Page 82 - SAMENA Trends - May-June 2024

SATELLITE UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

NTT Data Launches LEO Satellite Solutions Across Africa

NTT Data Middle East and Africa announced and low-orbit satellite solution with estab- surge in demand across the continent fol-
it has launched LEO satellite-based con- lished fibre and wireless networks, which lowing a rash of international subsea cable
nectivity solutions across the African it says provides enhanced performance breaks this year. With the satellite solutions
continent, and has already signed on nine for multiple use-cases including access field consequently becoming increasingly
customers from sectors such as retail, to latency-sensitive applications as well competitive, NTT Data’s strategy is to take
banking, mining, and logistics. NTT Data. as real-time services such as videoconfer- a vertical approach and focus on deploy-
the IT infrastructure and services company encing. Greg Hatfield, VP of Infrastructure ments for key clients in selected industries.
formerly known as Dimension Data until Solutions at NTT Data, acknowledged that “Our approach is to provide LEO-based con-
last month – is offering a vertical solution the company is banking on the fact that nectivity solutions using industry specific
that combines an integrated geostationary satellite connectivity options have seen a full-stack architecture. This enables busi-
ness transformation for our clients, as op-
posed to simply connecting their locations,”
Hatfield said in a statement. “The enhanced
attributes of LEO only reach their full poten-
tial when used in an integrated infrastruc-
ture and application ecosystem tailored to
the requirements of the organization.” This
also enables NTT Data to tailor its satellite
solutions for customers, he added. “As spe-
cialist aggregators and integrators we can
go all the way up their stack to integrate
LEO-based connectivity solutions into any
other element of their infrastructure.”

Chinese Startup Netwing Launches User-Friendly Satellite Internet Device

for Remote Connectivity

Inhabitants and visitors of China’s vast public, Netwing has claimed the title of
remote regions, from high-altitude plateaus launching China’s first C-end market-
to arid deserts, have been facing significant oriented satellite-based internet device.
challenges in staying connected due to the When pondering over civilian satellite
limited coverage of 4G signals – which is internet services, global behemoths
currently at just 30% across the country’s like Starlink might come to mind. While
expansive western territories. But Beijing- Netwing and Starlink’s terminal products
based startup Netwing is making strides share similarities in terms of functionality,
to address this tech void by releasing a Netwing is still in its infancy, especially
consumer-grade satellite internet device, when compared to Starlink’s impressive
aiming to serve a market that’s been largely 3 million users and annual revenues
untapped until now. Netwing’s innovation surpassing $6 billion. Striving to replicate
lies in condensing basebands, power similar success domestically, Netwing as high-throughput satellites which
amplifiers, and antennas into a compact has taken its first steps in a market that’s provide considerably higher capacity than
panel antenna that weighs a mere 4.5 virtually a clean slate in China. The satellite traditional satellites, is determined to make
kilograms and is sized akin to a speaker communication industry has traditionally an impact in the commercial sector. With
box. This equipment significantly reduces been characteristically monopolistic, their development, users like tourists and
the cost, offering an alternative for about with high entry barriers both technically field workers can potentially gain access
a tenth of the cost of traditional satellite and financially, and aimed at serving to efficient and portable internet service,
antenna systems. With the intention to government and military uses. Netwing, enhancing their ability to stay connected
market this product towards the general however, leveraging advancements such even in the most isolated of locations.

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