advanced connect to the internet and phone telecommunications systems, mobile networks. The Kacific system will be devices, and enterprise technology China sent a new satellite of the BeiDou particularly appealing to the needs of solutions to consumers, carriers, Navigation Satellite System (BDS) into health and education departments in companies and public sector customers. space from the Xichang Satellite provinces and villages. Furthermore, As a part of ZTE's strategy, the company is Launch Center in Sichuan Province. satellite broadband access provides committed to providing customers with Launched on a Long March-3B carrier critical communications channels to a integrated end-to-end innovations to rocket, it is the 49th satellite of the BDS region which is often victim to tropical deliver excellence and values as the satellite family and the 24th satellite of storms, cyclones, earthquakes and telecommunications and information the BDS-3 system. tsunamis. technology sectors converge. Listed in the stock exchanges of Hong Kong and It also marked that a total of three BDS- ZTE and China Mobile Shenzhen, ZTE sells its products and 3 satellites have been sent into the services in more than 160 countries. inclined geosynchronous Earth orbit. win 2019 GLOTEL To date, ZTE has obtained 35 commercial The launch was the 317th mission for Awards for He-Fetion 5G contracts in major markets, such as the Long March series of carrier Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and rockets. The new satellites and the project Africa (MEA). ZTE commits 10 percent of carrier rocket were developed by the its annual revenues to research and China Academy of Space Technology development and takes leadership roles in and the China Academy of Launch ZTE Corporation, a major international i n t e r n a t i o n a l s t a n d a r d - s e t t i n g Vehicle Technology, under the China provider of telecommunications, organizations. Aerospace Science and Technology enterprise and consumer technology Corporation. China will launch another solutions for the Mobile Internet, six BDS-3 satellites to complete the announced that ZTE has been presented NBN Co launches BDS global network. with the Project Delivery Perfection award groundbreaking for its ground-breaking contributions to K a c i f i c 1 s a t e l l i t e China Mobile's He-Fetion project at the business satellite Global Telecom (GLOTEL) Awards 2019 service created, arrives for launch by ceremony in London. This award d e m o n s t r a t e s Z T E ' s i n n o v a t i v e designed and managed SpaceX capabilities and leading position in the Rich Communication Services (RCS) and by Speedcast The Kacific1 communications satellite, converged communications field. Speedcast, the world's most trusted built by Boeing, has arrived at SpaceX The successful delivery of the project provider of highly reliable, fully managed, facilities in Cape Canaveral, Florida, marks the commercial use of the world's remote communication and IT solutions, where it will be launched atop a Falcon largest RCS office, which is a significant announced that Australian government- 9 rocket to geostationary orbit. Owned step for the development of the global converged communications industry. As a owned infrastructure provider NBN Co is

32 IN THE NEWS ASIA

now delivering satellite services in PuthiyaThalaimurai TV has become Lead, Mr. JibranJamshad& Microsoft collaboration with Speedcast to business extremely popular in India and abroad Education Transformation Lead, Ms. Jaye and government users across regional due to its independent editorial stance. Richards-Hill in addition to relevant and remote parts of the country. NBN Co's The channel looks at issues through the stakeholders of the Education sector. The new Business Satellite Service (BSS) eyes of the regular person and serves as event provided a platform to explore leverages an extensive network designed, a platform that airs people's views and possible partnership opportunities of built and managed by Speedcast opinions. empowering the growing number of youths Managed Services, with access to up to 58 U s i n g t h e Q u i c k l i n k T X , in the country which is at an all-time high beams from 10 gateways, two data PuthiyaThalaimurai TV can introduce according to the 2017 Pakistan National centers, and a network operations center guests into their discussions using any Human Development Report. The report powering the company's new high-data Skype enabled device. As the Quicklink highlights how the country's youth can be a internet and IoT service offerings. TX can receive from and send to any critical force for development, if they are S k y p e u s e r i t p r o v i d e s empowered with education and NBN Co's BSS offerings are initially PuthiyaThalaimurai TV with unrivalled knowledge. focused on remote business requirements global access to millions of Skype users for high-data internet access and IoT in order to broadcast the calls in HD “Developing digital skills from primary services, with an additional product — quality. school age has become a necessity, as Access Bandwidth Service — to launch youth navigate an increasingly next year. NBN Co's BSS is a pioneering “We are greatly enthusiastic having used technological world. With technology in the platform, showcasing the experience of the Quicklink TX. It has a big advantage to classrooms, learners can develop digital NBN and Speedcast in delivering satellite us, allowing our guests to see their own skills for the 21st century job market ,” says services to business customers. feedback video as well as the Provincial Minister of Punjab for School Speedcast's managed service supports guest/anchor available in the studio. This Education; Dr. MuradRaas “While it's an unparalleled range of services, facility is not available in DSNG essential that learners are upskilled, it's technical capabilities, and service levels broadcasting and cellular broadcasting also important that educators are through best-in-class satellite technology, technologies. It allows us to introduce a empowered and provided with adequate a custom-built OSS/BSS platform and a guest from anywhere in the world for a resources to successfully carry out 24/7 network operations center. d e b a t e s h o w o r i n t e r v i e w. ” – lessons in the classroom.” Speedcast will play an important role in SundarapandianRajakannu, Technical- helping secure NBN Co's future as an Head at New Gen Media Corporation Some of the technologies showcased industry-leading infrastructure provider. (PuthiyaThalaimurai TV) include Office 365, Azure , Microsoft Imagine Academy Certifications and the "Last year, we announced a milestone The Quicklink TX, designed in Microsoft Enterprise Resource Planning contract with NBN Co that is expected to partnership with Microsoft, is a video call (ERP) and Campus Management generate revenues of up to AU$184 million management system. It is a transceiver Solutions, which are designed to drive in total over a 10-year period. Business- that enables professional reception and better learning outcomes, more productive grade connectivity services are in transmission of multiple Skype video calls classroom time, and effective institutions. significant demand across Australia and through SDI inputs/outputs and HDMI Artificial intelligence is powering majority we expect the use of satellite services to interface. PuthiyaThalaimurai TV plan to of the solutions being used in education grow more than 30% by 2021. The launch continue to utilise the Quicklink TX by space, be it the use of cognitive APIs for of the BSS service is a great milestone and introducing guests to their debate shows safe campus management, or connecting the result of tremendous work over the and interviews internationally. billions of data sources to Azure IOT suite past 18 months by our Speedcast to drive statistical analysis, or to predict Managed Services team and very close learning outcomes based on student cooperation with NBN's teams," said Education institutions of performance all year around; insight driven Pierre-Jean Beylier, Speedcast CEO. "I Punjab partner with decision making is only possible using the want to thank NBN for their trust and power of AI, built into the Microsoft support to bring this revolutionary BSS Microsoft platform. service to life. Working together with NBN we can reliably address customers' Microsoft in collaboration with the Punjab “Technologies such as Microsoft Teams connectivity needs, ensuring they can School Education Department, Punjab ,Minecraft and OneNote have played a big succeed in this digital era and have an TEVTA and Punjab Group of Colleges part in redefining learning through creating opportunity to drive new business growth. hosted a seminar in Education dubbed immersive and inclusive learning This is just the beginning of an exciting 'Microsoft Edu Day'. The seminar brought experiences that inspire lifelong learning,” future for businesses in Australia, who will together delegates from across the says Abid Zaidi, Microsoft Country General be able to get connected like never region to showcase the latest technology Manager for Pakistan. “These tools are before.” designed specifically for the education designed to make an educator's job sector to promote immersive, inclusive simpler so that they can devote time and PuthiyaThalaimurai TV and 21st century learning. resources to what matters most – teaching. As Microsoft, we are committed use Quicklink TX for The event was graced by Provincial to empowering every learner and educator bureaucrat, politician Minister of Punjab for School Education, by providing access to the best Dr. MuradRaas; Chairman Punjab technologies in the classroom.” and journalist interviews TEVTA, Mr. Ali Salman Siddiqui; Director Technical, Sindh Education Foundation, ZTE, China Telecom and Ms. Shahpara Rizvi; Advisor to Education PuthiyaThalaimurai TV, part of New Gen Minister Punjab; Ms. AasiyaKhurram China Unicom take the Media Corporation, are using the Agha, Consultant Higher Education Quicklink TX on their 24x7 live news lead in completing 5G Commission, Mr Asif Shahid Khan; channel to interview important Microsoft Country General Manger, Mr. co-build co-share bureaucrats, politicians and independent Abid Zaidi; Microsoft Country Education journalists worldwide. Launched in 2011, verification 33 IN THE NEWS ASIA

ZTE Corporation, a major international equipment. The receiver delivers AV up connectivity to the country's digital provider of telecommunications, to 4K@60Hz to displays in point-to-point, e c o n o m y a n d s i g n a l s C h i n a ' s enterprise and consumer technology point-to-multipoint and multipoint-to- determination to be among the solutions for the Mobile Internet, in multipoint configurations. Video wall and forerunners of next generation partnership with China Telecom and China multi-view capabilities are supported by connectivity for years to come. China's Unicom, has completed the network this combination of transmitter and big three mobile network operators verification based on the co-build co-share receiver as a cost-effective solution. participated in the commercial launch of mode in the commercial 5G environment, E x c e p t i o n a l l y l o w b a n d w i d t h 5G services earlier this week, as the launching the world's first NSA co-build co- requirements allow for streaming AV country embarks upon the world's most share sites of 1.8 G/2.1 G/3.5 G in over a local network, Wi-Fi and the ambitious mobile network rollout Hangzhou, China. That fully verifies the Internet. The receiver accepts programme. China Telecom alone has large-scale commercial capabilities of the H.264/H.265 video streams up to plans to launch 5G in 40 towns and cities 5G co-build co-share mode, and lays a 4K@60Hz. Video is up-scaled from across the country in 2020. solid foundation for greatly reducing initial 1 0 8 0 p @ 6 0 H z o r 4 K @ 3 0 H z t o In June this year, Korean tech giant, investment in 5G and efficiently promoting 4K@60Hz for stunning 4K imagery. Samsung, announced that it was 5G constructions launching a 6G research and Remote control of the video wall from any development programme at its flagship The verification, based on the real 5G smart device is enabled with the facility in Seoul. At this stage, no 6G commercial network environment, covers MuxControl app, working with the standards exist, but companies and the basic functions of network selection MuxLabProDigital Network Controller. governments are already beginning work and anchor carrier triggering, network The app provides mobile access to all the on the initial research that will inform its management functions of rights control capabilities that the Network 6G development programme. management and northbound interface in Controller offers. MuxControl supports the DT environment, as well as multi- the multi-view features available when dimensional deep network sharing creating video walls, giving users Taipei International TV capability verification, such as multi- complete control even very complex Market & Forum vendor, multi-operator mobility. video wall configurations. increases the The co-build co-share mode is capable of All of this is managed in a visually international viability of providing the broadband multi-operator appealing system that can be configured 5G services on the same 5G base station, to any unique environment. Users can Taiwan's original and reasonably allocating spectrum use a room template or simply take a content resources based on user requirements photo of their location and upload it. and service requirements. It fully Next, they select their equipment and demonstrates the system's stability and place it on the layout, which vastly The Bureau of Audiovisual and Music outstanding performance, as well as its simplifies system control. For those Industry Development today announces complete capacity for large-scale managing AV systems in different rooms the launch of the 2019 Taipei c o m m e r c i a l u s e . or installations on the same network, a International TV Market & Forum at the new feature allows users to swipe right Taipei Marriot Hotel. Peng Chun-heng, between rooms that have been created Deputy Minister of Ministry of Culture; MuxLab showcases in the app, great for quickly accessing Hsu Yi-chun, Director General of Bureau different systems. Users can pre-load of Audiovisual and Music lndustry easy ways to create control commands and execute them Development, Ministry of Culture; Ting with a touch of a button. Displays can be Hsiao-ching, Chairperson of Taiwan scalable 4K video walls powered on and content can be assigned Creative Content Agency, join hands to from streaming media at to display(s). MuxControl allows users kick off the event, which showcases the to create their own unique, virtual best of Taiwan's TV products and spurs InterBEE controls. Buttons can be customized by international cooperation and sales, and size, color, placement and shape to the event will run through November 14. INTERBEE, together with their local make a remote control created by the distributor Japan Material Co., MuxLab will user, for the user In remarks made at the opening showcase its AV over IP expertise in . ceremony, Deputy Minister Peng said delivering streaming 4K content with zero that the Taipei International TV Market & latency when traveling on an IP-based China begins research Forum is an excellent place to take stock infrastructure of the industry, share experiences and on 6G technologies, develop international At booth 4203, MuxLab and Japan cooperation, and together create a Material will demonstrate how easy it is to healthier environment for cultural China has entered the race for 6G – just industries. He also emphasized that The create scalable, plug and play video walls days after it kicked off its own 5G with streaming content via the Ministry of Culture has invested heavily commercial launch. The country's over the past few years in creating an H.264/H.265 protocol. Using MuxLab's Science and Technology Daily, HDMI over IP H.264/H.265 PoE environment conducive to the growth of published by China's Ministry of Science cultural industries. Transmitters, 4K/30 (model 500763-TX) and Technology, stated that it had content will be delivered via HDMI up to commissioned a team of research As part of this, it has offered awards and 100m to a local Ethernet network, and scientists to investigate the potential of output to four displays via MuxLab's HDMI funding for the publishing of novels, the next generation of mobile creation of scripts, establishment of the over IP H.264/H.265 PoE Receivers connectivity. (model 500762-RX). Ta i w a n C o m i c B a s e , p r o g r a m production, post-production and special China's decision to be among the first to effects, culture-related technology, This will create a 2x2 video wall that could begin researching 6G highlights the be upscaled as needed by adding in personnel training, overseas marketing, importance of next generation and script translations and dubbing.

34 IN THE NEWS ASIA

These grants and guidance programs plummets by millions following the end of technologies. have laid the groundwork for creation, such tournaments, leaving the business and greatly increased the nation's eager to complement its offering with Capricorn Space capacity to produce original content. more Disney content. Moreover, they have opened new ground station facility pathways for derivative content to reach A price hike is to follow the bolstered the marketplace service, it is believed. While an annual now live, second site Hotstar subscription in India costs expected next year This year, in order to expand the scope of around $14 a year, that figure could rise activities and increase business with to $30. An Asian expansion on the rising markets, there will be 84 buyers horizon for Disney+ follows this week's Ground station infrastructure startup from 20 nations and regions to join the largely successful launch. The business Capricorn Space is now operational and event including Brazil, Burma, said that more than 10m people had is currently on-boarding customers at its Cambodia, Colombia, France, Great signed up for a week-long free trial first facility near Geraldton in Western Britain, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, across the US, Canada and the Australia. The milestone occurred just 12 Iran, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Netherlands. This far surpasses the months after it commenced planning for Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Spain, expectations of analysts which had the site. Space & Satellite AU can also Thailand, the United States, and Vietnam projected Disney+ would reach 8m reveal that the company expects to start This year among the guests of honor are subscribers by the end of the year, and construction on a second site on the east GYAO and Hulu Japan, both from Japan, does not even include Australia and New coast of Australia in the first half of 2020, and the sponsors are proud to announce Zealand where the service launches on while also expanding the initial site in the the addition of the Southeast Asia 19 December. west. Exhibition Area, where related nations Capricorn Space CEO Mark Thompson will host booths said it is now offering services in three .There are 64 vendors attend the event Geoscience Australia modes: retail, landlord and hybrid. Under this year, including Taiwan's television secures new the retail model it tracks and collects data channels, post-production firms, new from a customer satellite using its own media technology firms, TV content international e q u i p m e n t , w h i l e u n d e r t h e creators, over-the-top platforms, film agreements landlord/hosting model it provides power, councils of Taiwan's cities and counties, communications, security and support for a customer's own antenna and indoor and southeast Asian vendors, as well as Geoscience Australia confirmed its equipment. the newly established Taiwan Creative position as a leading global collaborator Under the hybrid model it will interconnect Content Agency (TIACCA). Altogether, at one of the world's largest gatherings of customer equipment into Capricorn's own these vendors will be offering over 244 Earth observation practitioners and antennas. Capricorn Space is a TV programs to buyers policy makers – GEO Week 2019. During Melbournebased ground segment startup . meetings held in Canberra with backed by property developer the international partners, Geoscience Disney+ set for 2020 Knowles Group. Under Stage 1 of its Australia's Chief Executive Officer Dr AGN-W development, the company has Asian expansion James Johnson formalised international two S/X-Band antennas, with plans to agreements with Sri Lanka, Mexico and grow organically as the market dictates. New Zealand respectively. Disney+ is to launch in India and Thompson said the company is already D r J o h n s o n s a i d t h e s e n e w Southeast Asia in the second half of 2020 actively planning for installation of third collaborations present exciting via the Disney-owned Hotstar, according party antennas and anticipates opportunities for Geoscience Australia to to reports. US outlet Techcrunch has expanding beyond Stage 1 in late 2020. exchange knowledge on Earth reported that the fledgling streamer's Meanwhile the eastern Australia site is observations and support global titles will be made available via Star likely to be set up in northern Victoria. “Not innovation. “Collaborations like these on India's popular OTT player Hotstar only have we developed a world class geospatial and geoscience data will help around June. Disney will then expand facility at the AGN-W but it has been us and our global partners to progress Hotstar – newly stocked with Disney+ achieved in less than 12 months. titles – into Indonesia, Malaysia and other our goals for a sustainable future,” Dr Johnson said. territories in Southeast Asia. Our site provides an ideal location for satellite services and we look forward to A report commissioned by the Australian The proposed expansion follows welcoming additional customers be they Government and released during GEO Hotstar's launch in the US, Canada and retail, landlord orces and we look forward Week 2019 estimates Earth and marine the UK in the last two years as part of a to welcoming additional customers be observation adds $29 billion in value to strategy of targeting markets with high they retail, landlord or hybrid,” Indian diasporas. This year, the streamer Australia's economy. The report projects this could increase to $101 billion by revealed it has around 300m monthly Capricorn Space contracted UK company 2030. “We are pioneering the use of active users – largely bolstered by an CGC Systems to supply and install the Earth observation technologies to drive aggressive bid for rights to cricket series, two 5-metre S/X-band antenna systems future business and better environmental which are followed religiously in India and at its irst site. The initial development of management, and are helping large parts of Asia. the AGN-W site allows for six antenna communities better prepare for natural systems, with the irst two being owned hazards through our national-scale In July, Hotstar shattered records with and operated by Capricorn Space to disaster risk information,” Dr Johnson more than 25m users concurrently provide on-demand access to multiple said. “Australia has huge potential for streaming an ICC cricket tournament customers. match on the platform. According to international investment and economic Techcrunch, however, viewership growth through our naturally-occurring resources and advanced space China sends five IN THE NEWS ASIA

satellites into orbit via application of China and Brazil in the Australia. “Myriota and Motherson are areas of natural resources, geology examples of two South Australian single rocket and mining, forestry, agriculture, businesses excelling in their respective environmental protection and disaster industries,” Dr Haley said. “Our Five new remote-sensing satellites were reduction," he added. partnership demonstrates that sent into planned orbit from the Taiyuan manufacturing capabilities in South Satellite Launch Center in north China's Pereira also believes that after being Australia – which once primarily served Shanxi Province. The five Ningxia-1 put into operation, the satellite will the automotive industry – have satellites were launched by a Long March-6 contribute to economic development, diversified into new sectors, including carrier. The satellites are part of a environmental protection, urban Australia's growing space sector.” -Dr commercial satellite project invested by the planning, and disaster prevention and David Haley, Co-founder and CTO, Ningxia Jingui Information Technology Co., reduction in both China and Brazil. Myriota Sam Vial, Motherson Business Ltd. and will be mainly used for remote "The CBERS program establishes a Development Director for Asia Pacific, sensing detection. The satellites and carrier complete remote sensing system to says the partnership is an important rocket were developed by the DFH Satellite supply both countries with multi- step in diversifying its business. Co., Ltd. and the Shanghai Academy of spectral remote sense image, and has Spaceflight Technology. made Brazil the largest distributor of free satellite images in the world," he added. Kacific, Tata CAST is the first institution in China to Experts hail China-Brazil undertake the task of developing Communications ink spacecrafts. INPE, headquartered in global IP connectivity satellite program as the Brazilian city of Sao Jose dos model for BRICS sci-tech Campos in Sao Paulo State, is an and cyber security institution specializing in space deal endeavors scientific research and spacecraft development. It has the best satellite A satellite program co-developed by China assembly and test center as well as the Kacific Broadband Satellites Group and Brazil was hailed by experts as a role best researchers in South America. ( K a c i f i c ) h a s s e l e c t e d Ta t a model for BRICS cooperation, as Communications, a leading global strengthening ties in science, technology digital infrastructure provider, to and innovation among the BRICS countries Myriota & Motherson provide terrestrial connectivity services has become priority for the upcoming 11th as it readies for the launch of its first BRICS summit to be held here. partnership creates a s a t e l l i t e , K a c i f i c 1 . T a t a new wave of South Communications will provide global The China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite internet and state-of-the-art cyber (CBERS) program developed by the China Australian space security services for Kacific's Ka-band Academy of Space Technology (CAST) and industry satellite network. National Institute for Space Research (INPE) of Brazil is bound to inspire more manufacturing “Kacific chose to enter into this scientific and technological cooperation a r r a n g e m e n t w i t h T a t a between China and Brazil and also among Myriota, global leader in nanosatellite Communications because of the the BRICS countries. Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity, sophistication and scale of the Carlos Pereira, Brazilian satellite expert and has entered into a partnership deal company's global network and its manager of the CBERS program told with global manufacturer Motherson to unrivalled security expertise,” says Xinhua that the cooperation started in 1988, produce its Myriota Module; a cutting Kacific CEO, Christian Patouraux. “Our when Brazil and China signed a partnership edge, low powered device that high-speed broadband will reach agreement to develop, build and operate securely transfers data to the Myriota people living across both the most two remote sensing satellites -- CBERS-1 Network of satellites from anywhere on remote rural locations and the most and CBERS-2 -- and since then the program the planet. Production is well densely populated urban centers in the has already developed six satellites. underway, with Motherson already Asia Pacific region. According to Han Bo, a research fellow at manufacturing tens of thousands of CAST for the CBERS program, the sixth Myriota Modules. The units are being “Tata Communications has a highly satellite, CBERS 04A, which will be manufactured at Motherson's South skilled network and security team and a launched into the sky, has made full use of Australian design and manufacturing leading edge technology that will the space technology achievements of facility, and subsequently delivered support the Kacific1 satellite IP delivery China and Brazil. across the globe. Myriota's growing list network to deliver optimal and of partners and customers include redundant performance across the Han told Xinhua that the CBERS 04A is an Optus, Amazon's AWS and Boeing. It region. Relying on that network, the optical remote sensing satellite with large is the first partnership that Motherson Kacific satellite system will make width and high accuracy, developed jointly has entered into with a space or internet connectivity affordable for by China and Brazil and will be operating on Internet of Things (IoT) business within millions of people who are currently the sun-synchronous orbit at a height of 628 Australia; enabling Motherson to unserved or under-served.” km. expand its business into these industries. Brian Morris, Vice President and "The load of the satellite is designed General Manager of Global Media & according to the specific needs of Chinese Dr. David Haley, Myriota Co-founder Entertainment Services at Tata and Brazilian users. Being equipped with and CTO, says the collaboration Communications says, “Robust high, medium and low resolution loads, the shows that it's possible to keep design connectivity is the foundation of any satellite can meet the specific needs of and manufacturing within South d i g i t a l s o l u t i o n . A t T a t a IN THE NEWS ASIA

Communications, we understand the need industries, particularly in logistics and tech demo nanosatellite rode the PSLV for a network that is global, reliable, secure supply chain segments. into orbit following a fiery blastoff from and scalable. We believe in Kacific's vision the Satish Dhawan Space Center. to bridge the digital divide by providing By the end of 2019, Sigfox will have high-quality broadband access to more than 15 million registered objects The 144-foot-tall (44.4-meter) rocket, underserved areas of the Asia Pacific. We worldwide, and more than 1,500 powered by four stages and six strap- are pleased to work with Kacific to provide customers already benefit from this on solid rocket boosters, arced toward them a unified service across security and connectivity across a broad range of the southeast from the launch base on network management.” industries. India's southeast coast. A few minutes later, the rocket turned south in a Tata Communications is a leading digital In 2020, Sigfox will complete its WAN “dogleg” maneuver to steer around Sri infrastructure service provider and is one coverage thanks to its partnership with Lanka, avoiding flying over the island of the world's largest telecommunication Eutelsat which will be launching a nation. companies with a global network reaching constellation of nanosatellites. This over 200 countries and territories. The satellite constellation will deliver Within a half-hour, the PSLV injected its company serves over 7,000 customers connectivity across the entire globe, 14 satellite payloads into a polar orbit globally that represent over 300 of the bolstering coverage already provided by more 316 miles above Earth. Cameras Fortune 500. Tata Communications' global Sigfox's network that delivers indoor fixed to the PSLV's fourth stage showed network will provide multi gigabit coverage and high capacity in high- the 14 spacecraft separating from the connectivity with unparalleled redundancy density areas. rocket, and officials from the Indian and security to Kacific. Kacific will benefit Space Research Organization, from the Tata Communications' advanced Customers who prefer an investment in according to India's space agency. subsea fibre network which underpins the CAPEX rather than OPEX will be able to “Cartosat 3 is (India's) highest- internet backbone, where its network subscribe via Sigfox France to the new resolution civilian spacecraft,” said K. carries around 30% of the world's internet PAN offer. PAN customers can look Sivan, ISRO's chairman. “It is also the routes. forward to the same quality and support most complex and advanced Earth Kacific1 is a High Throughput Satellite levels as WAN customers. "Sigfox's observation satellite ISRO has built so (HTS) that will use 56 high-power Ka-band PAN offer will benefit from the existing far.” beams to deliver affordable, high-speed ecosystem around the Sigfox WAN. The broadband to telecommunications possibility of using all the components The 3,582-pound (1,625-kilogram) companies, internet service providers and on the market, combined with the use of Cartosat 3 spacecraft carries an optical governments in South East Asia and the extremely low transmission power to imaging payload with a resolution of Pacific. support objects without the need for about 25 centimeters less than a foot batteries, gives Sigfox's PAN offer huge allowing analysts to identify types of Sigfox expands potential." comments Ludovic Le Moan, cars and see finer details in buildings CEO and co-founder of Sigfox, "Smart and natural landforms. “The realization universal connectivity Home or Smart City solution providers of Cartosat 3 has witnessed a totally will be among the first to benefit from this new development in advanced offer with Private Area new offer.” technological areas, across the board, Network service launch in all the domains from the payload to In the future, Sigfox will enable its the communications system, the optical operators in more than 65 countries to system, and the sensors, and so on,” At its annual conference, Sigfox Connect, market its PAN offer to their customers. said P. Kunhikrishnan, head of ISRO's currently being held in Singapore, Sigfox, Sigfox also invites manufacturers of U.R. Rao Satellite Center. the world's leading provider of IoT services communication gateways to certify their and first global 0G network operator, has products and join the Sigfox ecosystem Cartosat 3 will provide imagery with announced the launch of its Private Area success story. “the highest-ever achieved spatial Network (PAN) offer. The new PAN aims to resolution of about a foot, combined be deployed in more than 65 countries Sigfox PAN customers will be able to w i t h a m u c h w i d e r s w a t h , ” where Sigfox operates its global network subscribe to an additional 'WAN Kunhikrishnan said. “That demanded a and will first be tested in France during Q1 extension' offering should they wish to very high data throughout.” The 2020. benefit from redundancy and flexibility in Cartosat 3 satellite will downlink the event of devices needing to imagery through a high-bandwidth Ka- Nine years ago, Sigfox started to deliver its communicate outside the local network. band data link, Kunhikrishnan said. vision of a 0G network, a low-cost and low- consumption network dedicated to small messages. By installing thousands of PSLV delivers India's India has launched nine Cartosat antennas in most of the world's major highest-resolution mapping satellites since 2005, the first cities, Sigfox has built the foundations of a of which had an imaging resolution of very high-capacity, seamless, one-way Earth observation 8.2 feet, or 2.5 meters. The Cartosat network that allows objects to satellite to orbit satellites launched since 2005 have communicate independently and securely. offered improvements in resolution and Since then, Sigfox has expanded its offer data collection capacity. Twelve of the by providing a two-way service, followed Thirteen U.S.-built nanosatellites secondary passengers that launched by innovative localization services hitched a ride to space Tuesday with a with the PSLV Tuesday are owned by designed to suit all market applications. Its sharp-eyed Indian Earth-imaging Planet, a San Francisco-based WAN (Wide Area Network) offer is a global observatory at the top of a Polar Satellite company that operates more than 100 network that perfectly meets the Launch Vehicle. India's Cartosat 3 shoebox-sized “Dove” CubeSats with challenges of traceability, a requirement of mapping satellite, 12 commercial Super Earth-imaging cameras. Planet, which considerable significance for most Dove CubeSats, and an experimental builds its own spacecraft, says the 12 IN THE NEWS ASIA

satellites launching on the PSLV are part networks to deliver data better than will widen opportunities for many users of an upgraded series of Earth-observing typical 5G service, and “5G edge cloud in countries with less developed nanosatellites called “SuperDoves.” media transmission using satellite communications systems to access communications backhaul links.” That high-quality content. “New sensors are enabling higher image meshes satellite communications with KT SAT explained the objective of its quality with sharper, more vibrant colors the content delivery network (CDN) for research in satellite 5G is achieving a and accurate surface reflectance values video transmissions from the 5G edge complete interconnection of 5G NR for advanced algorithms and time-series cloud. The 5G edge cloud can be seen ( N e w R a d i o ) a n d s a t e l l i t e analysis,” Planet said last month when as a virtual data center. It handles data communications, by devising global the company announced the new generated from user terminals at the standards for the technology of SuperDove capabilities. The SuperDove nearest possible spot in order to interconnecting satellite and 5G. satellites will join 26 SuperDove maximize the 5G capacity for ultra-low prototypes already in orbit, according to latency. KT SAT and the KT institute are trying to Planet. report the test results to the 3rd The key to hybrid satellite-terrestrial 5G Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Planet sells 3-meter (10-foot) resolution transmission is a router jointly developed during the first half of 2020. Satellite 5G imagery from its Dove satellites through by the KT institute and KT SAT. 5G is one of the research subjects a service named PlanetScope. The terminals connected to this device can encouraged by the international company's large fleet of small, relatively simultaneously transmit and receive specification organization under its inexpensive satellites can provide global various data, or use separate routes, to 2018 initiative, “3GPP Release 16.” images refreshed daily, enabling and from a 5G network and a satellite. KT customers ranging from farmers to the SAT, by using this technology, Many experts in the communications U.S. government's spy agencies to look successfully maintained normal service field expect that global standardization for day-to-day changes. The new operations with KOREASAT 6 alone, efforts for satellite 5G will begin in SuperDove satellites will allow Planet to after the 5G network was intentionally earnest in 2020, under the initiative collect imagery in four, five and eight disconnected. “3GPP Release 17,” based on results of spectral bands, yielding up to five times the current research. more data than the earlier Dove The test showed how the hybrid 5G satellites, according to Will Marshall, transmission technology can enable 5G- Planet's founder and CEO. The based automated machinery or moving US$50 million fund upgrades are particularly useful for vehicle to maintain its network launched to bring agricultural and pollution monitoring. connection when 5G coverage becomes unavailable, or a natural disaster has Chinese technology to Sarah Bates, a Planet spokesperson, occurred. said Monday that the company currently the Middle East has roughly 120 operational Dove Currently, KT SAT operates five nanosatellites in orbit. Planet has also communication satellites – KOREASAT Al Salam Bank-Bahrain (ASBB) has launched larger refrigerator-sized 15 5, 5A, 6, 7 and 8. They can have partnered with China's MSA Capital to SkySat satellites, which offer higher- coverage to some 60 percent of the total launch a new $50 million fund to resolution imagery than the Dove surface area of Earth. introduce technology from China to the CubeSats, and the company inherited By using satellite communications Middle East. The $50 million fund is five satellites from RapidEye when it backhaul links, KT SAT transmitted real- formed under the name MEC Ventures. acquired that company in 2013. time streaming data and live video Using Bahrain as a gateway, the fund camera footage from its Kumsan Satellite will invest in MENA-based opportunities I n a d d i t i o n t o m o r e Service Center to the 5G edge cloud at to introduce Chinese technology and SuperDoveCubeSats, Planet has six the KT Research and Development mobile-first business models. Sectors more SkySat satellites in production and Center in Umyeon-dong, Seoul. The targeted by the fund include e- plans to launch them within the next year, transmission was through KOREASAT 6, commerce, logistics, fintech, as well as Bates said. resulting in seamless data transmission the fourth industrial revolution to multiple 5G terminals. technologies such as artificial KT SAT Conducts intelligence, big data, and cloud This latest technology enables computing. Satellite 5G Connection simultaneous content transmission to all smartphones accessible in the same The fund will also look to improve the bandwidth, whereas conventional flow of capital and technology between KT Corp. said its satellite-operating satellite communications can only the two regions. Using ASBB's network subsidiary, KT SAT, has successfully provide the transmission of high- in the Middle East, MSA Capital will conducted a 5G data transmission with a definition (HD) video footage to a single support its portfolio companies — satellite connection. The test was aimed smartphone within a given bandwidth. “which includes the sector leaders in to expand the fifth-generation technology Broadcasting stations and large content most major technology verticals such as linked to KT's 5G network and KT SAT's companies have only been able to use healthcare big data, gene sequencing, KOREASAT 6, located some 36,000 satellite-based broadcast relays because electric vehicles, food delivery, ride kilometers above the equator, said the satellite communication is limited in hailing, micro mobility, and cross leading Korean telecom provider. bandwidth and expensive. boarder e-commerce” — to expand in the region by “enhancing their offerings, KT SAT and the KT Institute of KT SAT predicts that if the two geographic reach and usage volumes, Convergence Technology executed the technologies are commercialized, thereby exponentially enhancing project together. They implemented satellite communication with relatively value,” as per statement. “ h y b r i d te r r e s tr i a l - s a te l l i te 5 G slow speed could be boosted to provide “Al Salam Bank-Bahrain is uniquely transmission,” which combines different faster, uninterrupted data transmission. It positioned to provide regional access to IN THE NEWS ASIA

capital and investment opportunities in the committing crimes in these fields has ever-growing Mena market complementing declined to a great extent. The new MEASAT-3d satellite will carry MSA's deep industry expertise," said the ITU Telecom World is the global multiple payload types: C- and Ku-band bank's group chief executive, RafikNayed. platform for governments, corporates payloads for direct-to-home television Ben Harburg, managing partner, MSA and tech SMEs to accelerate ICT broadcasting and other telecom Capital, said, "The combination of high innovation for economic growth and services, as well as a high-throughput mobile penetration, high ARPU, and a large social good. Ka-band payload for internet youth population, coupled with substantial It is part of the International connectivity. MEASAT-3d also will carry market white space, evidenced by factors Telecommunication Union, the United an L-band navigation payload for such as low ecommerce penetration levels Nations specialized agency for Korean satellite operator Kt sat as part and large unbanked populations, offer an information and communication of the Korea Augmentation Satellite ideal opportunity for investment. We technologies – ICTs. System. believe that the Mena region is nearing an inflection point that can be accelerated At the cabinet meeting, the prime Airbus Defence and Space built through the adoption of Chinese-inspired minister also unveiled the cover of MEASAT-3d using the Eurostar E3000 mobile-first business models. 'Standing Orders on Disaster -2019'. satellite platform. Commenting on this The SOD-2019 was amended under latest contract, Arianespace Chief He further added, “We are proud to partner the initiative of Ministry of Disaster Executive Officer Stéphane Israël said: with Al Salam Bank-Bahrain to establish Management and Relief as per a “We are honoured that MEASAT MEC Ventures, and see Bahrain as a hyper- decision of National Disaster entrusted the launch of MEASAT-3d to efficient, user-friendly gateway to the Mena Management Council meeting held on Arianespace, renewing a long standing region, where we can collaborate with April 18, 2019 with the prime minister in partnership with this Malaysian regulators, entrepreneurs, and strategic the chair. operator that dates back to 1996. With corporate partners to pilot new business The prime minister at the cabinet one new commercial success for Ariane models and serve as a hub for regional meeting on Monday also unwrapped 5, the Ariane family reasserts itself as expansion.” t h e c o v e r o f a b o o k t i t l e d the best-suited solution to reach the 'ChhotoderBangabandhu' authored by geostationary orbit, just a few weeks state minister for primary and mass before the 40 years of Ariane and before Bangladesh receives two education MdZakir Hossain. the advent of Ariane 6 in 2020!” ITU Telecom World The state minister wrote the book on country's founding president Sheikh awards Mujibur Rahman's early days of life and Global trade his contributions to the Bengali nation. association for Prime minister Sheikh Hasina received two satellite industry awards of the 'ITU Telecom World 2019' in MEASAT selects recognition of Bangladesh's success in praises the outcome of telecommunication sector and digitisation. Arianespace for world The awards are - 'The ITU Telecom World launch of MEASAT-3d Awards 2019 Certificate of Appreciation' radiocommunication and 'The ITU Telecom World Awards 2019 Recognition of Excellence'. Posts and Arianespace and MEASAT Global conference telecommunications minister Mustafa Berhad announced the signature of a Jabbar along with the ministry's secretary launch services contract for MEASAT- GVF, the global trade association for the Ashoke Kumar Biswas handed over the 3d. MEASAT-3d, a new multi-mission satellite industry, praises decisions r e a c h e d a t t h e W o r l d awards to the prime minister at the outset of telecommunications satellite, will be Radiocommunication Conference in cabinet meeting held at the prime minister's launched into geostationary transfer Egypt which concludes on 22 November. office. orbit by an Ariane 5 heavy-lift launch David Meltzer, GVF's Secretary General, The two awards were handed over to vehicle from the Guiana Space Center, comments that, “Satellites today are Bangladesh at the 'ITU Telecom World Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French bringing critical communications to all 2019' held in the Hungarian capital of Guiana in 2021.MEASAT, the leading areas of the world which power Budapest on September 9-12. Malaysian satellite operator, operates economies, entertain billions, and saves The ITU Telecom World Awards 2019 five satellites, providing coverage over lives. Millions of people who otherwise are Certificate of Appreciation was given to Asia, Middle East, Africa, Europe and on the other side of the digital divide are B a n g l a d e s h Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n Australia. able to connect to the internet via satellites Regulatory Commission for the country's MEASAT-3d will serve the growth and many more will cross the divide active participation in the ITU Telecom requirements of 4G & 5G mobile because of satellites. Spectrum is the World 2019 and showcasing the progress networks in Malaysia while continuing oxygen that brings such services alive. of Digital Bangladesh by setting up a to provide redundancy and additional Bangladesh pavilion at the event. distribution capacity for video in HD, The decisions reached at the Conference Central Biometric Verification Monitoring 4K, and ultimately 8K in the Asia-Pacific protecting existing satellite spectrum and Platform, the successful initiative to build region. The satellite will weigh providing access to more spectrum will enable satellites to maintain and grow Digital Bangladesh, received 'The ITU approximately 5,734 kg. at launch, and these and future services with advances Telecom World Awards 2019 Recognition of offers an operational life of 19 years. in satellite and antenna technologies and Excellence' as the best innovation in the increased capacity. ITU Telecom World 2019. When positioned at 91.5 degrees East, Thanks to use of the CBVMP platform, it is MEASAT-3d will be co-located with possible to properly verify the registration of MEASAT-3a and MEASAT-3b satellites every SIM card, NID card, personal to replace and enhance capacity in information and photograph. As a result, Malaysia, Asia, Middle East and Africa. IN THE NEWS AMERICAS

Eight out of ten Quicklink Skype TX can receive from combined market share of around 90 and send to any Skype user it provides percent in North America and Europe. At teleports now choose unrivalled global access to millions of the end of 2018, the installed base of ViaLite Skype users voice-controlled smart speakers in order to broadcast the calls in HD amounted to around 100 million units in quality. Information compiled by the World North America and over 21 million units Teleport Association (WTA) has shown in Europe. that eight out of the top ten teleport Report: Number of operators ranked by revenue were ViaLite The market for whole-home systems is customers last year. This compares with smart homes in Europe served by traditional home automation 2017, when ViaLite supplied its RF over and North America specialists, home security providers, fiber links to the top seven operators. The telecom operators and DIY solution results for the Global Top Teleport reached 64 million in providers. “On the North American Operators are produced by the WTA by 2018 market, interactive home security surveying teleport operators around the systems have emerged as the most world, as well as referencing the published common type of smart home systems”, results of publicly held companies. According to a new research report from said Martin Backman, IoT Analyst, Berg the IoT analyst firm Berg Insight, the Insight. This type of systems The explosive growth of high throughput number smart homes in Europe and represented 41 percent of the 13.3 satellite (HTS) capacity and the North America reached 64 million in million whole-home systems in the consequent demand for extremely high 2018. The most advanced smart home region at the end of 2018. data rate links is a key reason for ViaLite's market is North America, having an adoption as supplier of choice to the installed base of 33.8 million smart The largest home security providers l e a d i n g t e l e p o r t o p e r a t o r s . homes at the end of the year. This include ADT, Vivint and Comcast. “In With their wide dynamic range, the represents a penetration of 24 percent. Europe, traditional home automation company's L-Band HTS RF over fiber Between 2017 and 2018, the market systems and DIY solutions are more interfacility links are used within teleports grew by 38.6 percent year-on-year. The common as whole-home systems”, as well as long distance link systems. They strong market growth is expected to continued Mr. Backman. eQ-3, are typically used for main traffic, back-up continue in the next five years. By 2023, Deutsche Telekom, Verisure, Centrica traffic and commercial and governmental Berg Insight estimates that more than Hive and Somfy are the largest vendors applications. The WTA is dedicated to 60.3 million homes in North America will of whole-home systems in the region. advocating the interests of teleport be smart, meaning 41 percent of all The installed base of whole-home o p e r a t o r s i n t h e g l o b a l homes in the region. systems in Europe amounted to 6.8 telecommunications market and million systems at the end of 2018. promoting excellence in teleport business The European market is still behind the practice, technology and operations. North American, in terms of market VITEC names penetration. There were a total of 30.5 million smart homes in Europe at the end Fernando Monetti as of 2018. The installed base in the region new Sales Director for Times Network adopt is forecasted to grow to 83.2 million Quicklink TX for daily homes at the end of 2023, representing LATAM a market penetration of 35 percent. news contributions VITEC, a worldwide leader in advanced The most popular products on the smart video encoding and streaming solutions, Times Network, a subsidiary of The Times home market include smart thermostats, today announced that Fernando Monetti Group, have adopted the Quicklink TX smart light bulbs, smart security has joined the company as sales Quad to introduce guest contributions into cameras, smart air conditioners, smart director for Latin America. In this their live daily news bulletins. Times door locks, smart plugs and smart position, Monetti will work closely with Network, headquartered in Mumbai, India, speakers. The market for smart VITEC's broadcast team to foster has a global presence across 100 thermostats is led by companies such as relationships in the region. He will countries and includes prestigious brands Ecobee, Nest and Resideo. Berg Insight provide product expertise relative to such as Times Now, ET Now, Mirror Now, estimates that the installed base of VITEC's Ace and Diamond encoder and Movies Now, MN+, Romedy Now and smart thermostats amounted to 18.9 decoder families as well as introduce the MNX. million units in North America and 6.6 award-winning EZ TV IPTV & Digital Times Now News, the digital arm of Times million units in Europe at the end of Signage Platform to the LATAM market. Network, has adapted itself to serve the 2018. Signify is the clear market leader diverse nature, interests and delivery of its in the market for smart light bulbs and "We're committed not only to expanding content-savvy audience. “We use the other connected lighting products. the availability of VITEC's product Quicklink TX in our daily news bulletins Additional vendors in the segment portfolio in Latin America but to doing so and our recorded shows. The quality of our include Ledvance, LIFX, Sengled, with expert personnel supporting our Quicklink TX is excellent, and the Merkury Innovations and IKEA. configuration was simple and straight customers," said Kevin Ancelin, VP Worldwide Broadcast Sales, VITEC. forward” said Vignan Kumar, AVP The installed base of connected light "Fernando is a natural fit for this role, Technical & Broadcast Operations at points at the end of 2018 amounted to possessing extensive industry Times Network. 25.2 million units in North America and knowledge and regional insight that will 22.4 million units in Europe. Smart be key in assisting customers during the The Quicklink TX, designed in partnership speakers with integrated voice decision-making and deployment with Microsoft, is a video call management assistants have quickly become a process. His appointment demonstrates system. It is a transceiver that enables popular smart home product. Amazon our relentless pursuit of global customer professional reception and transmission of and Google hold a near-duopoly in the service and support excellence." multiple Skype video calls through SDI smart speaker market with an estimated inputs/outputs and HDMI interface. As the

36 IN THE NEWS AMERICAS

Prior to joining VITEC, Monetti served as across countries, industries, and use orders of MIMO, and/or allowing greater the Latin America sales leader for several cases. Nokia is already offering Band 53 beam steering resolution. broadcast technology companies, access points and User End Devices including Imagine Communications, Adtec (UED's) such as modems, ruggedized Digital, and Miranda Technologies. In handsets and tablets. Raytheon upgrades these roles, he leveraged his technical FAA's space-based background to build new business opportunities and strengthen customer Fractals enable new precision navigation relationships. He speaks English, generation of satellite system Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian. He also communications, IoT holds a bachelor's degree in electronics Raytheon has delivered the Wide Area telecommunications. devices Augmentation System Geosynchronous Earth Orbiting 6 satellite navigation Nokia and Globalstar Fractal Antenna Systems reports the payload to the Federal Aviation impending issuance of a key patent for Administration to broadcast the WAAS Partner to Deploy satellite communications and others message, which corrects errors in GPS Digitalization Platform uses. U.S. Patent 10,483,649 details satellite signals, provides expanded “aperture engines”, where area is used to coverage, improves accuracy, and Utilizing 3GPP Band 53 collect and convert power, and then increases reliability. The WAAS GEO 6 Spectrum receive/transmit radio waves from the payload is now operational and fully same region. integrated into the WAAS network, Globalstar, Inc. announced its partnership Notes FRACTAL's CEO and inventor working with two other WAAS satellite with Nokia. The Fourth Industrial Nathan Cohen: “Before aperture engines, payloads already in orbit. Revolution (4IR) sweeping steadily across antennas/arrays and power sources were Developed and installed by Raytheon for the African continent highlights the considered separate, a luxury not easily the FAA, WAAS is a North American increasing need for solutions that are afforded. Satellites are an excellent satellite-based augmentation system that tailored for, and compatible with, the digital example where real estate is so limited it increases GPS satellite signal accuracy transformation journey of enterprises needs to be shared. Moving forward, a for precision approach at 200 feet altitude across many vertical domains. The need satellite's surface area can be used to meet strict air navigation performance for high capacity, low latency and secure simultaneously for both power generation and safety requirements for all classes of connectivity that is easy to deploy in and RF power transmission/reception as aircraft in all phases of flight. multiple sites, and often across national an aperture engine.” "Never has a consistent and precise GPS borders, poses a real challenge. One of signal been more critical to ensuring the key enablers is spectrum for local Stacking antennas, especially arrays, on safety of flight," said Matt Gilligan, vice deployments combined with an solar cells was previously impractical. president of Raytheon's Intelligence, appropriate automation platform. Antenna elements and feed system can Information and Services business. "As Globalstar and Nokia have developed an severely shadow solar cells, cutting down the airspace increases in complexity, innovative solution, which allows the amount of light. Meanwhile, electrical there is absolutely no room for error.” enterprises to deploy intelligent network interactions made acceptable antenna applications in a dedicated spectrum performance difficult. First conceived by Iridium announces band. It is based on Nokia's industrial- Cohen in 1998, it took fractal antenna grade private wireless Digital Automation elements and resonators to make closing of $1.45 b Cloud platform together with Globalstar's aperture engines advantageous. Fractal refinancing 3GPP Band 53 spectrum. The solution will antennas are significantly smaller and be showcased at the Globalstar stand at more wide/multiband than traditional AfricaCom, at the Cape Town International antenna elements. Additionally, no Iridium Communications Inc. announced Convention Centre on 12 – 14 November separate antennas are needed to cover a the closing of a $1.45 billion, seven-year 2019. wide wireless bandwidth. These term loan that sets the stage for the advantages give minimal shadowing and company to complete its financial “Providing private LTE/4.9G solutions to greater light transfer to the solar cells. transformation. The new credit organizations and countries require Finally, the firm's proprietary development agreement formally retires Iridium's spectrum, and this is where we come in,” of transparent antenna/resonator previous credit facility initiated in 2010 says Barbee Ponder, Globalstar General elements produced aperture engines with and guaranteed by BPI France (formerly Counsel and Vice President of Regulatory even higher efficiencies. COFACE), which enabled Iridium to Affairs. “We have globally-harmonized finance the Iridium® NEXT program. An spectrum that we utilize for our Mobile The critical advantage of aperture additional $100 million, five-year Satellite Services (MSS), and we are engines is a significant increase in power revolving loan facility is also included in currently obtaining administration-specific conveyed for the total area. For example, the new agreement. authorizations globally to provide an area divided between antennas and terrestrial LTE services in this band – solar cells sees only about 50% of the The new term-loan offering was which happens to be a perfect fit for incoming solar radiation. With an aperture significantly oversubscribed and, as a Nokia's private LTE/4.9G offering.” engine, the stacking of the antenna on the result, achieved favorable terms, solar cells means the full area is available including an interest rate of LIBOR plus Both companies successfully collaborated and over 90% of the solar radiation of the 3.75% with a 0.5% original issue discount. on the 3rd Generation Partnership Project area is usable for power. That advantage The success of the offering highlighted (3GPP) process to standardize this makes aperture engines a near necessity the company's position as a unique specific band of spectrum, which has been in many future satellite systems. investment opportunity, showing its rare designated as Band 53. Their strategic Additional benefits abound for the combination of growth and levered free alliance further expands the opportunities antenna as well, with the previously cash flow generation. The term loan for both Globalstar and Nokia in terms of dedicated solar cell area now doubling as provides Iridium added financial flexibility development, innovation and application an aperture/reflector for antenna to consider shareholder-friendly elements, increasing gain, yielding higher activities, including share buybacks, 37 IN THE NEWS AMERICAS

dividends and opportunistic strategic needed cargo space in their HMMWV's speeds up, transitioning from what is investments, coincident with anticipated and their tactical Polaris side-by-sides. known as operator-in-the-loop to reductions in net leverage. T h e C o m m u n i c a t i o n s N o n - operator-on-the-loop methodology. "This transaction simplifies Iridium's capital Commissioned Officers (NCO's) are "Self-knowing satellites are the next step structure and adds financial flexibility to extremely pleased with the ease of install, in autonomous space-based mission benefit our shareholders," said Tom ease of use and data bandwidth”. David planning," said Rokaw. "And, this isn't Fitzpatrick, chief financial officer, Iridium. Theriault, President of 4K Solutions. limited to missile warning and defense. "As we continue to de-lever our balance Future constellation management sheet, Iridium and our shareholders will systems will migrate to this type of increasingly see the fruits of the financial Eutelsat's statement on methodology.” transformation we have been working FCC decision regarding towards.” C-Band spectrum Colt launches IP "This year has been filled with many major access on demand milestones for Iridium, including completion Eutelsat Communications welcomes the of the Iridium NEXT program, launching of decision of the FCC laying out a Colt Technology Services has today Iridium Certus® broadband service, the framework for the public auction of a announced that its premium business signing of a seven-year contract with the portion of C-band spectrum between 3.7- Internet offering, IP Access, is now U.S. government and many more," said 4.2 GHz, which it regards as an important available via its SDN-enabled On Matt Desch, chief executive officer, Iridium. first step in expediting rapidly and Demand platform. Available from today, "The refinancing of our credit facility is equitably the clearance of C band Colt's IP Access On Demand capability perhaps the most significant financial frequencies for mobile 5G services. sees enterprises being able to benefit development for Iridium since the signing of Eutelsat looks forward to engaging with from high bandwidth, agile, Internet the BPI export credit facility about a decade the FCC in a fruitful and positive dialogue connectivity provisioned in near-real- ago that launched our network evolution. aimed at shaping an equitable and time. Colt is operating its own global IP This was the final step in our financial efficient process to facilitate the Backbone with presence at 25 Internet transformation and unlocks benefits for expedition of the auction and subsequent exchanges worldwide. Colt's IP Access Iridium and its shareholders.” clearing of the frequencies, so that 5G On Demand service combines the scale can be rolled out in a timely manner and performance of Colt's Internet US Army direct action throughout the CONUS. offering with the flexibility of On Demand. Customers can now take full control over unit adopt Manta as Pit Boss brings their Internet connections, flexing integrated Satcom COTM bandwidth up and down in near-real- autonomous mission time, bypassing legacy service delivery solution management to space processes and lead times – all through the use of a feature-rich self-service portal. Customers are able to combine IP Paradigm and 4K Solutions are proud to Raytheon is designing Pit Boss, an Access On Demand connections on the announce the adoption of the MANTA autonomous mission management same physical port as On Demand 'Comms-on-the-Move' satellite solution by system for DARPA's Blackjack satellite Ethernet and cloud connections – multiple United States Army direct action constellation, with prime Scientific enabling seamless and efficient units for deployed mobile operations. Systems Company, Incorporated. The connectivity. The discreet, low-profile MANTA met the Blackjack constellation will operate in low unit's specific requirements for a fully Earth orbit. It will network sensors Colt's IP Access product is supported by integrated system due to space restrictions together with a goal to provide persistent the wholly-owned and managed Colt IQ on-board the vehicles. global coverage for many applications, Network, which is comprised of more including missile warning. Pit Boss aims than 900 data centres and 27,500 on net The MANTA's integrated PIM® technology to use an advanced architecture, buildings globally. Colt's On Demand also provides crucial connectivity p r o c e s s o r s a n d e n c r y p t i o n t o offering has gone from strength-to- situational awareness for the soldiers, autonomously collect and process data strength, with the platform recently allowing full control over satellite selection from the entire Blackjack constellation. It expanding to encompass more regions and operation of the terminal, simplifying is also envisioned to be able to including the US, Hong Kong and more satellite operations. The MANTA is the incorporate future advanced algorithms, countries in Europe. Colt's customers premier, proven solution for both Comms- including artificial intelligence and also have the ability to connect in real- on-the-Move (COTM) and Commson-the- machine learning. time to many of the key cloud Pause (COTP) applications, requiring no environments, with most recently Colt specific satellite skillset from the user and "Pit Boss connects the brains of each enabling direct, on-demand connectivity with the added benefit of no mechanical Blackjack satellite, making it one to the Google Cloud. moving parts, instead using software beam exceptionally smart, networked system," forming and tracking technology. said Mike Rokaw, director for Raytheon Space Systems. "Rather than sending Intellian antennas Operational from both DC and AC power data down to a ground station for concludes successful sources, users can be transmitting and processing, which takes time we don't receiving in minutes. 4K Solutions' unique have, Pit Boss will send data from space testing on Telesat skillset enabled the swift integration of the straight to the right operator at the right satellites in both GEO MANTA onto the customer vehicles and into time." on-board networking equipment, enabling While each individual Blackjack sensor and LEO Orbits the unit to field the MANTA satellite terminal can perform onboard processing, Pit a n d p r o v i d e v i t a l i n - t h e a t r e Boss is the data collection and communications. processing data hub. By fusing the Telesat, a leading global satellite “The MANTA terminals have allowed the sensor data together, decision-making operator, and Intellian, a world leader in Communications Soldiers to free up much stabilized satellite antenna systems,

38 IN THE NEWS AMERICAS have conducted a live testing campaign actions to implement the CBA proposal to with the U.S. Navy, the results of which clear 300 MHz of spectrum and is inclusive The adoption of Marlink's multi-band demonstrate that a single antenna of all federal income tax liabilities incurred connectivity will help OFW Ships to provide aperture can deliver outstanding by the CBA member companies as a direct seamless crew connectivity including maritime broadband performance while result of the auction. enabling crew to use their own devices switching between satellites in different onboard. This is an important factor because orbits. The live testing used Ka-band Further, in order to ensure that all only specially hired, technically qualified capacity on Telesat's Phase 1 LEO and Americans receive the benefits of 5G, the crew can ensure the successful completion Telstar 19 VANTAGE high throughput CBA has initiated discussions with of all technical tasks on board. Greater GEO. Both satellites were connected to members of Congress to develop a operational efficiency will be achieved by Intellian's v150NX, the world's first and proposal to fund the deployment of an operating in a more satcom-enabled digital only 1.5m Ka convertible VSAT – a open access 5G network for rural maritime environment and by adapting new future-proof system supporting 2.5GHz broadband, which may include a applications for smarter decisions and on- wide Ka-band networks operating in combination of spectrum and capital board safety. GEO and LEO orbits. Testing contributions. highlighted how the Navy and other OFW's contract with Marlink is based on the USG customers can access high The CBA market-based proposal has multi-band combination of global Ku-band capacity broadband from commercial been endorsed by C-band users, potential Sealink VSAT with L-band back-up, which satellites in different orbits with robust spectrum bidders, economists, thought ensures seamless global coverage and links that provide improved security, leaders and consumer organizations. No connectivity in all maritime conditions. The flexibility and resiliency. other proposal features the ability, service comes with a Committed Information experience and technical capacity to Rate (CIR) establishing a bandwidth The U.S. military has shown growing ensure a smooth and swift transition of the guarantee to ensure enough throughput is interest in advanced commercial space spectrum. Spectrum cleared with speed available for critical applications used for systems, such as Telesat's LEO and accountability is essential to enabling operations and safety. Network control and constellation, that can deliver highly the era of 5G, which is expected to result in crew account management will be handled secure and reliable broadband GDP growth and job creation in the United cost-effectively by Marlink'sXChange anywhere in the world with added States. communication management platform. benefits of global persistence, ultra-low latency, and rapid technology refresh. A Marlink connects Ocean senior official with the U.S. Navy's Fleet Xpress agreement C o m m u n i c a t i o n s a n d G l o b a l Fresh Water ships Positioning System (GPS) Navigation marks new stage in Program Office commented: "Live Bourbon digitalisation testing over TelesatKa-band satellites The innovative, eco-friendly French with Intellian's 1.5m Ka convertible company OFW Ships has chosen Marlink strategy for offshore VSAT confirms that the antenna is an to provide a multi-band connectivity important innovation accessing space- solution, combining high-throughput Bourbon has signed a contract committing based 'layers' of satellites in next-gen global VSAT with an L-band back-up for more than 100 offshore support vessels space architecture," said Kurt Fiscko, connectivity redundancy. (OSVs) to Inmarsat's Fleet Xpress, the Technical Director, PMW/A 170, PEO maritime broadband service that combines C4I. OFW stands for 'Ocean Fresh Water', reflecting the company's simple but the speed of Ka-band with continuous back profound purpose: to sustainably convert up from Inmarsat's FleetBroadband C-Band Alliance files saltwater into drinks. With 7.3 billion operating on L-band. U.S. Treasury people on the planet, water is an over- The deal represents a breakthrough exploited, increasingly precious resource offshore contract for Fleet Xpress, which is contribution proposal in more and more places globally. already installed on some 7,000 vessels - with Federal However, an OFW Ships vessel equipped mainly seagoing merchant ships. with a seawater selected filtration system Communications and bottling plant will be able to produce “This contract is substantial in its own right 2,500,000 liters of premium drinks every and underlines that Inmarsat's Fleet Xpress Commission week. solution offers the same compelling business case on vessel efficiency and crew The C-Band Alliance (CBA), comprised Pure and mineral-rich saltwater is drawn welfare for the energy sector as it does in the of the leading global satellite operators from the high seas, then filtered to remove merchant shipping arena,” says Eric Griffin, Intelsat, SES, and Telesat, filed with the sodium chloride while preserving naturally VP Offshore Energy, Inmarsat Maritime. Federal Communications Commission occurring minerals. The processed deep “Commercial shipping is using Fleet Xpress today its Treasury Contribution sea water is bottled, packaged and stored as its pathway to maritime digitalisation; Proposal. The contribution proposal on board, then delivered to port, after now, the value of joining that journey is being states that if the FCC adopts the CBA which the vessel's five-day production acknowledged by one of the leading marine proposal, the CBA commits to pay a cycle begins again. OFW Ships' offshore Service Providers in the world.” portion of net proceeds of a CBA-led e n v i r o n m e n t a l c o n s c i o u s n e s s auction to the U.S. Treasury using a incorporates a promise to recover as many Well-known for high performance vessels progressive formula which ranges from empty bottles as full ones delivered. The and operational excellence of its services, 30% to 75% of proceeds depending on collected bottles will subsequently be Bourbon's response to prolonged lower oil the outcome of the auction. recycled and transformed on board into prices has emerged as the action plan pallets to be used for ensuing deliveries. '#BOURBONINMOTION'. The plan includes This payment to the U.S. Treasury The overall process divides by 10 the the Smart Shipping Programme, structured would be calculated after the netting of average carbon footprint of a bottle of around a new vessel operational model, all costs incurred to plan for and take all water. onshore support and a remote support centre, which seeks to leverage digital and

39 IN THE NEWS AMERICAS

connectivity tools to reduce fleet Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. announced traditional one-time capital expense; operating costs. Set for completion by that Gilat was awarded a $ 5m five-year embedding installation, technical 2021, the programme envisages project for 3G/4G backhaul services in support, terminal maintenance, deployment on 133 'smart' vessels. Peru. The infrastructure and network that warehousing, and transport services into Gilat recently started to operate is the the monthly fees with future capabilities According to Bourbon Corporation basis for mobile coverage to be provided for add-on services; and exchanging Chief Executive Officer GaëlBodénès: by a large mobile infrastructure operator technical know-how to improve the “The time has come for operational for the rural areas. Gilat expects that the delivery of LEO wideband services going intelligence: connected vessels, use of current contract will significantly expand forward. predictive maintenance, shore-based over time to additional multiple millions of control centres, rationalization of tasks, dollars in this region, as well as in other “Proven, reliable ground segment is a etc. Automation of onboard systems is regions operated by Gilat. critical piece for delivering wideband already a reality for our seafarers and services from LEO,” said Jeffrey we must all innovate at speed to invent Leveraging the infrastructure and network Osborne, Co-founder and VP of our business model and our deployed by Gilat, will allow the mobile Business Development at Kepler. professions of tomorrow.” infrastructure operator to reach their goal of bringing 4G mobile internet to rural “The cost of today's tracking antennas as Global Eagle places locations and thousands of Peruvians who well as the complexity of coordinating are in remote areas. The Gilat solution setup, installation, and support are $5m order with Gilat's allows to overcome the complex understandable roadblocks for those in-flight connectivity geography that limits the arrival of wishing to test drive our Global Data telecommunications and will support an Service. At Kepler, our goal is to deliver transceivers important positive impact on local the most frictionless customer economies by enabling access to experience possible so that anyone with Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. announced information and digital platforms. a potential use case for this that its subsidiary Wavestream groundbreaking capability can simply say received an order from Global Eagle “The recently approved network operation 'yes' and keep their focus on the really Entertainment Inc. for approximately opened the door for operators to provide important elements of their application. US$5 million for its industry-leading Ku- additional services such as exemplified band 25W High-Power Transceiver with the current contract, the first example Our partnership with Cobham enables us (HPT) in support of In-flight connectivity over the implemented network,” said to create precisely that experience where (IFC). The Wavestream HPT are line fit AriehRohrstock, General Manager Gilat we can scalably execute demonstrations for Boeing 737 aircraft. Peru and Corporate VP. “This contract is anywhere on the planet all for a directly in-line with our strategy to grow manageable monthly OPEX fee that Global Eagle delivers rich media with recurring revenues from services over includes hardware, setup, support, and content and seamless connectivity the operational network and to make Peru airtime,” said Osborne. solutions to aircraft, ships and ground a large profitable business for Gilat going stations worldwide. To support the forward.” continued rollout of its airborne SpaceX rocket systems, it chose the Wavestream Kepler and Cobham launches 2nd batch of (Inflight Connectivity) IFC transceiver for its best-in-class quality and SATCOM form strategic 60 internet satellites performance. partnership for high- into space

“We are pleased to support Global capacity satellite data The U.S. private space company SpaceX Eagle as they continue to provide their service delivery launched its second batch of 60 Starlink customers high quality connectivity,” satellites into space, in an effort to build a said Bob Huffman, Wavestream's 12,000-strong or even more satellite General Manager. “This recent order Kepler Communications and Cobham network capable of providing broadband reaffirms the industry leading position SATCOM, have announced a strategic internet services. The Falcon 9 rocket, that Wavestream has in this market partnership aimed at eliminating barriers carrying the satellites, was lifted off segment with this high-quality to widespread adoption of high capacity Eastern Standard Time from Space transceiver, that has already logged data services over Kepler's Low Earth Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral over 20 Million flight hours.” Orbit (LEO) network. Under the new Air Force, Florida, according to SpaceX “Wavestream is a longtime partner of arrangement, organizations evaluating live broadcast. It came after SpaceX Global Eagle and a reliable high-power Kepler's ability to cost-effectively move deployed its first batch of 60 Starlink transceiver supplier for our inflight multiple gigabytes of data per day around satellites into the orbits on May 23. entertainment content, connectivity and the globe can experience a fully managed SpaceX CEO Elon Musk announced on digital media solutions,” said Mike trial of the service anywhere on the planet Oct. 22 that those broadband satellites Pigott, SVP Connectivity, Global Eagle. with no upfront CAPEX spend, no lengthy are functioning. “Having Wavestream's quality in our service commitment, and certified end-to-end solution ensures our installation & support executed through SpaceX designed Starlink to connect end continual customer successes.” Cobham SATCOM's global Technical users with low-latency and high- Service Partner network. bandwidth broadband services by Gilat awarded $10m providing continual coverage around the Effectively offering 'User Terminal-as-a- world using a network of thousands of for a 5-Year 3G/4G Service' (UTaaS), the Kepler-Cobham satellites in low Earth orbit, according to backhaul services in partnership centers on three core the company. principles: shifting equipment costs to a Peru monthly operational fee from a more About an hour after the liftoff, the Starlink IN THE NEWS AMERICAS

satellites started to be deployed at an mPOWER communications system. We altitude of 280 kilometers. After data are proud to be at the forefront of ground TT Electronics to checkouts, those satellites, weighing networks for NGSO constellations acquire power supply about 260 kilograms each, will be raised together with SES, who paved the NGSO into their targeted higher orbits via path with its O3b constellation and now design/manufacturing onboard ion thrusters. continue to lead the pack with its O3b business to support mPOWER network.” The launch set multiple records for growth in aerospace SpaceX's reusable rocket. It was its and defence heaviest payload to date, first re-flight of a Edgeware, ENENSYS faring and first Falcon 9 to fly a fourth Technologies form mission, according to SpaceX. The TT Electronics, a global provider of rocket's first stage has landed on an product & sales engineered electronics for performance offshore droneship about eight minutes alliance critical applications, announces it has after the launch. agreed to acquire a US based business that designs and manufactures power The stage once supported the Iridium-7, Edgeware& ENENSYS Technologies electronics for defence and aerospace SAOCOM-1A, and Nusantara Satu has announced that the two companies markets, enhancing TT's ability to missions. Also, the fairing used in today's are forming a technological and global engineer complete power converters. TT launch was previously flown on Falcon sales alliance. Edgeware, the leading has agreed to acquire Excelitas Heavy's Arabsat-6A mission earlier this provider of content preparation, unicast Technologies Corp.'s, Covina, California- year. SpaceX has updated the Starlink CDN and streaming solutions for based business that designs and design since the Starlink launch in May. broadband operators, and ENENSYS, manufactures power supplies for defence Its spectrum capacity has been increased the leading provider of Multicast ABR and aerospace markets from Excelitas, for for the end-user, maximizing the use of and LTE Broadcast media streaming $17.7 million. both Ka and Ku bands. solutions to network operators, will cooperate on key opportunities which The acquisition enhances TT's US Also, components of each satellite are leverage the strengths of each in their presence in power electronics for 100 percent demisable and will quickly respective markets. aerospace and defence, providing access burn up in Earth's atmosphere at the end to growth programmes with sole-source of their life cycle. SpaceX is expected to Edgeware has deployed over 200 positions. The acquisition will add a bring into space about 12,000 starlink private unicast CDNs globally and number of blue-chip US defence primes. satellites by 2024, and it has revealed a continues to innovate in the area of TT is committed to investing in the bigger plan to launch 30,000 additional internet TV delivery, which requires business to further improve the business' ones, bringing the total to 42,000. unicast (one to one) streaming growth prospects and engineering technology. ENENSYS has been a capability. Gilat Signs Contract leader in the deployment of 4G/5G Broadcast and OTT Multicast solutions The acquisition is subject to approvals with SES to develop for mobile operators globally, leveraging from the US authorities and is expected to the multicast capabilities of their private complete in Q1 2020, at which point the and deploy O3b networks. Together, the two companies business will be integrated into TT. mPOWER MEO can offer a truly unique media delivery Richard Tyson, CEO, TT Electronics portfolio – to both the broadband fixed commented: “I am delighted to announce Communications line and mobile operator markets. that we have agreed to acquire this System business with its exciting power Andy Hooper, VP Strategic Alliances at capabilities in a large and fast-growing Edgeware, said, "The respective market. This acquisition will help us move Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. has reached strengths of each organization resonate up the value chain and add the ability to a major landmark with the selection by strongly in the customer base of the engineer entire power convertors to our SES for development and deployment of other, and we see immediate core power electronic capabilities in a global multiple application VSAT opportunities in a number of markets aerospace and defence. We look forward platform for its O3b mPOWER Medium thanks to this collaboration, including so to welcoming the employees and Earth Orbit (MEO) communications called 'multicast ABR' for broadband customers to TT early next year.” system. This multi-million-dollar contract network operators in our fixed-line establishes Gilat as a significant Non- customer base. With the fast roll out of Geostationary Orbit (NGSO) player 5G and Fixed Wireless Access networks, ATEME enables FPT through the technological innovation of its a video distribution solution including Play's digital revolution multi-orbit GEO/NGSO platform. broadcast, multicast capabilities complementing unicast is increasingly through OTT services “We are honored to be partnering again important. Our customers will benefit with SES, this time for their next from the same technology already ATEME, the emerging leader in video generation O3b mPOWER system,” said proven for global mobile operators being delivery solutions for broadcast, cable, Ron Levin, VP Mobility and Global pre-integrated with their Edgeware CDN DTH, IPTV and OTT, announced that FPT Accounts at Gilat. “Gilat was selected due to provide compelling new ways for Play, the leading Vietnamese OTT service to our innovative ground segment design content to be delivered. We've already provider, has implemented ATEME's that significantly reduces cost per bit, our s t a r t e d w o r k i n g o n k e y l e a d TITAN solution to replace its OTT headend ability to deliver a step function in modem opportunities.” and to offer the latest OTT services to its performance and our engineering viewers across Vietnam. capabilities to further optimize the Having previously implemented ATEME's platform to efficiently support SES's O3b live event encoder for OTT, FPT Play has IN THE NEWS AMERICAS

now selected ATEME TITAN to replace its smart satellite handover capability OTT headend. TITAN provides FPT Play (enabled by an integral mediator and with a full compression solution which offers high-quality video services while also offering the following benefits: Cost Savings: the deployed solution leverages ATEME's continuous research and innovation in video quality, exploring the latest improvements in delivering low latency and high bandwidth efficiency over the internet with CMAF and Constant Quality Rate (CQR) algorithms Smooth Operations: TITAN provides FPT with a comprehensive solution that can easily integrate with any ecosystem to ease operations

Future-Proof: ATEME gives FPT a clear vision of a safe and committed roadmap to support technical and business needs for a long-term relationship

Nguyen Duc Long, sales director, ATEME added: “After the extensive evaluation process FPT Play, the most successful OTT service provider in Vietnam, has undertaken over the last six months, we are proud to continue to be part of the company's digital revolution. We're glad that ATEME could provide unparalleled support as well as a uniquely flexible license scheme allowing for much easier planning and management.” Intellian launches world's first 1.25 meter KU-KA convertible VSAT system

Intellian, the global leader of mobile satellite communication antenna systems, has released the latest model in its new NX Series future-proof, performance-leading and low lifecycle cost VSAT antenna portfolio. The v130NX is the world's first Ku-Ka convertible VSAT terminal with a 1.25-meter reflector, making it an ideal platform for high-speed global Internet on ships, offshore vessels, and superyachts.

The v130NX is a flexible system supporting Ku-band and Ka-band (2.5 GHz Wide) networks. It is also compatible with GEO (Geostationary Earth Orbit), MEO (Medium Earth Orbit) and LEO (Low Earth Orbit) constellations. As with all NX Series antennas, the v130NX is easily converted from Ku-band to Ka-band by changing the Radio Frequency (RF) Assembly and Feed, as the reflector and radome are already optimized for operation across both frequency bands. The v130NX features a highly efficient design and high-power BUC options up to 40 W, giving it the power to deliver the highest RF performance of any 1.25- meter system on the market today. Its IN THE NEWS

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