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Kcell and SES Successfully
Demonstrate Cellular Network Connectivity in Kazakhstan
May 25, 2022
Kcell and SES have successfully
demonstrated satellite-enabled cellular networks in
remote parts of Kazakhstan. Kcell’s terrestrial network
was paired with SES’s O3b satellites operating in medium
earth orbit (MEO) to establish and test connectivity for
3G and 4G applications.
During the demonstration, SES’s
satellite network was validated with a series of
technical and end-user tests, proving its compatibility
with Kcell’s network to enable low-latency and
high-speed internet.
The technical phase of the
demonstration examined potential signal delays caused by
weather conditions as well as the handover process
between the O3b satellites. The established network was
further assessed for quality of experience in the
end-user testing phase.
The tests were concluded with the
following results:
The bandwidth has been established
according to Kcell’s throughput requirements at 50 Mbps
for 4G application and 30 Mbps for 3G application.
SES’s MEO satellite network
handover performed without any delays or impact on the
signal.
It was noted that latency was five
times lower than on the existing geostationary platform.
The cellular network has been
successfully leveraged for applications such as video
streaming, video calling and conferencing as well as web
browsing, meeting requirements for reliable use.
“We are extremely proud to partner
for this demonstration with Kcell, a leading company
that shares the same passion for connectivity as we do,”
said Sandeep Jalan, Chief Financial Officer at SES.
“This demonstration underscores what two like-minded
companies can achieve together, and we are delighted to
see the results proving how our medium earth orbit
satellite technology can empower MNOs like Kcell to
further enable and expand their network capabilities in
Kazakhstan.”
“Having been present in Kazakhstan
for 24 years providing high-quality mobile communication
services to the citizens, we always look for new ways to
improve our connectivity services and diversify our
networks,” said Kirill Strashenko, Acting Chief
Technical Officer at Kcell. “While working with SES on
this demonstration, we had the pleasure to be one of the
first mobile operators in the country to test their O3b
satellite communications network capabilities and see
the advantages.”
In November 2021, SES, together
with the Republican Center for Space Communications
(RCSC), a subsidiary of the Ministry of Digital
Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry, and
AsiaNetCom, a Kazakhstan-based connectivity provider,
organized a MEO demonstration in remote parts of
Kazakhstan to connect multiple villages with high-speed
Wi-Fi networks for the first time. During the trial,
record-breaking speeds via satellite have been recorded
(380Mbps downlink and 120Mbps uplink) proving SES’s
capabilities to bridge the digital divide in the
country.
ASF
2022
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14 & 15 June 2022
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