Satellite service provider NSSLGlobal, and satellite operator Telesat, have signed a long-term strategic co-operation agreement to collaborate on the commercial and technical aspects of Telesat’s new Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation, Telesat Lightspeed.
Initially consisting of a global mesh network of 298 state-of the-art LEO satellites that are seamlessly integrated with on-ground data networks, it is claimed that Telesat Lightspeed will be the world’s most advanced LEO network, optimised to serve the critical connectivity requirements of enterprise, government and mobility customers.
The agreement will include the integration of Telesat Lightspeed services into NSSLGlobal’s value-added network, providing an expanded service portfolio that delivers increased performance, flexibility and resiliency for customers. As a key commercial launch partner, NSSLGlobal will provide a European end-user testing and trials facility for Telesat Lightspeed services at its UK Headquarters. From this facility, NSSLGlobal will support Telesat with service testing, performance validation and customer onboarding to the network, and also conduct field testing of user terminals from a range of providers. NSSLGlobal intends to market Telesat Lightspeed services into the European Defence and Maritime markets.
Sally-Anne Ray, Group CEO NSSLGlobal, said, “We have been working in close co-operation with Telesat for many years and on Telesat Lightspeed since 2019, including live demonstrations for key customers, and we are delighted to formally expand our partnership. Telesat Lightspeed will be a game-changer for our long-standing customers who demand the most reliable, cutting-edge technologies on the market. It is the only LEO satellite constellation offering that has been specifically designed first and foremost for mobility customers on land, sea and air. As cloud-based services become ever more prevalent within our customers’ networks, it is vital that we are able to support these latency-sensitive applications whilst continuing to guarantee our government and maritime customers the highest levels of security, support and the value-added services that they have come to expect from NSSLGlobal.”
“The Telesat Lightspeed network will deliver the global, secure, resilient, and low-latency connectivity that NSSLGlobal’s blue-chip maritime and government customers demand for their next-generation applications,” said Tom Eaton, Telesat’s Vice President of International Sales. “With NSSLGlobal’s customer-centric service approach, we’re honored to expand our long-standing partnership to jointly bring unrivalled capabilities and cost economics to the market.”
