Page 80 - SAMENA Trends - May-June 2024

SATELLITE UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

SATELLITE NEWS

Viasat and Azercosmos Expanding Satellite Services in Azerbaijan

Viasat and Azercosmos are partnering
to bring L-band satellite services
to Azerbaijan. Under the proposed
arrangement, Azercosmos and Viasat will
provide connectivity for a range of industrial
applications to help organizations operate
more efficiently, sustainably, or safely - even
in the most remote locations. This includes
powering applications like tracking and
telemetry for advanced transport systems,
pipeline monitoring and control for energy
companies, real-time control for utilities,
and environmental or safety monitoring
for mining and agriculture. Azercosmos
provides a range of telecommunications,
remote sensing, surveying, and ground
station communications services in
both public and private sectors. The existing and new customers alongside in the satellite service market is critically
collaboration with Viasat will significantly connectivity from its existing satellite important for us, and we aim to expand
expand its available connectivity offering, fleet. Fuad Aslanov, Vice-chairman of our reliable service to consumers and
meaning it can provide more services for Azercosmos, noted: “The agile response businesses globally.”

Starlink is Now Live Across Fiji

The SpaceX satcoms service Starlink is Competition and Consumer Commission licensing of Starlink for commercial use is
now live across the more than 300 islands (FCCC) welcomed the news that the LEO a ‘game-changer’ for Fiji, strengthening the
in the Republic of Fiji, marking, the compa- satellite operator had acquired licenses to country’s resilience in providing connectiv-
ny says, the 99th country, territory or mar- operate in Fiji, saying it will boost competi- ity during natural disasters The arrival of
ket around the world where Starlink’s high- tion and make the digital economy more in- Starlink also supports the Fiji government’s
speed internet service is available. Starlink clusive. Indeed, Deputy Prime Minister and efforts to connect the unconnected popula-
was granted a license to provide internet Minister for Trade, Co-operatives, SMEs, tion in maritime communities without sig-
services in Fiji, a country of some 936,375 and Communications, Manoa Kamikamica nificant upfront capital costs incurred. Star-
people, in mid-November 2023. The Fijian has been widely quoted as saying that the link says the services align with the Fijian
Competition and Consumer Commission’s
goal of implementing a competitive, fair
and dynamic market for internet services
in Fiji. This news underlines the relevance
of satcoms to archipelagos where regular
fixed connectivity can be an issue. We re-
ported earlier Starlink’s arrival in Indonesia,
a country of over of over 17,000 islands
and 277 million inhabitants. Starlink ar-
rived in the Philippines, which is made up
of more than 7,600 islands, many of which
are isolated and with mountainous terrain,
in 2022.

80 MAY-JUNE 2024