hiSky launches services on AMOS-17 satellite
November 9, 2020
hiSky, a specialist in voice and data satellite communications and provider of satellite-connected IoT services, has parternered with Spacecom, a satellite communication service provider and the operator of the AMOS satellites fleet, to launch services via the AMOS-17 satellite.
hiSky’s Smartellite Ka and Ku band terminals provide global coverage of its services, both onshore and offshore, meeting a growing demand for low and medium data rates for IoT applications across a range of industries, including fisheries, fleet management, agriculture, oil & gas and more.
The AMOS-17 is an advanced digital tri-band satellite. Its digital payload capabilities offer extensive C-Band HTS coverage, regional Ku-Band and steerable Ka-band HTS beams that can be combined to maximise throughput and efficiency. Located optimaly at 17 degrees East, it coveres all of EMEA, with the Ka-band steerable beams able to provide services from Asia in the east to Brazil in the west. It’s tri-band digital payload offers secure and resilient satcom solutions over major areas of interest.
hiSky and Spacecom entered into a partnership to explore the potential for streamlining hiSky’s system and increasing data rates of very small mobile terminals by enabeling conectivity via the AMOS-17 powerful steerable beams. A series of successful field trials, in which typically shown speeds of less than 30 Kpbs, have been dramatically increased to 125 Kpbs on the advanced AMOS-17 satellite. Thus, opened the door to additional IoT services being facilitated by hiSky, in a variety of new applications and at higher speeds.
“Combining the new high-throughput AMOS-17 satellite with the advanced capabilities and flexibility of our small form factor terminal has enabled us to reach record speeds in data connectivity for on-the-move operations,” says Shahar Kravitz, co-founder and CEO of hiSky. “For our consumers, this means that we can reduce the price of our services while offering higher level capabilities, including video streaming and other demanding IoT applications. It also opens up the very real possibility of deploying national IoT communication systems and infastructure at state level, which would be a real game changer for communities across Africa.”
Eran Shapiro, Director of Business and Technology Ventures at Spacecom, added: “The trial’s excellent results demonstrate how AMOS-17’s payload performance, advanced flexible digital platform and optimal location at 17°E open new opportunities for mobile users and mobile based big data networks. hiSky’s terminals are changing the mobile communications landscape for IoT, narrowband and broadband solutions. When coupled with AMOS-17, we bring together new possibilities to commercial applications while opening new markets, and strengthen our unique offerings for governmental services.”