Satellite Networks

Confirming Nigeria’s plans to expand its satellite resources, telecommunications and technology giant Thales Alenia Space says it has won a contract to build the NigComSat-2A geostationary telecommunications satellite.

Saudi Arabian service provider and digital enabler stc Group, and Astranis, which builds advanced satellites for high orbits, have announced an agreement to deploy a dedicated satellite serving Saudi Arabia.

The UAE’s Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) has granted LEO satellite operator Starlink a ten-year licence to establish, operate, and manage broadband satellite internet services in the country.

Mozambique Telecom (a.k.a. Tmcel) has started  proof of concept (PoC) tests with Angola’s Angosat-2 satellite as part of an agreement between the two countries earlier this year to cooperate in the space, telecoms and ICT sectors.

China has approved its first private-sector commercial trial for satellite Internet of Things (IoT) services, granting a permit to Zhejiang Geespace Technology as part of what are being described as broader efforts to open the country’s satellite communications market to private capital.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has reportedly announced a change of policy that means it will cease direct manufacturing of commercial launch vehicles, though this may boost its other businesses.

Paratus Uganda said on Monday it has become the first service provider in the country to launch Starlink’s LEO satellite service after the Uganda Communication Commission approved Starlink’s provisional operational licence in May.

Omantel announced on Monday it has partnered with Chinese LEO satellite operator GalaxySpace to explore ways to cooperate in next-gen satellite connectivity in Oman, to potentially include direct-to-device (D2D) satellite technologies.

Nigeria’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) has reportedly approved the acquisition and deployment of two new high-throughput communication satellites.

Qatar Airways says it has become the first airline to operate Starlink-equipped Boeing 787-9 aircraft globally. The carrier has also completed Starlink rollout across its Boeing 787-8 sub-fleet in seven months, bringing the total number of its Starlink-equipped widebody aircraft to 150.

Chinese LEO satellite operator Geespace announced on Thursday it has received official approval from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) to conduct a two-year commercial trial of satellite IoT services.

Kazakh telco Transtelecom (TTC) said on Tuesday it’s currently installing Starlink connectivity on trains operated by Passenger Transportation JSC, a subsidiary of national railway company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ).

PLDT’s wireless unit Smart Communications said on Tuesday it has expanded its direct-to-device (D2D) satellite trial with Lynk Global (a.k.a. Elveo Mobile) to Batangas in southwestern Luzon.

Satellite operators Lynk and Omnispace have merged. The new company will be called Elveo Mobile, and, the partners say, will bring reliable, next-generation connectivity directly from satellites to mobile phones, devices and machines everywhere on Earth in multiple frequency bands.

Airtel Africa and Starlink have launched their satellite-to-mobile service in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the operator claiming the country's deployment is the first commercial launch of Elon Musk's satellite connectivity service.

Vietnamese private satellite startup VinSpace said on Tuesday it has signed a launch contract with SpaceX to launch its first satellites into orbit sometime in 2027.

Saudi Arabia-based satellite operator Arabsat announced on Thursday it has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Libya Telecom and Technology (LTT) to boost high throughput satellite (HTS) connectivity in Libya.

Satellite internet company Hughes Satellite Systems Corporation, a unit of telecommunications company EchoStar, has announced that it and some of its US subsidiaries, including Hughes Network Systems, have filed voluntary chapter 11 petitions in a Texas bankruptcy court.

Space solutions company SES has been selected by LATAM Airlines, the largest airline in Latin America, to provide multi-orbit in-flight connectivity service to its growing fleet of Airbus and Embraer aircraft.

LEO satellite operator Starlink is reportedly in talks with Malaysia’s Ministry of Communications to conduct a trial of its direct-to-device (D2D) satellite service, potentially as a solution to improve broadband coverage on highways, among other things.

In case anyone was wondering what Amazon Leo’s plans were after the deal with Globalstar earlier this year, a recent filing with the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) may offer some clues.

Aspiring LEO satellite operator Rivada Space Networks said on Wednesday it has signed a deal with telecoms operator and communications systems integrator Zharyq Kazakhstan to use its constellation to deliver broadband satellite services.

Satellite-to-phone specialist AST SpaceMobile, whose planned or existing trials include a number of developing markets, has rescheduled its commercial direct-to-device (D2D) service launch to early 2027 from late 2026.

Viasat has demonstrated what it claims is the first satellite voice call fully integrated into a BMW Group vehicle, highlighting how non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) could extend connected car services beyond the reach of terrestrial mobile coverage.

The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) has reportedly ruled that Reliance Jio’s proposal to build a domestic LEO satellite constellation to compete with the likes of Starlink, Eutelsat OneWeb and Amazon Leo is technically sound.

Amazon Leo announced on Wednesday it has partnered with South African fixed ISP Herotel to launch a new service called “evry”, powered by Amazon’s LEO satellite network.

Senegalese telco Sonatel says it has boosted its teleport in Gandoul with the deployment of Eutelsat OneWeb's Satellite Portal Network (SNP), which includes 16 LEO satellite antennas and a Tier III technical room.

New Caledonian operator OPT-NC has successfully completed its first satellite mobile connectivity test in New Caledonia in partnership with satcoms company Lynk Global.

Mercantile Space, a leading Nepalese communications technology company, is partnering with Rivada Space Networks to provide what is described as a unique next generation connectivity network with the necessary security and performance to drive digital innovation and transformation.

A recently announced collaboration is set to deliver Eutelsat OneWeb low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite services to heavy industries operating across Southern Africa.

French satellite startup Univity – which plans to launch very low earth orbit (VLEO) satellites for wholesale 5G direct-to-device (D2D) services – said on Monday it has signed an MoU with Telkom Indonesia’s satellite arm Telkomsat to cooperate on satellite-based connectivity solutions.

Chile telecoms regulator Subtel has this week announced plans to expand competition in satellite services in Chile and to incorporate new bands to improve connectivity.

Thales Alenia Space, the joint venture between French aerospace and defence corporations Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), has announced the signing of a contract with Es’hailSat, the Qatar Satellite Company, to develop a new-generation software-defined satellite.