SpaceX probed over Russia’s alleged Starlink use

Democratic lawmakers are investigating SpaceX over reports that Russia is using the company's Starlink satellite internet service in occupied areas of Ukraine, raising concerns about potential violations of US sanctions and export controls.

In a letter sent Wednesday to SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell, Reps. Jamie Raskin of Maryland and Robert Garcia of California cited intelligence from Ukraine indicating Russian forces have illegally deployed and activated Starlink terminals in...

8 March 2024 | Networks

AST SpaceMobile attracts investments from AT&T, Google and Vodafone

AST SpaceMobile has attracted significant investments totalling $206.5 million from industry giants AT&T, Google, and Vodafone. The investment includes $155 million as a strategic infusion and an additional $51.5 million to be drawn from the company's existing senior-secured credit facility.

This latest investment round underscores confidence in AST SpaceMobile's technology and its position in the emerging space-based cellular direct-to-device market. The company aims to...

19 January 2024 | Hot Topics

SpaceX exchanges first texts using its ‘Direct to Cell’ satellites

SpaceX has demonstrated its new "Direct to Cell" capabilities by exchanging texts between mobile phones on Earth using satellites in orbit.

On 2 January 2024, SpaceX launched six new satellites designed to connect with standard unmodified mobile devices. The company wasted no time putting them into service, transmitting texts less than a week later using T-Mobile's cellular spectrum.

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1745246204118925711

Receiving replies from the...

11 January 2024 | Hot Topics

EchoStar completes $26B acquisition of DISH Network

EchoStar has announced the completion of its $26 billion acquisition of DISH Network. The deal combines two of the nation's largest providers of satellite and wireless services into one telecoms giant.

Under the terms of the agreement, DISH Network has become a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar. All outstanding shares of DISH Network's common stock have been converted into shares of EchoStar stock, valuing the transaction at approximately $26 billion. The conversion rate for...

3 January 2024 | 5G

Connected Nations: UK full-fibre broadband reaches 17M homes

A record-breaking 17 million UK homes now have access to full-fibre broadband, according to Ofcom's latest Connected Nations report released today.

The report highlights the advantages of full-fibre broadband, emphasising its increased reliability and resilience compared to traditional copper-based networks. 4.6 million households have already made the switch.

Analysis indicates that providers experience fewer faults on their fibre networks, contributing to a smoother...

19 December 2023 | Broadband

FCC rejects Starlink’s bid for $886M in subsidies

The FCC has denied Elon Musk's Starlink a hefty $886 million subsidy from the Universal Service Fund, allocated for expanding broadband services in rural areas.

The rejected bid, originally intended for the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) program, faced criticism as the FCC deemed Starlink incapable of proving its ability to deliver the promised broadband service.

This decision echoes a similar move by the FCC last year, prompting an appeal from SpaceX, Musk's...

13 December 2023 | Legislation & Government

Airbus secures £95M for satellite in TRUTHS mission

Airbus has clinched £95 million from the UK Space Agency, in collaboration with the European Space Agency, to spearhead the TRUTHS mission's satellite design and development phase.

TRUTHS (Traceable Radiometry Underpinning Terrestrial- and Helio- Studies) aims to revolutionise Earth observation and climate monitoring. The funding marks a crucial step towards creating a groundbreaking “climate and calibration observatory in space.” 

Airbus will leverage the...

4 December 2023 | Satellites

NTT taps Amazon’s Project Kuiper for satellite connectivity in Japan

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT) will use Amazon’s Project Kuiper to improve satellite connectivity options in Japan.

NTT plans to distribute Project Kuiper connectivity services to enterprises and government organisations across the country. NTT Group companies will also become customers of Project Kuiper, facilitating a seamless integration of innovative LEO satellite connectivity into their communication networks.

Katsuhiko Kawazoe, Senior Executive...

29 November 2023 | Networks

Qualcomm cuts satellite-to-phone partnership with Iridium

Qualcomm has cut its partnership with satellite communications firm Iridium to provide satellite-to-phone services.

The partnership was initially announced in January 2023 and was broadly seen to be Android’s alternative to Apple’s partnership with Globalstar last year to launch its own satellite-powered emergency SOS feature for iPhone and Apple Watch.

Despite the successful development and demonstration of the technology by both companies, the primary reason cited...

10 November 2023 | Hot Topics

AST SpaceMobile achieves space-to-smartphone 5G connection

AST SpaceMobile has successfully established the first-ever 5G connection for both voice and data between a standard smartphone and a satellite in space.

The achievement was demonstrated by AST SpaceMobile's engineers who orchestrated a call from the serene shores of Maui, Hawaii to a Vodafone engineer located in bustling Madrid, Spain.

What makes this achievement truly remarkable is that it was accomplished using an unmodified Samsung Galaxy S22 smartphone, with the...

20 September 2023 | 5G