OTTAWA, Ontario and JACKSON,
Miss., May 13, 2020
/PRNewswire/ -- Telesat, one of the largest and most successful
global satellite operators, has joined a group of tech firms led by
Mississippi-based C Spire working
to bridge the "digital divide" and help solve the rural broadband
access and adoption problem.
The firms, which also include Airspan Networks, Microsoft, Nokia
and Siklu, joined forces last year and have been testing technology
solutions, creating and building new business models and providing
training resources for individuals and communities in digital
skills to help improve internet access in rural areas.
In addition to Telesat's state-of-the-art global, geostationary
satellite fleet, the company is building Telesat LEO, a low earth
orbit network that will deliver fiber-like connectivity with a
combination of high speeds, high capacity, affordability and
ultra-low latency.
Telesat will provide analysis tools and its experience with LEO
technology to help the consortium work on new business models
designed to encourage and promote third-party engagement.
Telesat has partnered with the Canadian government to provide
backhaul to rural and remote communities as part of an effort to
bridge the "digital divide" affordably and quickly connecting the
remaining 2.2 million households across the country.
"Telesat is a leader in developing satellite technology
solutions that help consumers and businesses, no matter where they
live or work, bridge the digital divide with reliable, affordable
and high-quality internet access," said C Spire Chief Innovation
Officer Craig Sparks. "We're
excited that they are joining our efforts to tackle this complex
technical, economic and access issue."
Mississippi, with almost 28
percent of its residents lacking any broadband connectivity and
less than 18 percent using broadband, is the primary testing ground
of the group's work as nearly half of its 3 million residents live
in rural areas. The state ranks 46th nationwide in
broadband access and 47th in urban population.
Among the various fixed wireless technology solutions the
consortium is deploying and testing in rural areas of Mississippi are TV white spaces, massive MIMO
using 4G Band 41 LTE and C Spire's own 5G internet product, Sparks
said, adding that the approaches could potentially be used in
similar broadband-challenged rural areas across the continent.
C Spire is leading the effort as part of its broader Tech
Movement to build a better future for the region through technology
and education. "Improving broadband access and digital skills
represent huge opportunities for rural areas. Every student,
school and business should have the chance to reap the benefits
from wider availability and adoption," Sparks said.
Telesat's efforts in Canada
could have even broader implications beyond North America, according to Michael Schwartz, Senior Vice President of
Corporate and Business Development for the firm, noting that 48
percent of the world's population does not have high-speed internet
access. The firm's full constellation will be comprised of
298 LEO satellites that orbit the earth roughly 35 times closer
than traditional satellites.
"Telesat LEO will provide new options for mobile network
operators and internet service providers to backhaul traffic from
rural communities to their core networks," Schwartz said, noting
that the technology could make low-latency, fiber-like broadband
accessible anywhere.
Sparks echoed Schwartz's outlook about the technology and
stressed that more study and research must be completed before
implementation. "We know that delivering high capacity broadband
services is challenging – not because of the technology, but the
economics. We are working hard with partners like Telesat to
develop new business models with ways to close the broadband
adoption and affordability gap in rural communities
everywhere."
The broadband "digital divide" between U.S. cities and rural
parts of the country is substantial. According to a 2018
Federal Communications Commission1 report, over 19.4
million rural Americans still lacked basic broadband at the end of
2017 with profound negative social and economic impacts on the
nation's rural communities.
Unfortunately, the problems are even more acute in states like
Mississippi where rural residents
have limited or no access to basic broadband. A 2017
Mississippi State University Center for
Technology Outreach study2 found that the state's rural
counties lose millions of dollars a year in deferred economic
benefits due to lack of availability and slow internet speeds, a
further indication that findings from the consortium research and
testing could have a profound impact on the state's economy.
To learn more about the consortium's work, go to
www.cspire.com/rural-broadband-consortium. For more
information about C Spire's Tech Movement, go to
www.cspire.com/techmvmt.
1 FCC Communications Marketplace Report, GN
Docket No. 18-231,FCC 18-181, p.132 available at
https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-18-181A1.pdf
2 Mississippi State
University Center for Technology Outreach publication P3103
http://extension.msstate.edu/publications/publications/missed-economic-opportunity-broadband-mississippi
About C Spire
C Spire provides a full suite of
world-class, customer-inspired dedicated Internet, IP Voice, data,
managed services, cloud services, value added resale and mobile
communications to businesses and wireless, 1 Gigabit consumer
Internet access and related home services for consumers. This
news release and other announcements are available at
www.cspire.com/news. For more information about C Spire, visit
cspire.com or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/cspire or
Twitter at twitter.com/cspire.
About Telesat
Backed by a legacy of engineering
excellence, reliability and industry-leading customer service,
Telesat has grown to be one of the largest and most successful
global satellite operators. Telesat works collaboratively with its
customers to deliver critical connectivity solutions that tackle
the world's most complex communications challenges, providing
powerful advantages that improve their operations and drive growth.
Telesat LEO, our Low Earth Orbit network scheduled to begin service
in 2022, will revolutionize global broadband connectivity by
delivering a combination of high capacity, security, resiliency and
affordability with ultra-low latency and fiber-like
speeds. Privately held and headquartered in Ottawa, Canada with offices and facilities
around the world, Telesat's principal shareholders are Canada's Public Sector Pension Investment
Board and Loral Space & Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: LORL). For
more information, visit www.telesat.com.
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SOURCE C Spire