Satellite Networks

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.

Globe Telecom announced on Monday it has officially launched Starlink’s direct-to-device (D2D) satellite service across the Philippines after receiving regulatory approval National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).

Starlink will provide one month of free satellite internet service to users in Venezuela following the devastating earthquakes that struck the country this week, helping restore communications in affected areas.

Satellite operators Amazon, Iridium, Telesat and Globalstar have announced the formation of a new trade association representing the non-geostationary (NGSO) satellite economy: the SpaceConnect Association.

It’s being widely reported that Indian telecommunications company Reliance Jio is planning to develop and launch its own low Earth orbit (LEO) constellation of 1,600-1,650 satellites at an altitude of about 650 kilometres in the next two to three years.

Eutelsat announced on Tuesday that Angolan telco Mercury (previously known as MSTelcom) will use its OneWeb LEO satellite connectivity services under a new multi-year, multi-million agreement.

Satellite communications giant Viasat and Indian deep-tech company WiSig Networks say they have officially launched global testing of a newly developed Made in India 5G satellite Internet of Things (IoT) chipset.

Starlink is officially the fastest broadband option in most of the sub-Saharan African markets where it currently operates, according to the latest figures from Ookla, although many terrestrial operators offer better latency and upload speeds.

The Rwanda Space Agency (RSA) has joined the Augmented Navigation for Africa (ANGA) programme, marking what is described as a significant step toward strengthening satellite navigation capabilities across the African continent.

Space solutions company SES has clearly been busy in the Latin American market – something that has been underlined by recent announcements relating to inflight connectivity in Mexico and expanded broadband access in Colombia.

Papua New Guinea’s state-owned telco Telikom PNG has joined the Starlink bandwagon after announcing it has signed a deal to become the country’s second authorised Starlink reseller as of last Friday.

Thailand’s state-owned National Telecom (NT) says it will stop offering satellite internet service via Thaicom 4 at the end of this month as Thaicom continues preparations to retire the 21-year-old satellite.

Paratus Kenya announced on Friday that Murang’a County has launched what it says is Kenya’s largest public digital healthcare initiative, which connects 170 health facilities via Starlink’s LEO satellite constellation.

Telenor IoT, a leading global provider of IoT connectivity, and Sateliot, a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation based on the 5G standard, have announced a strategic partnership that they say represents a significant milestone in expanding global IoT coverage.