EchoStar to build a global 5G IoT satellite network based in Australia

US-based global satellite provider EchoStar Corporation has signed a deal with smallsat manufacturer Astro Digital to build the satellites for a global S-band mobile satel[1]lite service network, operated by its Australian subsidiary EchoStar Global.

The 28 satellite constellation, delivering services by the start of 2024, will provide global 5G-based IoT, machine-to-machine and other data services.

Echostar, with revenues around US$2 billion, provides satellite communications and internet services through its Hughes Network Systems and EchoStar Satellite Ser[1]vices businesses globally. Through its subsidiary EchoStar Mobile, EchoStar already operates an MSS network in Europe using its geostationary EchoStar XXI satellite, which the company said will “interoperate seamlessly” with the new Australian[1]based LEO constellation. The company also plans to launch its much delayed EchoStar XXIV satellite, also known as JUPITER 3, in the ϐirst half of this year. JUPITER 3 will deliver more than 500Gbps of highthroughput satellite capacity, doubling the size of the Hughes’ JUPITER ϐleet over North and South America.

“This [Astro] agreement represents another step forward towards our goal of a global non-terrestrial 5G network,” said EchoS[1]tar CEO Hamid Akhavan.

“With our engineering ingenuity, our service delivery expertise and our spectrum rights, EchoStar is uniquely positioned to offer worldwide S-band satellite services to help meet the insatiable demand for complete and constant connectivity.”

"These new capabilities will ϐill a gap in the connected ecosystem, greatly expand[1]ing worldwide IoT interoperability," said Melbourne-based EchoStar Global Australia managing director Josh Williams. “Our team, together with Astro Digital, has already begun integration of our Australian-based operations to bring to market a truly global solution with consistent and reliable network performance.”

WHY AUSTRALIA? EchoStar’s Australian connection began in 2019 when its subsidi[1]ary, EchoStar Global acquired Vancouver-headquartered satellite IoT company Helios Wire Corporation. The acquisition included Helios’s Australian subsidiaries Sirion Global and Sirion Holdings. Sirion Global held global spectrum rights for S-band MSS, administered by Australia through the Australian Communications and Media Au[1]thority, and has been working to develop solutions for high-volume asset tracking and monitoring applications by satellite.

At the time of the sale, Helios co-founder Peter Ruderman thanked ACMA for many years of support, demonstrated by the number of times the regulator took on the ITU’s radiocommunications body (ITU-R) to defend Sirion’s spectrum – it had gained the rights to 30MHz of S-band spectrum in 2013 originally allocated to failed medium -earth orbit satellite venture ICO Global Communications – against objections from regulatory authorities including the UK and Papua New Guinea. Satellite spectrum is given to national authorities rather than individual companies, and ACMA ϐirst regis[1]tered Sirion's ϐiling with the ITU back in 2004.

ACMA conϐirmed to CommsDay that EchoStar Global Australia has been granted exclusive rights to design a satellite system that is capable of operating “in accordance with the ITU SIRION-1 satellite ϐiling”. The ϐiling includes what is known as the 2GHz MSS band (1980-2010/2170-2200MHz) amongst other frequency bands. How[1]ever the spokesperson added that the ϐiling doesn’t give the company the right to op[1]erate a satellite in Australia – and indeed in most if not all countries – so it would still need to apply for a radiocommunications licence. “Echostar does not have a licence to operate in the 2GHz MSS band in Australia,” said the ACMA spokesperson. “Work on the allocation of MSS licences in 1980-–2005 and 2170–2195MHz is not anticipated to commence until after the 3400–3575MHz and 3700–3800MHz auction.”

Sirion Global in the past lobbied ACMA, saying that 2GHz was the cornerstone of its planned service. Sirion was seeking a single licence allocation of the entire band, Aus[1]tralia-wide for MSS with a terrestrial component.

CONSTELLATION DETAILS: Echostar’s strategy is to integrate its products and services into new global, hybrid networks that leverage multiple satellites and terrestrial technologies. The 28 satellites in this constellation design will feature an advanced software-deϐined radio with onboard storage and processing to power smart two[1]way device connectivity. The satellites will be enabled with the LoRa protocol for con[1]necting very low-cost, long-lived devices. With support for 5G non-terrestrial net[1]work (NTN) services, the constellation will serve as a foundation for EchoStar to engi[1]neer 5G-based NTN capabilities according to 3GPP release 17 speciϐications. The Lo[1]Ra capability enables seamless integration with terrestrial LoRa deployments, elimi[1]nating the need for LoRaWAN roaming.

According to satco Skybrokers, Sirion’s original constellation comprised 6U Cu[1]beSats constructed by Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems and be licensed to provide MSS on S-band frequencies at the 2,000–2,020MHz uplink and 2,180–2,200MHz downlink.

The initial operations consisted of the EG-1 satellite, which was successfully launched in August 2020 and EG-3, launched in June 2021. Additionally, EchoStar Global ac[1]quired ownership of Sirion Pathϐinder 2 or Helios Wire Pathϐinder 2, a 6U CubeSat built as a demonstrator for Sirion Global’s S-band IoT. Pathϐinder 2 was launched in December 2018, for operations under the SIRION-1 ITU ϐilings.

While it is not yet clear where Echostar Global will build its ground facilities, Sirion Global did hold a short-term earth receive licence and a ϐixed earth licence in Dubbo.

O3b mPOWER’s new ground station – one of two in Australia – is also in Dubbo and is operated by Pivotel.

Echostar’s partner Astro Digital originally provided high resolution multi-spectral images of the arable and populated land on Earth. Headquartered in Santa Clara, the company refocused to manufacture satellites in its California factory and said it now provides a follow-the-sun satellite operations model “from both the US and Australia.”

Simon Dux, Commsday

13 & 14 June 2023

Fullerton Hotel

Sydney