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Tag: #internet

  • Google Fi Wireless rolls out redesigned app with updated branding

    Google Fi Wireless rolls out redesigned app with updated branding

    Google Fi Wireless, which is Google Fi’s new name after the rebrand last month, has updated its mobile app with a redesign that makes it easier for customers to manage their family’s Fi subscription. The new app offers several new capabilities, including the option to check how much data each family member has used, set data limitations, and add new people to the plan.

    The app redesign was also teased last month with a short animation showing off the new family-oriented features. These also include parental controls to protect any minors added to the plan.
    As part of the redesign, a visible “Cycle ends” timer now appears on the top right of the app, alerting you when your plan resets. Right below that, you will see letter avatars representing each member that is part of the plan, which you can click on to check individually. Additionally, there is a “Group” avatar which is where you can check your plan highlights and any offers or deals that may be of interest to you.

    If you’re not on an Unlimited plan, your manager account will show data consumption with Overall and Daily views. The top “Your safety features” or “Help protect” area shows the status of silencing unknown callers or selecting only to receive calls or texts from phone contacts. It also s hows the status of your Location sharing and any Data alerts.

    This family dashboard sports the familiar Material You UI and allows you to check all of your family members’ data consumption in one spot. This can be useful for tracking who is using how much data and ensuring that everyone is staying on track with their usage in the case that you don’t have an unlimited plan.

    This redesign is rolling out with version 85 of the Google Fi Wireless app on Android, however, there is a server-side component that needs to be switched on before the changes can be seen. Fortunately, it appears that this switch has been flipped for more users in the past few days.

  • Meta is pulling the Facebook Messenger app from the Apple Watch

    Meta is pulling the Facebook Messenger app from the Apple Watch

    After this month is over, Meta is pulling the Facebook Messenger app from the Apple Watch. Starting on June 1st, Apple Watch users can no longer send or receive messages using the app. The news got out after some users of the wearable spotted a notification on the Apple Watch Messenger app titled “Changes to Messenger on Apple Watch.” The notification said, “After May 31st, Messenger won’t be available as an Apple Watch app, but you can still get Messenger notifications on your watch.”
    A Facebook spokesperson confirmed the news and pointed out that those who want to send and receive messages using Facebook Messenger can still do so via the iPhone app, through their desktop, or by using the website. For some reason, Meta hasn’t shared this decision with many and it has yet to release a public statement. Apple is expected to release watchOS 10 in September, focusing on widgets instead of third-party apps.
    I also remember back in the day when Facebook had special integration so that you could make posts and upload photos directly without having to open the app. Obviously this meant people didn’t need to open the app as much, and that meant less ads, so they removed it.”
    If you use the Facebook Messenger app on your Apple Watch, you have less than three weeks to enjoy using it unless Meta changes your heart. Since its decision to eliminate the Apple Watch app might have to do with money, please don’t hold your breath hoping for Meta to reverse its decision.
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  • Google Search’s new features can help you save money when traveling

    Google Search’s new features can help you save money when traveling

    Travelling provides new experiences and new experiences are the key to keeping stress levels low and happiness levels high. But what do all good trips have in common? That’s right: we take some of the best smartphones on them with us, because they are helpful travel companions.

    How would we make them more helpful though? Well, easy: new Google Search features. Most people are already using the search engine when planning out their trips, so incorporating new tools into it is a simple no brainer.

    And would you look at that? Google was thinking the same thing! The latest update to the platfor has introduced a brand new workflow, consisting of three separate features:

    • Browsing hotels
    • Saving money on flights
    • Discover what the destination holds in store

    Once a user is done with the process, they would effectively have chosen their next travel destination with ease, all from the comfort of their smartphone.

    In order to kick things off, you are expected to search for a location, combined with “hotel”. At that point, Google will present a series of “stories”, as seen on major social media platforms. Each entry will showcase features related to the hotel in question. Once the choice has been made, a helpful button can be tapped to take you straight to that hotel’s booking page.

    Still, you have to get there, and for that we can get help from Google Flights. It monitors flight prices and recognizes if a given ticket price is low, standard or high. The platform will then label the listings it shows accordingly, so that you can pick out the best deal.

    The last thing on the list is choosing what to do once you land and Google can help you optimize that too. If you search for, lets say, a monument, Search will also offer worthwhile sights nearby, so that you can get the most out of your day. Each recommendation also comes with directions and a link to buy tickets if need be.

    Summertime seems far away, but it’ll be here before you know it. If you were hesitant to start planning your trips, because of all the related hassle, this may have been the nudge you needed. Why not take a chill pill and let Google do the heavy lifting?

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  • Amazon taxes 10 million products in Vietnam

    Amazon taxes 10 million products in Vietnam

    Vietnamese vendors have sold nearly 10 million products on Amazon this year, totaling an export value over 45% more than 2021, according to a report by the American e-commerce giant.

    During the pandemic, there were “thousands” of Vietnamese vendors on Amazon, and their top-selling products were in the categories of kitchen ware, home appliances, garment and textile and healthcare.

    Several Vietnamese brands such as AnEco (maker of compostable garbage bags), Lafooco (cashew exporter), Sunhouse (home appliances manufacturer) and HMG (3D card manufacturer) have been hailed by Amazon for succeeding in their e-commerce initiatives and creating jobs for locals.

    Nguyen Le Thang Long, deputy director of An Phat, which makes AnEco products, said that sales through Amazon have surged nearly five times from 2021.

    Phung Minh Thuy, founder of HMG, said that her company receives hundreds of orders through Amazon each day.

    Vietnam ranks fifth among the top 10 markets globally in terms of e-commerce and retail sales growth at 19%, behind the Philippines, India, Indonesia and Brazil, according to market research firm eMarketer.

    Vietnam’s e-commerce exports revenue is set to rise 20% annually between 2021 and 2026, according to consultancy firm AlphaBeta.

    With a strong national policy to support exports, abundant production capacity, and rapid development of e-commerce, Vietnam is at a golden stage for online exports to take off, said Gijae Seong, managing director of Amazon Global Selling Vietnam.

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  • TikTok will soon let you see why it has recommended a specific video to you

    TikTok will soon let you see why it has recommended a specific video to you

    Have you ever wondered why TikTok recommends certain videos to your “For You” feed? Well, if you have, you will soon know the answer. As TikTok announced in a new blog post, it will introduce a new tool in the coming weeks that will allow you to see why a particular video appears in your “For You” feed.

    Once TikTok releases the feature, you will be able to find it in the share panel on your For You feed. When you tap the share button, you will see a new question mark icon named “Why this video.” Choosing it will reveal why TikTok recommended the video you are currently watching.

    For example, the app may let you know that it is showing this clip because of your previous interactions with the application, such as content you watched, liked, or shared comments you posted, or searches you performed. It may also tell you that you’re seeing this video because it was uploaded from an account you follow or from an account that has been suggested to you.

    Another reason the app could give is that the displayed video is popular in your region, which is why it is being shown to you, or that the clip was just recently posted in your area.

    In its blog post, the social media platform also shared that it is currently working on many other ways to bring “meaningful transparency” to its users.

    We should not be surprised by TikTok’s sudden desire to offer more transparency because it’s most likely due to the attacks that it is currently facing. The social media platform is once again under fire by the US government.

    Recently, a new bill was introduced that would prevent TikTok from operating in the country. The bill follows on the heels of a proposal prohibiting the app’s installation on government-owned devices. As you probably know, a similar ban already exists for devices used by the United States military, the State Department, and the Department of Homeland Security.

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  • Ukraine Trusts Musk’s Starlink But Looking For Other Providers Too

    Ukraine Trusts Musk’s Starlink But Looking For Other Providers Too

    Ukraine trusts Elon Musk to continue providing internet access through his SpaceX rocket company’s Starlink satellite system despite a wobble last month, but is also seeking additional providers, one of its deputy prime ministers said on Thursday.

    Mykhailo Fedorov, in Portugal for Europe’s largest tech conference, the Lisbon Web Summit, said Ukraine had discussed Starlink directly with Musk and was confident the Tesla and Twitter boss would not shut the service down in Ukraine.

    Starlink has “worked, is working and will work in Ukraine”, Federov, who runs Ukraine’s digital transformation ministry, told a news conference in response to a question about the service from Reuters.

    “Elon Musk publicly spoke about this and we had a conversation with him about it, so we do not see a problem in this regard,” Fedorov said.

    SpaceX activated Starlink over Ukraine after Russia’s invasion in February and has since provided Kyiv with thousands of terminals, allowing Ukrainians to hook up to the internet in places out of reach of the domestic telecoms system. The links are used both by civilians and by Ukraine’s military.

    Last month Musk tweeted that SpaceX could no longer afford to provide the service to Ukraine indefinitely – only to backtrack two days later and say he would continue to do so as an example of “good deeds”.

    Around that same time, some Ukrainians complained of outages in the internet service near the front lines, while Musk also angered Ukrainian officials by promoting a peace plan under which Ukraine would cede some territory to Russia.

    Fedorov said Russian attacks that had knocked out 40% of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in October had increased the importance of maintaining communications systems.

    “One of the reasons why I came to the Web Summit is also to look for new partners and continue to develop and engage with new partners,” he said.

    “Communication is really crucial,” he said. “We are working on this issue 24 hours a day. Russia is hitting energy infrastructures and sometimes we don’t have light at home for eight hours.”

    Fedorov spoke at a joint news conference with Microsoft President Brad Smith, who announced around 100 million dollars of additional technology aid for Ukraine throughout 2023.

    “This will enable the government and other organisations in Ukraine to continue to run their services and serve Ukraine citizens through the Microsft Cloud and our public data centres spread across Europe,” Smith said.

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  • KDDI to Offer Starlink to Enterprise and Civil Government Clients

    KDDI to Offer Starlink to Enterprise and Civil Government Clients

    KDDI announced it will begin offering Starlink connectivity to its enterprise and civil government customers later this year as part of a deal recently completed.

    Starlink began offering service two years ago, and this summer it introduced its maritime service, which provides high-speed, low-latency internet while at sea.

    Under the agreement, the Japanese telecom giant will act as “authorized Starlink integrator,” enhancing the company’s ability to deliver best-in-class network service to its customers who require stable, reliable connectivity in rural and remote areas, even during events such as natural disasters.

    KDDI has been conducting technical demonstrations of Starlink in Japan since 2021, which have proven the service’s quality and performance, including for use in mobile backhaul.

    “Starlink’s unmatched performance is a great fit for our persistent endeavor to bring the urban mobile experience to rural customers,” said Makoto Takahashi, president of KDDI. “With Japan having more than 16,000 mountains and 6,000 islands, Starlink’s industry-leading satellite constellation is uniquely suited to provide Japanese enterprises with reliable, sustainable internet connectivity, even in times of natural disaster.”

    “We’re excited to provide a new dimension of connectivity to KDDI’s customers that require reliable, high-speed, low-latency internet on land and at sea,” said SpaceX Vice President of Starlink Sales, Jonathan Hofeller. “Having recently launched Starlink in the country, we look forward to offering a powerful solution that we’ve seen provide critical connectivity in the over 40 countries Starlink is available in.”

  • One in five Vietnamese spend 9 hours a day online

    One in five Vietnamese spend 9 hours a day online

    A total 22% of Vietnamese use the internet for more than nine hours a day studying, entertainment and shopping, with the majority on their smartphones, a report has found.

    This is a surge from 2020 when only 9% of respondents used the internet for more than nine hours a day, according to the Vietnam E-commerce 2022 report by the Vietnam e-Commerce and Digital Economy Agency (iDEA).

    However, there were declines in internet usage time in other segments. As many as 27% say they use the internet from three to five hours a day, compared to 31% in 2020. Besides, 23% log five to seven hours, against 27% in 2020. Most respondents access the internet on their smartphones.

    The main reason Vietnamese people use the internet are studying, watching movies or listening to music, and online shopping said the report, which surveyed 4,584 respondents nationwide.

    Nearly 75% of respondents say they shop online, while 91% use their smartphones.

    The top sales categories are “clothes, footwear and cosmetics,” “household appliances”, and “electronic devices”. Cash remains king as 73% pay cash on delivery. But there is a rise in e-wallet usage, from 23% in 2020 to 37% last year. A quarter of respondents, 24%, say they spend more than VND10 million ($422) a year shopping online.

    Reputation of an e-commerce platform is the most important factor for online consumers, according to 74% of respondents.

    Other key factors are quick delivery and promotions.

    Vietnam’s e-commerce economy is set to grow 20% to 16.4 billion this year, approaching the 25% growth achieved in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic.

    iDEA estimates that at least 57 million people will shop online this year, up 4% from 2021.

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  • M1 Launches Cloud Gaming Service Zolaz

    M1 Launches Cloud Gaming Service Zolaz

    M1 has announced that it is launching Zolaz, a cloud gaming subscription service that allows customers to play anywhere, anytime and on any device.

    Zolaz caters to both mid-core and casual gamers with an “all-you-can-play” on-demand gaming experience. Subscribers will gain instant and unlimited access to over 400 high-quality PC and console titles, including those by AAA publishers. Similar to Netflix and Spotify’s click-and-play models, games are streamed directly to users’ preferred devices without the need to wait for download and installation. A single account can be shared with up to four other profiles.

    Games in the catalog include the BAFTA Games Award-nominated first-person shooter, Metro Exodus; the action RPG co-op shooter from the Warhammer world, Warhammer: Chaosbane; and the popular party game, Overcooked. Individual high scores and game history can also be stored directly in the cloud, freeing up device data storage.

    “Cloud gaming has always been a possibility, but its potential has so far depended on network speeds, data tariffs and latency. M1’s True 5G network resolves this with its high speed and low latency so that graphically intensive games can now be seamlessly played on-the-go and without need for expensive hardware,” said Manjot Singh Mann, chief executive officer, M1. “M1 is on track to roll-out nationwide 5G outdoor coverage by the end of this year. Zolaz is part of our 5G ambitions to develop and launch 5G commercial use cases across consumer, enterprise and government sectors.”

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  • M1 Onboards ZΩH as New MVNO Partner

    M1 Onboards ZΩH as New MVNO Partner

    M1 has announced ZΩH as its latest Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) partner. As a telecommunication service offering from enterprise network and ICT provider Lifeway Singapore, ZΩH will leverage M1’s advanced mobile network infrastructure to offer mobile services specifically to enterprise customers.

    ZΩH provides a diverse range of mobile and data roaming plans to corporate as well as SMEs. For M1, the collaboration gives it access to ZΩH’s customer base and enables the telco to expand its reach within the enterprise ecosystem.

    “M1 is proud to be the platform of choice for MVNOs in Singapore. We are delighted to be hosting ZΩH’s services on our network and ensuring that their customers are able to receive excellent coverage, reliability and speed. With our 5G roll-out, we look forward to supporting ZΩH’s enterprise customers and bringing state-of-the-art features to them,” said Alen Ng, head, corporate development, M1.

    “Partnering with M1 is an exciting step forward for Lifeway Singapore, to broaden customer reach and footprint as well as to improve customer experience in today’s digital world. Beyond that, the partnership gives us an opportunity to provide exciting offers and innovative bundles to meet customers’ specific needs,” added head of sales & marketing, Chris Loh, Lifeway Singapore.

    M1 continues to support MVNOs with new and unique value propositions that add to the telco industry’s overall development and infrastructure. M1 is the first telco in Singapore to establish a series of successful partnerships with MNVOs, beginning with Circles.Life in 2015 and more recently with Changi Recommends, MyRepublic and Geenet, enabling the MVNOs to deliver quality network services and experience.

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  • Telstra Boasts Fastest Speed in Australia

    Telstra Boasts Fastest Speed in Australia

    Telstra is Australia’s fastest mobile network for the first half of 2022, based on results from the Ookla Speedtest Awards from January to June 2022.

    Telstra has a median download speed of 81.57 Mbps and median upload of 11.38 Mbps, representing an improved speed from the second half of 2021.

    Telstra also has the fastest mobile network speeds in the cities of Sydney, Greater Melbourne and Greater Brisbane – where nearly half of Australia’s overall population resides.

    “Keeping our customers connected is at the centre of everything we do, and one part of that is giving customers access to the largest and most reliable mobile network in Australia. That includes expanding our 5G coverage to allow for faster speeds as well as improving the capacity of our 4G network, and it’s also about the new technologies we’re developing like mmWave 5G,” Telstra commented.

    Telstra currently covers 80% of Australia’s population with 5G, with plans to roll out 5G to 95% of the population by 2025.

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  • SpaceX To Roll Out Starink Satellite Internet Services by Year-End

    SpaceX To Roll Out Starink Satellite Internet Services by Year-End

    The Philippines’ Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has announced that SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet services will start to be available by the end of this year.

    A press conference was held to update the media on the latest developments in this much-anticipated project to address the digital gap in the country.

    In a press release, DICT chief Ivan John Uy said, “The DICT is closely following the directives of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., that is to provide digital connectivity across the many islands of the Philippines by building the country’s digital infrastructure, that will also lead to effective e-governance.”

    He added, “This will bridge the digital divide in the country especially in an archipelagic country like the Philippines where laying fiber cables or establishing cell towers in mountainous areas can be challenging.”

    Starlink is expected to connect the rural and remote communities in the country, which are underserved by major telecom operators. This breakthrough is a response to the new government’s call for digitalization of the country, wherein Filipinos from remote areas can have access to education, health services and online banking, among other digital needs.

    SpaceX Executive Rebecca Hunter said that Starlink’s entry to the country does not mean competition with existing telecom players, but rather it will be a complementary connectivity solution to bridge the digital divide in the country.

     

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  • What Are The Advantages Of Having A Web Portal For Business?

    What Are The Advantages Of Having A Web Portal For Business?

    In the world that we are living in, a business not having a web portal seems odd because the internet is an essential part of everyone’s lives. Some business owners still think having a web portal isn’t a rxquirement and these people can’t be more wrong. Having a strong web portal has become a requirement for the business industry where employees, customers, and partners can check their relevant data.

    A professional web portal can make a huge difference for your businesses and make it easier for customers to check up on their orders and for your staff members to work from anywhere and upload important files and documents at any time. So what edge does having a web portal give to your business and what are the advantages of having a web portal? Let’s find out:

    Improved Communication

    The first advantage that you get by having a professionally built and responsive web portal is that the communication is improved. Whether it is the communication between your employees, different departments, or between customers and staff members, it becomes easier with a web portal. A web portal becomes the go-to tool for communication instead of using any third-party solutions which aren’t as efficient as a portal built according to your company’s requirements. 

     

    A web portal that is usable by all your team members and customers makes communications easier for everyone just as the admin portal of a wireless router, accessible through 192.168.254.254 makes it easier for everyone to configure their network. In this age, communication holds utmost importance because proper communication can be the difference between a properly managed project and a poorly managed project.

    Faster Exchange Of Information

    Improved communication also means that through a properly built web portal the exchange of information occurs at a faster rate. A business can have multiple employees working in different roles who need quick access to the market data, special reports, and important company data. If your company has got a properly built web portal where employees can access the information on the go then it would be helpful for your business as they will be able to make quick decisions because of the faster exchange of information through the portal.

    This portal can also be beneficial for customers who can get access to their orders and the related information at a faster rate. In addition, if your customers happen to encounter any problem or need help regarding your products or services, it will be resolved at a much faster rate.

    Easy Accessibility

    One of the best features of a web portal is that it can be accessed from anywhere. Whether it is a staff member, a partner, or a client looking to access the portal, they can do it from anywhere in the world, from any device using the internet. This makes it easier for anyone to access the portal, make changes, see important information, and make changes accordingly.

    Flexibility

    A web portal also gives a specific advantage to the customer support staff. One of the biggest issues faced by the customer support staff is constantly switching between different applications to access the relevant information. This can sometimes make the customers angry as they don’t want to wait for such long times. As it wastes the time of the support staff too, in the long run, it isn’t productive and efficient.

    A web portal makes things easier for the customer support team as it provides the flexibility to access multiple applications from a single portal just as you can access multiple settings of your web router through the 10.0.0.1 web portal. No need of switching back and forth between multiple applications if you have got a properly developed web portal that provides flexibility.

    Tighter Security

    The safety and security of any company’s data are one of the top concerns and a properly, well-built web portal offers a high level of security to prevent any cyber attack or data breach. The safety and security of a company’s data is a major concern for its leaders because a security vulnerability or data breach can cause damage in millions. Spending once on a web portal will help you avoid these damages and not fall victim to any data breach.

    Staff Training Made Easier And Simpler

    A web portal also makes the training of new staff members easier. When all of the applications are available on a single platform and workflows are channeled through a single portal, it becomes easier to train new staff members since they will only have to master a single platform in order to get accompanied to the workflows. With a web portal, the whole process of new staff learning and training becomes a much simpler process.

    It is much easier to train people on a single platform than having to train people across different software and different applications. 

     

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  • The thought process behind the small changes made to the icon for the Chrome Browser

    The thought process behind the small changes made to the icon for the Chrome Browser

    It was back in February when we told you that Google was going to change the icon for the Chrome Browser. The changes that were proposed at that juncture included eliminating the shadows between the colors. This had the effect of removing the 3D effect that made the red-colored area look as though it was “floating” above the yellow-hued part of the Chrome icon.
    Google today printed the results of an interview with user experience interaction designer Elvin Hu and visual designer Thomas Messenger that discusses the origin of the Chrome icon and gives more details about what it originally supposed to be (a soccer ball?) and what it represents.
    Messenger said that the original design was going to be a rocket ship with a red lightning bolt. This was created to represent how fast Chrome could take users from website to website. However, the rocket ship design was dropped and Messenger explained that “…our team decided to move away from a literal rocket ship in the end, and came to a design that looked approachable and clickable that still captured the spirit of Google.”

    The recent update was necessary, said Hu, because eight years had elapsed since the last icon change and the Chrome team wanted to give Chrome “a refreshed and modern look to reflect how Chrome has evolved as a product. We also noticed that the visual design of modern operating systems was becoming more stylistically diverse, so it was important that the Chrome icon felt more adaptable, native and fresh no matter what device you used.”

    Hu added “We simplified the main brand icon by removing the shadows, refining the proportions and brightening the colors, to align with Google’s current brand design. We also found that placing certain shades of green and red next to each other created an unpleasant “glow” between the two colors, so we introduced a very subtle gradient to the main icon to make the icon easier to the eyes compared to using flat colors.”

    While the changes made by Google to the Chrome icon wouldn’t stand out to the average user, Messenger noted that Google considered a more complex change to the Chrome icon. “In the exploratory phase, we tried all kinds of ideas; softening corners, different geometries, whether or not to separate the colors with white. We also tried options that further departed from the overall shape we’ve been using for the past 12 years. But we knew how well the four Google colors and circular composition are recognized, so we decided not to deviate too much from that.”
    The process was “fun” according to Hu and he noted that the brainstorming sessions led to multiple possibilities for a new Chrome icon. Google stress tested many of the colors to make sure that any changes wouldn’t result in the Chrome icon getting lost. The change also allowed the icon to be more easily viewed even when small.
    The Chrome Browser is the default browser on many Android phones (this writer prefers the Samsung Internet Browser on his Pixel 6 Pro, and the Opera Browser on iOS). It can be downloaded from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. Chrome does come with Google Search and Google Translate built-in. Since it is the default browser on Android, many with Android-powered devices never bother to consider using other options which is why the app has been installed over 10 billion times according to the data found in the Google Play Store.
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  • Standards drive growing opportunities for the satellites industry

    Standards drive growing opportunities for the satellites industry

    Terry Bleakley, SVP in Asia, Intelsat, discussed in an interview the importance of standards in the satellite industry and highlighted how the company is leading in this area. He also shed light on the main growth opportunities presented to Intelsat in different areas of the satellites industry.

    How are satellite operators planning to integrate their satellite capabilities with terrestrial telecoms technology? 

    Organizations have different strategies. Looking back at the history of the satellites industry, it’s been very heterogeneous and sits outside telecom networks in general. We really need to become homogeneous and fit more with the telecom network. Statistics have shown that telecommunications and paid TV spend every year about $1.6 trillion and satellite makes up around $16 billion, which is about 1%. Therefore, to become more relevant, our solutions should interact more seamlessly with standards.

    At Intelsat, we have a $2 billion unified network made of three components, namely virtualization, standards, and smart edge terminals. The virtualization is about software-defined satellites which are very flexible. The second component is standards; Intelsat is working towards open standards. The satellite industry has been heterogeneous which makes it difficult to interface and doesn’t allow you to get scale. Being part of the telecom network gives us scale.

    In this framework, we will chair the NTN segment of the 3GPP as part of the Release 17 of 5G standardization efforts, which is considered a first in the industry. Never before has a satellite operator been involved in 3G or 4G standards.

    Moreover, we’re the first satellite operator to get MEF Ethernet certification which will allow our network to interface seamlessly with the Ethernet portion of the network.

    The third part of the standards is: DIFI (digital IF). At the moment the radio signal- IF is analog and we need a standard around the digital IF.

    As the 5G standard is adopted, new markets will evolve for satellite operators, IoT, private 5G network and cellular backhaul for densification because the wave form of 5G doesn’t go as fast as transmitting more information so it needs more cell sites and edge devices. Based on some of those opportunities, a market doesn’t really exist today for satellite; it’s just starring and in 2030, it will become an 8 billion dollar market of satellite operators. There’s a driving force for us to adopt 5G and embrace it and work with the telco operators.

    How will this impact the affordability and accessibility of satellite broadband services in the future? 

    The market we see growing is cellular backhaul, cloud connectivity, and private networks. People have this strange idea that satellites are not able to do video and voice over and the first thing people want to see from our network is whether Teams works and when they see it working seamlessly, they are convinced that geo-satellite works.

    If we look outside the traditional telco, we see a lot of growth in mobility. Our FlexMaritime Networks is a managed service that we provide and that connects ships using our capacity. We connect 9,000 ships today. In addition, we acquired in-flight connectivity company GOGO commercial aviation as well this year and we’ve incorporated that into Commercial Aviation Intelsat.

    We are looking at how we can bring our relationships with the media companies to aircraft passengers and how to strengthen our opportunities in that area. We already work in the US with T-Mobile for providing a more seamless experience for the passengers when they get on an aircraft. As we build out our 5G core, and we have a 5G network on the plane, we become a roaming service provider for them.

    Will the industry see the same growth cycles back in five or 10 years ago?

    Satellites industry has gained more awareness in recent years which has allowed us to meet more MNOs and high profile executives and has given us the chance to tell our story: We’re a 5G multi-led multi-orbit satellites network. We are getting a lot of business for growing cellular backhaul.

    We also see opportunities in government-lead initiatives to connect schools, hospitals, and governments remotely. These government-funded projects aim to reduce the digital divide and found in satellites the solution to solve their issues.

    Moreover, private LTE is getting more interest in terms of extending the cloud to remote areas.

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