LeoSat Enterprises, which is launching a constellation of 108 low-earth-orbit communications satellites that will provide the fastest, most secure and widest coverage data network in the world, has entered into an agreement with SKYBAND, a member of the Inteltec Group and leading communications provider of satellite and networking solutions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
SKYBAND will use LeoSat to upgrade its existing satellite solutions, giving customers access to a unique low-latency network which is expected to revolutionize data connectivity. LeoSat’s system of low earth orbit communications satellites can achieve lower latency and stronger end-to-end security compared to traditional satellite and terrestrial solutions used today. This is achieved through an advanced and unique system architecture utilizing optical inter-satellite laser links which connect the satellites, creating fiber-like symmetry at Gigabits speeds while providing total security as the data is encrypted and secured from end-to-end across the network, with no terrestrial touch points.
Big Data is clearly driving the need for new communications infrastructure and data volumes are exploding, with global networks are already carrying more than 1 Zeta Byte of traffic and this is forecast to grow exponentially. This increasing demand to move large quantities of data quickly and securely around the world is fast outpacing the infrastructure needed to carry it. LeoSat’s unique new network has been designed to solve these essential communications and connectivity issues and provide new opportunities for business sectors such as multi-national enterprise, telecommunications, oil and gas, maritime and government services.
For Enterprise customers, the key attributes of the LeoSat system can be used for a number of applications, for example, to give banks secured networks with their foreign offices, provide enormous uploading bandwidth for oil & gas exploration, enable seamless connectivity for shipping and fleet management or provide the only native 4G and 5G satellite backhaul connectivity for cellular operators. LeoSat can not only offer competitive advantage in existing satellite services markets in the MENA region and beyond, it will help expand these markets by enabling new opportunities through previously unavailable levels of performance combined with worldwide reach.
LeoSat’s Chief Commercial Officer, Ronald van der Breggen, said: “Global Enterprises today require instant infrastructure from anywhere to everywhere which is fast, secure and reliable. So LeoSat is taking data networking into space, setting a new bar for high speed data connectivity. With capabilities beyond satellite and fiber, including transmission speeds of 10+ gigabits per second and latency of 20 milliseconds, LeoSat’s infrastructure is what data communications has been waiting for – a game-changing service which realizes the synergies of both worlds to re-define connectivity in terms of capacity, latency, security, efficiency and coverage. For companies such as SKYBAND looking to provide innovative connectivity solutions, LeoSat can help to open-up new markets and deliver business growth.”
Osman Oueida, CEO of SKYBAND added: “At SKYBAND we rely on the latest satellite and VSAT communication technologies for data, voice and video transmission. Our network provides high-speed, reliable, robust, cost-effective, scalable, and secured communication across the Kingdom which can be used by all Industry segments. We very much look forward to adding LeoSat’s unique new system architecture to our portfolio.”
LeoSat is backed by leading satellite operators SKY Perfect JSAT and Hispasat, and the system is being developed in conjunction with Thales Alenia Space, a company with unmatched expertise in designing and manufacturing low earth orbit constellations. The high-throughput satellites (HTS) in the constellation will form a mesh network interconnected through laser links, creating an optical backbone in space which is about 1.5 times faster than terrestrial fiber backbones, thus creating a paradigm shift in the use of satellites for data connectivity – rather than a gap filler or last resort where no terrestrial alternative is available. LeoSat has already secured over U.S.$1.5 billion in pre-launch in customer agreements and was recently granted a license by the FCC to operate its network in the U.S.
