The agreement supports the delivery of multiple TV channels spanning entertainment, cinema, and lifestyle programming throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, utilising a hybrid satellite and IP distribution architecture designed to maximise reach, resiliency and operational flexibility.

The Road to Interoperability

This Year’s DIFI PlugFest Comes with a Reality Check for Industry Tech

By: Stuart Daughtridge, DIFI Consortium

As DIFI members begin to kick the tires on the new, more resilient version 1.3 of the standard, we’ll be especially focused on real-world conditions with typical traffic hurdles. Ultimately, it makes our takeaways more functional. That’s why DIFI PlugFest USA 2026 is adding a second test system, replicating a “live” end-to-end network complete with Layer 2 switching and satellite link emulation via host Keysight’s PROPSIM channel emulators.

That’s in addition to the main interoperability setup from PlugFest Europe25, where it was originally used to advance multi-vendor compatibility across the satellite ground segment. Together these systems will offer members and industry engineers our most immersive, hands-on environment yet in which to collaborate and test the interoperability of digital intermediate frequency (IF) technologies using version 1.2.1 or 1.3 of DIFI this time around.

Released in July 2025, version 1.3 significantly improves the process of establishing a link between two devices, and we’re hearing from multiple companies that want to demonstrate compatible capabilities or learn more about implementation efforts. This will be their first chance.

We’ll also be leveraging our newly ratified DIFI certification test procedures and evaluating interoperability profiles and test documents for the next phase. It’s no secret that military services like the Army want third-party certification, and this is the next step on the path to establishing a third-party test house.

Help shape the agenda by submitting your technologies for testing and discussion topics before the event at Keysight’s facilities in Santa Clara, California from Oct. 5-8.

We’re expecting record participation from international companies interested in contributing to our open, transparent process of troubleshooting bugs and different interpretations of the specification to make DIFI more robust. PlugFest also offers them greater exposure and confidence in their latest solutions.

One week later, the DIFI Consortium will reconvene in Rockville, Maryland for a full-day Digital Transformation of Satcom workshop as part of MILCOM 2026. We’ll focus on the use of digitization and virtualization in next-generation satcom systems and share the fresh results from PlugFest.

The satellite industry is increasingly connected as satcom networks evolve into multi-orbit, multi-band, hybrid architectures reliant on digital transformation to scale and interoperate for operational flexibility. That also means technologies are changing faster than ever, with these two events helping companies remain at the forefront. - More>>

By: Madeline Durrett

The space industry is producing more orbital data than ever before. Governments, commercial tracking firms and satellite operators are all feeding observations into an increasingly dense web of space situational awareness systems.

But the problem is no longer simply gathering data – it is determining which data can actually be trusted.

As orbital activity accelerates, the long-standing structural weaknesses in the systems designed to coordinate spacecraft safety are becoming increasingly apparent. While spacecraft operators are sharing more information than they did a decade ago, the underlying infrastructure relies on outdated algorithms and remains fragmented across incompatible standards, inconsistent sensor quality and incomplete catalogs of objects in orbit, said Dan Oltrogge, chief scientist and director of the Center for Space Standards and Innovation at COMSPOC.

“We are tracking only a tiny fraction of the millions of objects in space,” Oltrogge said. Many smaller objects remain effectively invisible to current tracking systems even though they can still do serious, if not lethal, damage to a satellite, he said.

The challenge is no longer theoretical. Typical spacecraft operators today, relying upon free-to-operator public SSA data and lax collision probability action thresholds, are mitigating less than 10% of collision risk, according to Oltrogge, citing findings from a recently published study presented at the International Academy of Astronautics SSA Conference in Madrid, Spain. In some scenarios, the effective number was even lower, he said.

Typical spacecraft operators today, relying upon free-to-operator public SSA data and lax collision probability action thresholds, are mitigating less than 10% of collision risk. — Dan Oltrogge.

“That indicates that even though we have processes for avoiding collisions, they are not effective,” Oltrogge said.

The models used in the study, having been validated in the operational context, projected collision rates across debris-on-debris events, active satellite encounters and large constellation environments using volumetric encounter analysis and synthetic covariance modeling. One of the more striking findings involved what Oltrogge described as “fratricide,” inside large constellations – scenarios in which operators fail to prevent collisions between their own spacecraft.

Oltrogge explained that while most large constellation satellite operators will prioritize preventing this from happening, there are conditions beyond the operator’s control where their constellations could become “unmanaged,” including a cyber-attack, a Carrington-like event, a nuclear detonation in space or attacks already threatened by other countries. The risk is very real and could result in serious collisions, breakup and secondary follow-on collisions. “This is what can happen if you, as an operator, don’t or are unable to respond when your satellite is at risk,” Oltrogge said.

A Space Economy Built Faster Than Its Standards

For decades, orbital coordination involved a relatively small group of experienced state actors. That environment no longer exists.

“There are many, many operators and countries involved in space,” Oltrogge said, including new space actors that are still learning operational norms and technical procedures.

The result is a rapidly expanding ecosystem where spacecraft operators often lack shared terminology, compatible data formats or common operational assumptions. There’s a growing need for international consensus around everything from reference frames and timing systems to orbit element definitions, maneuver descriptions and covariance formatting, Oltrogge said.

It isn’t that standards don’t exist. Rather, in some cases, the risk is that many of today’s spacecraft were built before some of the latest interoperability frameworks and data exchange standards were developed.

“Spacecraft might have between a five- and a 15-year lifetime,” he said. “The satellites that are up today, the oldest ones, were built 15 years ago – before these standards even existed.”

That lag has left portions of the industry dependent on flight dynamics systems incapable of supporting newer data exchange forms, said Oltrogge. Operators are now attempting to modernize coordination practices while relying on infrastructure designed for an earlier orbital era, he said.

“It’s going to take time for operators to embrace and adopt and incorporate these various data exchange standards,” Oltrogge said.

Operators are now attempting to modernize coordination practices while relying on infrastructure designed for an earlier orbital era, and trying to centralize all orbital information into a single system could prove challenging, Lieutenant Colonel Devon Messecar said during a panel at April’s Space Symposium.

“Can we make one data lake to rule them all? I feel like that’s a little bit of a fool’s errand,” Messecar said.

The Industry’s “Minimum Consensus” Problem

The difficulty is not only technical. It is also cultural.

Parts of the space industry have become overly focused on achieving the smallest possible consensus around data sharing rather than building systems designed for long-term operational transparency and effective collision risk mitigation approaches, said Oltrogge.

“There is an unhealthy tendency amongst the space community … that they’ll focus on what is the minimum consensus level of data sharing that everyone can agree to,” he said.

That approach may simplify diplomacy, but it can also limit the effectiveness of collision avoidance systems, Oltrogge warned. Sharing contact information alone, for example, is insufficient for meaningful coordination if operators are unwilling to exchange ephemeris data, uncertainty estimates, spacecraft dimensions or planned maneuvers, he said.

“We already know, based on literally decades of experience mitigating collision risk, that we need to share more than that,” he said.

The shift has already started in some areas. When Intelsat first offered to share ephemeris data around 1999, the idea was viewed as unusually proactive transparency within the industry, Oltrogge noted.

“All the other operators were like, ‘Whoa, that’s kind of crazy,’” he said.

Today, ephemeris sharing is increasingly treated as a normal part of responsible operations. Some operators are also beginning to share planned maneuvers in advance, a practice that would once have been considered commercially or strategically unwise, Oltrogge said.

“Times are changing,” Oltrogge said. “The willingness to share information that’s critical to spaceflight safety is really exciting.”

Emerging national standards efforts such as ISO 9490 (Space Traffic Coordination) and the UN SSA Expert Group signal that governments and operators increasingly recognize the need for broader interoperability and transparency, said Oltrogge. The UN SSA Expert Group was rapidly approved by UN members because of the widespread agreement that SSA and spaceflight safety are important. A survey of this new UN SSA Expert Group indicated a willingness from operators to share points of contact information, as well as positional knowledge of their spacecraft, error information, launch parameters and basic vehicle characteristics for the purpose of flight safety, he said.

But the industry still needs to move beyond designing systems around the bare minimum, he added. “We need standards that allow those who want to share more to share more,” Oltrogge said. “We should identify ways to share the data that kind of future-proof this.”

Incentivizing Coordination Among Operators

However, some operators are still resistant to sharing data with third parties, said Andrew D’Uva, president at Providence Access Company and senior policy advisor for the Space Data Association. This delicate balance between transparency and operation protection is shaping newer coordination systems, like the Space Safety Portal – a library of flight dynamics information from various member companies managed by GMV, said D’Uva.

“Our mission is very focused: spaceflight safety and the long-term preservation of the space environment,” D’Uva said.

The Space Safety Portal allows operators to contribute planned maneuvers and conjunction information while restricting broader access to proprietary operational data, D’Uva said. Operators receive “only the minimum extent necessary” of information about another object to manage a potential collision risk.

Data Fusion’s Central Role in Space Safety

As the volume of orbital observations grows, another problem emerges: No single sensor can “do it all.” Radar systems, optical telescopes, transponder ranging, passive RF and other tracking networks operate with varying accuracies, observation cadences and orbital regimes, noted Oltrogge. Some are optimized for low Earth orbit, while others focus on geosynchronous orbit or cislunar space. Many systems cannot easily process observations outside their own domain, Oltrogge said.

COMSPOC’s approach centers on large-scale data fusion, according to Oltrogge.

“You gather all the data, fuse that data together across all sensor types to obtain the best SSA information possible using that data.”

In practice, that means combining observations from multiple sensor types and organizations into a single orbit determination process, then continuously evaluating and favorably weighting those data sources which improve the solution the most, while de-weighting those sources which degrade it, said Oltrogge.

“Some of them are going to match really well to the final solution,” Oltrogge said. “Some of them are going to prove to be not that useful.”

The process allows analysts to de-weight unreliable observations and reduce dependence on lower-quality inputs, with that feedback loop critical to operational spaceflight safety, Oltrogge said.

The value of fusion extends beyond accuracy alone. For one, it creates resilience against corrupted or misleading data. Additionally, geographic and sensor diversity fundamentally improve orbital certainty, said Oltrogge.

“If you have only one sensor type, you are banking all your eggs in that basket,” he said. “But, for example, if you combine radar and optical, you get a very strong solution.”

By contrast, combining observations across disparate systems creates a built-in verification mechanism, said Oltrogge. A spoofed or degraded dataset becomes easier to identify when cross-checked against multiple independent sources, he said.

That architecture may become increasingly important as automated systems and machine learning tools assume larger roles in orbital operations, he said.

These integration challenges aren’t limited to commercial operators. Similar concerns are surfacing across broader Space Force modernization efforts, where officials argue that orbital coordination issues now hinge as much on infrastructure and data architecture as on sensors themselves. “You can’t really have one without the other when it comes to data transport and data federation,” Messecar said during the April panel.

The Limits of Automation

Automation may accelerate conjunction analysis, but it can also amplify systemic errors when underlying models fail, said Oltrogge, pointing to space weather as a current vulnerability.

Orbit determination systems often rely on atmospheric drag models generated from external space weather indices. During severe geomagnetic events, these models can quickly become inaccurate, Oltrogge said.

Orbit determination systems often rely on atmospheric drag models generated from external space weather indices. During severe geomagnetic events, these models can quickly become inaccurate. — Dan Oltrogge

“The proxies that feed those atmosphere models may inaccurately reflect what the atmosphere is doing at times,” he said.

When that happens, orbit determination systems begin fitting trajectories against fundamentally flawed assumptions.

“You’re going to get a bad orbit solution in those cases,” Oltrogge said.

The danger is not isolated inaccuracies but the possibility that multiple operators relying on similar automated pipelines inherit the same modeling error simultaneously, Oltrogge said.

To counter that risk, operators across both the government and private sector are increasingly emphasizing operational feedback loops and live-data training environments rather than purely automated decision pipelines, Space Force Lieutenant Colonel Amber Johnson said during the April panel.

The industry also needs faster atmospheric drag updates, improved physics-based models and better validation mechanisms capable of identifying when orbital solutions begin failing at scale, he said.

“If you see that process failing for a whole bunch of satellites in low Earth orbit, you know something is up,” he said.

Building an Authoritative Orbital Catalog

As governments and commercial firms compete to build large-scale SSA libraries, the question is increasingly becoming which systems will be treated as authoritative.

The answer, said Oltrogge, depends less on ownership than on interoperability and breadth.

Libraries designed around a single orbital regime may struggle to scale across the broader space environment, Oltrogge said. Systems that can process observations across LEO, GEO and cislunar space are likely to become more operationally valuable over time, he said.

Systems that can process observations across LEO, GEO and cislunar space are likely to become more operationally valuable over time. - Dan Oltrogge

Equally important is whether operators themselves participate directly in the ecosystem, said Oltrogge.

“It’s not just the SSA companies that need to be involved – the satellite companies need to be front and center,” he said.

Without direct collaboration between tracking providers and spacecraft operators, even sophisticated fusion systems will continue operating with incomplete information, Oltrogge said.

A Call to Action for the Public Sector

Governments will also need to play a larger role in supporting commercial SSA infrastructure and authoritative catalogs designed specifically for spaceflight safety, Oltrogge added.

“I don’t think that U.S. government investment in commercial SSA products and services and data fusion capabilities has really met the need,” he said. Meanwhile, other countries and regions are moving more aggressively toward integrating commercial SSA capabilities into operational infrastructure, Oltrogge said.

Ultimately, the challenge is less of a technological race and more an issue of collective coordination, said Oltrogge. The industry already possesses many of the tools required to improve orbital safety. What remains uncertain is whether operators, governments and commercial providers are willing to integrate them deeply enough to matter before congestion outpaces cooperation, Oltrogge said.

“At all levels – UN, ISO, the global community – we know we have to share this responsibility,” he said. “We need to build this deep collaboration infrastructure as much as we can.” - More>>

The Leo Europe 3 (LE-03) mission on an Ariane 64 rocket took off at 9:22 a.m. local time from Kourou, French Guiana (8:22 a.m. ET). This mission will deploy 36 Amazon Leo satellites, compared to 32 satellites on the previous Arianespace missions. The satellites are set to deploy 1 hour and 51 minutes into the mission. 

It is the first mission in the Ariane 64 configuration to feature upgraded P160C boosters, which carry more solid propellant and are designed to increase performance by 10%. These boosters are designed to to replace the P120C version of the booster that has flown on the first flights of Ariane 6. 

Increasing the pace is critical for Amazon Leo, which is preparing for an initial service rollout this year. Two of Amazon Leo’s launch vehicles, Blue Origin’s New Glenn, and ULA’s Vulcan Centaur, are not in service. Amazon recently received a waiver from the FCC for its deadline to launch half of its constellation by the end of July.

By: Madeline Durrett

The Space Force is strengthening its ties with the Army, Navy and Marine Corps by expanding its embedded workforce, a move aimed at getting space data into the hands of operators faster. But friction points remain – from slow multi-service requirements and costly shipboard terminal upgrades to legacy hardware that complicates efforts to build a more integrated architecture.

Constellations talked to Gregg Burgess, president and general manager of Orion Space Solutions, about the practical challenges of integrating space capabilities across military domains, from shipboard hardware barriers to legacy systems, and what those constraints mean for the Space Force as it adapts to the demands of modern warfare.

Transformative acquisition for $157.5 million creates a company exceeding $700 million in projected annual revenue, positioned to capitalize on accelerating global demand for mission-critical defense, satellite, space, and resilient communications solutions 

Transaction is expected to be fully funded from Gilat’s existing cash resources, supported by its strong balance sheet, which included net cash of approximately $170 million as of the end of Q1 2026

¹Acquired segment excludes mainly the Cyber and Services business line.

• Accelerates Gilat’s transformation into a leading provider of mission-critical defense and satellite communications solutions, creating a scaled organization in the rapidly evolving satellite ground infrastructure market and more than doubling Gilat Defense revenues
• Significantly expands Gilat’s U.S. presence, engineering capabilities and manufacturing footprint, reinforcing its commitment to supporting U.S. and allied defense customers and mission-critical programs
• Broadens Gilat Defense advanced communications technology portfolio, adding complementary capabilities in RF technologies, space electronics, and over-the-horizon Troposcatter Beyond Line-of-Sight (BLOS) communications
• The business acquired generated Adjusted Revenue of $187.8 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $14.9 million in Comtech’s fiscal year 2025 ended July 31, 2025, and Adjusted Revenue of $195.2 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $16.8 million for the trailing twelve months ended January 31, 2026²
• Significant increases in both revenue and cost synergies are expected from cross-selling, operational efficiencies, and scale benefits across the combined organizations
• Creates a scaled organization with projected annual revenue exceeding $700 million and projected annual adjusted EBITDA of $80 million, strengthening competitiveness for larger, more complex defense and space opportunities worldwide, and more than double Gilat Defense revenues
• Gilat Management to host a conference call today at 08:00 AM EDT / 15:00 IST to discuss the acquisition

Petah Tikva, Israel, June 15, 2026 – Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. (NASDAQ: GILT, TASE: GILT) (“Gilat”), a worldwide leader in satellite networking technology, solutions, and services, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the majority of the Satellite & Space Communications segment  of Comtech Telecommunications Corporation (NASDAQ: CMTL) on a cash-free, debt-free basis for the purchase price of $157.5 million in cash, subject to adjustments for normalized working capital.

The transaction has been unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of both Gilat and Comtech. The closing of the transaction is subject to certain regulatory approvals, including the receipt of clearance from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act (HSR), as well as other customary closing conditions. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2026.

Comtech Satellite & Space Communications segment provides satellite ground infrastructure solutions for GEO, MEO, and LEO constellations, over-the-horizon Troposcatter BLOS communications systems, engineering and other services for satellites, launch vehicles, and other manned space applications. Comtech Satellite & Space Communications segment serves a diverse, global customer base including the U.S. Department of War, allied defense agencies, and commercial customers, including satellite operators and energy companies.

²Data is based on Comtech’s publicly released financial statements and have been adjusted by Comtech to reflect the results associated with the business to be acquired. In addition, Gilat has made additional adjustments which mainly reflect its accounting policies and expense allocations.

Executive Commentary

“This acquisition represents a transformative milestone in Gilat’s evolution into a larger, more diversified defense communications and space technology company,” said Adi Sfadia, CEO of Gilat.

“Over the past several years, we have strategically expanded our capabilities and presence in the defense market. The addition of Comtech’s Satellite & Space Communication segment significantly accelerates this strategy by increasing our scale, strengthening our U.S. presence, and expanding our ability to address larger and more complex defense and space programs. We are committed to continuing to invest in these technologies, supporting existing customers and building upon Comtech’s decades-long heritage serving mission-critical programs,” added Mr. Sfadia.

“Additionally, this transaction enables our diversification into adjacent domains, including space-based infrastructure and Troposcatter BLOS communications, while expanding our access to a broader set of customers, including NASA, other space agencies, and additional defense and military organizations worldwide,” concluded Mr. Sfadia.

Ken Traub, Chairman, President and CEO, Comtech Telecommunications Corp., added, “We are pleased to have entered into this mutually beneficial transaction with Gilat.  Gilat will be a natural home for Comtech’s Satellite & Space business as they share a commitment to innovation and customer support for the future of the satellite and space communications market.” - More>>

https://www.gilat.com/pressreleases/gilat-to-acquire-comtechs-satellite-space-communications-segment-creating-a-leading-provider-of-advanced-defense-and-satellite-communications-solutions/

Gilat Satellite Networks Comtech Telecommunications Corp.

Partnership advances secure, high‑performance AI capabilities for governments, enterprises and critical sectors, strengthening trusted AI adoption and digital resilience across the region

Singapore, 10 June 2026 – RE:AI, the sovereign AI cloud business of Singtel Digital InfraCo, and a global AI data and memory infrastructure provider, today signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to build and deliver sovereign AI infrastructure solutions across Singapore and the broader ASEAN region. The partnership will create a comprehensive foundation to drive AI adoption across critical infrastructure sectors.

The collaboration combines Singtel’s RE:AI sovereign AI cloud infrastructure, Paragon network orchestration platform and end-to-end managed services, with WEKA’s NeuralMesh, a high-performance, software-defined storage system that ensures GPUs are continuously supplied with data to optimise their productivity and performance. By removing storage bottlenecks and minimising idle GPU time, NeuralMesh helps organisations maximise infrastructure efficiency, accelerate AI workloads and innovation while maintaining full control over their data. Singtel will also integrate NeuralMesh as the high-performance data foundation for its GPU-as-a-Service, which is offered through a Centre of Excellence for Applied AI in collaboration with a leading AI technology partner. This provides governments and enterprises with a robust platform to develop, deploy and scale production-grade AI applications more rapidly, efficiently and securely. 

Mr Bill Chang, CEO of Singtel Digital InfraCo, said, “As sovereign AI adoption accelerates across ASEAN, governments and enterprises require infrastructure that is secure, compliant and built to perform at scale. Modern AI is no longer limited by compute power alone. The real bottleneck is how quickly data can reach GPUs, making high-speed data architecture just as critical as the GPUs themselves. By partnering with WEKA, we are addressing this challenge and strengthening our sovereign AI platform by bringing together trusted cloud infrastructure, advanced data capabilities and network intelligence, so that customers can deploy complex AI workloads with confidence.”

Across the region, demand is growing for AI environments that meet data residency requirements, regulatory alignment and operational autonomy. Agentic and reasoning-based models are fuelling this demand, requiring microsecond latency, faster, more reliable access to large datasets, and consistent throughput that traditional storage architectures struggle to provide.

Mr Liran Zvibel, co-founder and CEO of WEKA, said, “Sovereign AI in the ASEAN region is not simply about where data is stored. It's about developing future-ready infrastructure that can support exascale AI innovation across the entire ecosystem. Singtel brings unmatched geographical reach, network capabilities, and operational trust to this partnership. Together, WEKA and Singtel are delivering the secure AI infrastructure foundation that empowers ASEAN’s public and private sectors to build what’s next.” 

Accelerating outcomes for governments and enterprises

Under the collaboration, Singtel and WEKA will offer a Sovereign AI Factory as a managed service to governments and enterprises across Singapore and ASEAN. The service addresses a broad range of use cases including national digital services, financial risk management, healthcare diagnostics, public safety, and smart transport and utilities operations.

Customers can choose from three flexible models: the Dedicated Sovereign Pod for single-tenant environments supporting highly sensitive workloads; the Regulated Multi-Tenant Sovereign Zone, which provides isolated, shared environments for regulated industries; and the Hybrid Sovereign Model, which integrates on-premises systems with sovereign cloud capacity. This flexibility allows organisations to meet performance, regulatory and cost requirements while expanding their AI capabilities efficiently.

Enabling real‑time AI from core to edge

Singtel’s unique position as both a connectivity and cloud infrastructure provider enables AI models to be developed and governed centrally within sovereign data centres, then safely extended to edge locations. This enables real‑time, ultra-low-latency applications such as traffic and video analytics, airport and port operations, as well as industrial automation. The platform also powers sophisticated AI applications, including agents built for complex, multi‑step workflows that require sustained performance across large volumes of data. - More>> 

(Via Satellite)

In late March, ST Engineering iDirect appointed Sridhar Kuppanna as its new CEO as the company navigates an increasingly dynamic and evolving market for ground tech. With Starlink shaking up the market not just from an operator perspective, but also with its vertically integrated approach, competition for ground tech solutions is increasingly competitive.

Kuppanna takes the helm as CEO after leading the company’s technology roadmap and product strategy as CTO including advances in cloud‑native, multi‑orbit connectivity and 5G non-terrestrial networks (NTN). In his first major interview as CEO, Kuppanna talks about the company’s roadmap, the impact of Starlink, the opportunities in sovereign space and why he’s optimistic that satellite is no longer niche, but part of a large communications ecosystem.

VIA SATELLITE: You have taken over at an interesting time for the company given the state of the market. Will the company change direction in any dramatic way after Don Claussen’s departure?

Kuppanna: We have a strong vision and strategy. I don’t see a need to change our direction significantly at all. But having said that, the market is pretty dynamic, so we will be nimble and respond to the market needs. I would say our focus is on pristine execution of our strategy to drive value for our customers and continue to drive and lead the modernization of the satcoms infrastructure.

VIA SATELLITE: With your previous experience with ST Engineering iDirect as CTO, will you take a different approach with technology solutions? How do you plan to evolve the company’s tech approach?

Kuppanna: In my previous role as a CTO, I worked with the rest of the leadership team to come up with the product and technology strategy and the roadmap. Having met with many of our customers over the last couple of years and receiving positive feedback on our strategy, I do believe that we are on the right track from both the technology and product strategy point of view.

We want to continue to focus on key pillars. The first one is going to be digital transformation. This is all about evolution towards cloud, native, scalable, secure, software-defined architecture and solutions. The second one is going to be the convergence of the terrestrial, non-terrestrial network (NTN), ultimately trying to deliver ubiquitous connectivity that leverages assets across all the orbits.

It is going to come down to moving towards standardization, evolution towards software and, most importantly, interoperability. That’s going to be critical as we move forward.

VIA SATELLITE: You have experience in the networking and telecom industry, how does that inform your perspective for the satellite industry?  

Kuppanna: I think one of the things in the telco industry, and this dates back several decades, is how they use standards. The telco world moved away from bespoke solutions a long time ago. Standards, whether ITU standards or IETF standards, or what we know now as the 3GPP standards for the wireless have been around for quite some time. The telco industry has been doing this for quite a long time, which leads to interoperability, and avoids vendor lock-in. Because it’s a standardized, interoperable platform, you could deploy solutions from multiple vendors in a given network. If you go to Verizon, AT&T, BT, or Deutsche Telecom, you will find that they have network equipment from multiple vendors that interoperate seamlessly with a common management and orchestration layer.

By doing that, they are able to leverage a common infrastructure, to deploy these solutions. With the 5G evolution, every piece of equipment is already virtualized and it’s cloud native. So you don’t have bespoke hardware solutions that are as dominant as they are in the satcoms industry today.

The evolution towards cloud was much easier in the telco world, and that happened about 10 years ago. It started with OpenStack. Most of our customers adopted OpenStack about 10 years ago in telco, and we built our network functions that could be deployed as a virtualized machine, and then it evolved more towards cloud native, Kubernetes-based architecture lately.

In the case of the satcoms industry, what we are going to see is that you are not going to go through the intermediate stage of virtualized machines and OpenStack solutions. It is going to directly jump to a Kubernetes-based cloud native architecture, instead of going through that intermediate hop.

VIA SATELLITE: ST Engineering iDirect has been going through a turnaround effort under parent company ST Engineering. In November of last year, ST Engineering said the turnaround effort was “taking longer to show results.” What needs to happen next?

Kuppanna: A lot of the dynamics have to do with how the market is evolving, the momentum shifts and timeline shifts due to the disruption that we had. And it’s no secret that Starlink coming in has disrupted the market pretty significantly.

I joined in 2023. When I attended conferences, the tone was pretty much, ‘What do we do now?’ Because Starlink is here. It is growing, and everybody was faced with this new world that they’ve not prepared for. Over the last 12 months, I’ve seen a significant shift-at SATShow this year, or even World Space Business Week last year. I observed a different trend, with a renewed focus and energy. The incumbents are now focusing more on innovation and looking at how to solve different kinds of problems. There is more emphasis on multi-orbit solutions to better compete, reducing the operational cost, moving towards virtualization. It has led to greater focus and acceleration of all the things that the incumbent should have been focused on to begin with. But sometimes you need disruption.

We are pretty optimistic that the market will settle down and players will find their niche. And one of the good things that Starlink has done to bring about a change in terms of the addressable market for the industry itself. It has accelerated virtualization. It has accelerated paths toward converged networks with 5G NTN, and the conversion between terrestrial, non-terrestrial. It is going to increase our target addressable market. We are not just going to be in this niche space, but it is going to be a broader market segment that we can target. We are optimistic that we are going to be turning the corner with this opportunity. We launched our new platform with all the key capabilities. We are positive that the results are going to show in short order.

VIA SATELLITE: SES CEO Adel Al-Saleh has recently talked about how SES is looking to vertically integrate. With Amazon Leo and Starlink already going down this road, what do such strategies mean for ST Engineering iDirect, as well as other ground segment players?

Kuppanna: Ground infrastructure is a critical component to this entire solution. Even though our customers are talking about vertically integrated solutions. I don’t think that equates directly to a system like what Starlink has.

There is going to be tremendous value in adopting standardization, and you can offer vertically integrated solutions using a standard, interoperable ground infrastructure without being vendor-locked. I do believe that when we talk about vertically integrated solutions, it can be by adopting standardization, still being vendor-agnostic, having a multi-vendor solution, and using common infrastructure to deploy a software-defined solution. Most importantly, I do believe that gone are the days when the customers used to think about these bespoke solutions as vertically integrated solutions. It is going to be a more open architecture, enabling more vendors to come in and compete for the ground infrastructure to leverage the best technology. However, you can still offer a vertically integrated solution value, but by allowing more vendors to play with more innovative solutions. This also brings down the cost.

You are going to find more vendors competing at cost and at higher value. If I look at again the telco industry, you are going to see that there is gear from Ericsson, Nokia, etc. You are going to see lot of these vendors providing network gear to these large operators. I do see that kind of trend playing here as well. You can still bundle it up with common infrastructure, common management, orchestration, and offer integrated services to the end user.

VIA SATELLITE: It seems all across the value chain, companies are finding it difficult to compete with Starlink. Your predecessor talked about that challenge a lot. Do you think the company has gotten a handle on that challenge?

Kuppanna: I do. There are certain segments in the low-end consumer market and some of the commercial verticals are going to be a challenge to beat and compete on price. I don’t think there is any dispute on that.

But having said that, I believe convergence and standardization is going to bring down costs. And the reason for that one is you have more satellites being launched. You are going to see a lot more bandwidth available. The bandwidth costs are going down. You also have the geopolitical dynamics that will play a big role. We are going to see more emphasis on sovereign networks, critical infrastructure. You are going to see more countries wanting to own their own network. You are also going to see that the regional operators are going to play a significant role. That is because the countries use satellite communication for critical infrastructure, their defense use cases and sovereignty is going to become extremely important.

When you think about high value critical infrastructure, they don’t want to be locked into a single vendor, whether it is Starlink, Amazon or any other. You are going to see more multi-vendor solutions that they can pick and choose between multiple service providers to have a resilient, robust infrastructure that protects them from not only availability and resiliency, but also from the geopolitical dynamics.

VIA SATELLITE: You mention sovereign networks, which have been a large topic of conversation recently. How does ST Engineering iDirect fit into the conversation around sovereign space?

Kuppanna: We are working with many of our customers who are looking for sovereign networks. There are various layers of sovereignty. The base level is they will acquire gear from trusted partners, but they would like to have complete control over the operations of that network. The second tier is they will they want to control the operations, but also have certain elements of the network, especially around cryptography, security and those kinds of use cases that they want to layer on top of the platform that they control. The third tier is complete sovereignty, in which case they want to be able to manufacture the components. They want to have complete control over the waveform and the security technology. In many cases, they also want us to recruit people locally in those geographies for building the product or the use of the product that they consider as sovereign. We see lot of those kind of asks.

The good news is we have expertise in building waveforms. You have seen with the European Protected Waveform (EPW) that we are developing, we have the ability all the way from the physical layer to the application layer to be to cater to these needs and build the solution specifically for these customers as well.

We have the technology know-how, and we have the experience deploying incumbency in MoDs, and we can definitely meet the customer requirements in that area. The 450 modem we recently launched is a software-defined modem that can host multiple waveforms. By allowing multiple waveforms to be hosted, it enables sovereign networks to operate with their own waveform, but also have another waveform simultaneously hosted to enable them to roam with other partners if needed. Multi-waveform software defined radio modems are going to be important.

VIA SATELLITE: Could you tell us about the traction that ST Engineering iDirect has seen for Intuition and what the levels of take-up have been? Would you say it has been a success so far?

Kuppanna: We launched this product last year and it has received a positive response. The timing was appropriate, because the customers are being to get their footing back after being disrupted by Starlink. The RFP activity has been strong, so we are going to be deploying our solution at some of the key operators and customers. We have responded to more than two dozen plus RFPs over the last few months, so the activity from our customer base has been good, and the interest has been good. We do expect that we are going to be getting a lot more traction as we move forward.

Unbound, our ground-infrastructure-as-a service offering, is gaining lot of traction because from a business model point of view. It aligns very well with our regional operators and lot of our customers who are crunched on capital for now. They don’t have the capital to spend heavily on CapEx, but they have the cashflow and they have the OpEx to spend. So having the Unbound offer there is helping us gain traction with many of our customers as well.

VIA SATELLITE: Finally, what do you hope to achieve in the first 12 months of being the CEO? 

Kuppanna: As I look to the future, I will refer back to my previous role as the CTO and head of product. I have been part of this transformation journey over the last couple of years and I have played a significant role in leading the technology product strategy, launching the Intuition platform, the four pillars that I talked about, the Intuition core for the gateway, the edge strategy that we have, the 4-series modem and other modems that we have in the portfolio.

We also have AI-driven technology for driving automation and the management and orchestration layers and a flexible go-to-market strategy. These things are going to be positioning us well as we move forward. For me, success would look like growing revenues in the market. And it should be a profitable revenue.

Our acceleration of adoption of Intuition will be a key objective of ours, and helping our customers evolve more towards cloud native architecture, more towards standardization, driving the five-year adoption and convergence of terrestrial non-terrestrial networks, enabling seamless roaming. We will be aiming to bring AI for modernization of the management and orchestration layer, and this is going to be critical. I will be looking to establish a culture where we focus on our customers — everything we do must revolve around the customers. - More>>

Benjamín Valverde, General Manager for Latin America at Hughes, said emerging countries in particular can have access to multiple providers and connectivity options in a world where space sovereignty “is under significant threat from large corporations and major powers.”

Speaking at the opening of Satellite Map Day 2026, the executive also raised the possibility of governments designating satellites as “critical national assets.” Such a designation would recognize their importance because of the vital functions they perform, ranging from national security and economic activity to connectivity and public welfare.

Opening the event, organized by Convergencialatina, Mariana Rodríguez Zani, CEO of Grupo Convergencia, said: “For years we have watched the evolution of the satellite market. Today we see something broader: space is becoming critical infrastructure for connectivity, the economy and the sovereignty of nations. The new space economy is no longer defined by what happens in orbit, but by the value it generates on Earth.”

Concept. The Eutelsat representative noted that the concept of space sovereignty has several definitions. The first is a country’s ability to independently control its activities in space without relying on external actors.

However, that sovereignty can be undermined by congested orbits and frequencies from the presence of a large number of satellites. “That congestion generates interference and reduced capacity, particularly in countries in this region. These are obstacles that make it harder for countries in the region to achieve their own space sovereignty,” Valverde said.

In that regard, he added that “another threat is dependence on a single provider or a single technology for satellite connectivity in a country. We already have several examples in the region where one satellite operator is highly dominant, and that poses a threat to a country’s space sovereignty.”

Multi-orbit solution. According to the executive, solutions to this threat include hybrid or multi-orbit networks. “By having a network that does not depend solely on LEO, MEO or GEO, but on all orbits, resilience is ensured and the use of multiple systems at the same time is ensured. These systems can also switch between different orbits to guarantee connectivity 100% of the time,” he said.

He added that the use of advanced technologies helps mitigate these threats, including satellite equipment that leverages artificial intelligence, machine learning and software-defined networks. These technologies make it possible to predict, detect and reroute traffic in response to threats.

He also said governments should promote flexible procurement policies. “At Hughes, we support procurement models that favor more than one provider, for example in the tendering process. The goal is not to depend on a single provider for critical connectivity in a country or in a region of a country,” he said. - More>>

A key focus was the evolution toward software-defined GEO satellites capable of moving capacity from one region to another based on demand.

Among the platform’s future capabilities, Ibarra highlighted the use of artificial intelligence to anticipate network congestion, optimize traffic routing, manage capacity, and improve network performance in response to weather conditions.

He also highlighted integration with 3GPP standards and direct-to-device (D2D) services, which will enable greater convergence between satellite and cellular networks. - More>>

Speaking during the first panel discussion at Convergencialatina's Satellite Map Day 2026, Guerra Najar argued that spectrum fees “should not be linked to the perceived commercial value of the service” and said the industry should move toward differentiated fee structures.

The current operating environment is one of multi-orbit operations that offer significant benefits to users—from resilience to application differentiation—but the existing fee structure penalizes that architecture because operators must pay a separate fee for each orbit. In Eutelsat's case, one fee applies to its geostationary operations and another to its LEO operations. “We face a double cost for using radio spectrum to meet a single service demand,” Guerra Najar said.

The Eutelsat executive proposed a fee structure based on the type of service being provided: services for mass-market consumers; trunk and backhaul services; and critical services for governments and defense. “Each of these three segments should be assessed differently,” he concluded. - More>>

SES says it is delivering live tournament coverage from North America to broadcasters around the world, leveraging a hybrid distribution model that combines satellite, fibre, and IP for reliability “at massive scale”.

This discussion offers a sneak peek into the topics that will take center stage at the iDirect Defence Technology Day in Munich on June 10th. From the impact of geopolitical tensions on SATCOM demand to the rise of multi-orbit, multi-frequency capabilities, the conversation explores how innovation is reshaping the defense landscape.

Key highlights include:

• The Shift in SATCOM Priorities: How developments like the war in Ukraine and the rise of LEO constellations have transformed the way governments approach satellite communications.
• Modularity and Interoperability: Why adaptable terminals and seamless integration across constellations and networks are essential for modern defense operations.
• The Role of AI and Autonomy: How AI, machine learning and software-defined networks are enabling smarter, faster, and more resilient communication systems.
• Collaboration in the Industry: The importance of partnerships and shared innovation in delivering mission-critical solutions.

As the panelists emphasize, the future of SATCOM lies in its ability to adapt to ever-changing environments, leverage cutting-edge technologies, and prioritize user needs. Whether it’s designing terminals for Arctic conditions or integrating AI to optimize bandwidth, the focus remains on delivering flexible, future-proof solutions. - More>>

This transaction follows the signing of a binding agreement with Lorca on December 12th 2025, under which Orange agreed to acquire full ownership of MasOrange for a cash consideration of €4.25 billion. Since then, Orange has obtained all the necessary approvals for the transaction to be completed, including from the European Commission.

Tara: By 2026, enterprises are demanding real-world AI outcomes rather than experimentation — what technologies will define the next phase of scalable AI deployment globally?

Sridhar: Enterprises are moving past AI pilots and into AI‑powered operations — and the technologies that matter now are the ones that deliver measurable outcomes at scale. For satcom and hybrid networks, that means three things:

• Domain‑specific AI that understands the unique behaviors of satellite networks, not generic models trained on unrelated data
• Closed‑loop automation that can predict, decide, and act without human intervention
• Unified data platforms that normalize telemetry across multi‑orbit, multi‑vendor environments

The next phase of AI isn’t about bigger models — it’s about AI that is embedded into the network fabric, continuously learning, optimizing, and resolving issues in real time. This is what moves operators toward self‑healing, autonomous networks, and it’s where we see the most immediate value emerging.

Tara: How are cloud, AI, edge, and telecom infrastructure converging, and what new ecosystem partnerships will become critical over the next five years?

Sridhar: We’re entering a convergence era where satellite, terrestrial, cloud, and edge networks operate as one integrated system — and 5G NTN is the catalyst.

Three shifts define this convergence:

• 5G NTN alignment is creating a common standards‑based framework for interoperability across space and terrestrial networks
• Cloud‑native architectures are enabling elastic scaling, distributed intelligence, and faster service innovation
• AI at the network level is driving real‑time decision‑making and more adaptive performance, essential for mobility, defense, and remote operations.

This convergence is reshaping partnerships. Operators will increasingly collaborate with:

• Cloud hyperscalers for distributed compute and AI model hosting
• Mobile network operators to deliver seamless hybrid connectivity
• Device and terminal manufacturers to embed NTN‑ready intelligence at the edge
• AI platform providers to accelerate automation and orchestration

The winners will be the ecosystems that can deliver a unified, standards‑driven, multi‑access, multi-orbit experience — not isolated networks.

Tara: Looking ahead, which emerging technologies — from agentic AI to quantum, spatial computing, or autonomous infrastructure — are most likely to reshape industries at scale?

Sridhar: For satcom and global connectivity, the most transformative technologies will be the ones that enable autonomous infrastructure — networks that can sense, decide, and act on their own.

Three stand out:

• Agentic AI that can reason, plan, and execute multi‑step operational tasks across complex networks
• Autonomous network frameworks that combine AI, telemetry, and closed‑loop automation to deliver self‑optimizing, self‑healing operations
• Quantum‑safe security to protect multi‑orbit networks as threats evolve

Spatial computing and immersive interfaces will also play a role — especially in remote operations, defense, and field maintenance — but the real industry‑wide shift will come from AI‑driven autonomy.

As networks become more dynamic and multi‑orbit, human‑driven operations simply won’t scale. The next decade belongs to intelligent, autonomous infrastructure that can adapt in real time and deliver predictable performance anywhere on the planet. - More>>

Amazon has had an FCC deadline to launch half of its planned 3,232-satellite Amazon Leo constellation by July 30 – a deadline that was set in 2020 when the constellation was initially approved. 

At this point, Amazon has 331 satellites in orbit, just a fraction of the 1,616 satellites needed to meet the deadline. Amazon asked the FCC for a waiver or extension on the 50% deployment milestone earlier this year, citing a shortage in launch availability. 

Amazon is working with multiple launch providers to get the constellation launched, this waiver comes as Arianespace readies for the third Amazon Leo mission in under five months, set for next week. 

Conditions on the Waiver

The FCC granted the waiver on June 5, but it came with conditions. According to the FCC order, any Gen1 satellites launched after the July 30 deadline will temporarily lose priority status granted in previous FCC processing rounds, referring to both the 2020 Ka/Ku-band processing round and the 2021 V-band processing round.

This loss of status will last for 20 months until March 30, 2028, or until 50% of the constellation is launched and operational. Amazon can shorten the 20-month period to 15 months if it can prove that it has constructed half of the Gen1 satellites, and secured enough launches for those same satellites.  

It seems likely Amazon will be able to avoid that full time period — the company says it has hundreds of satellites on standby and more than 100 launches on contract.

The order says that “during the temporary reassignment period, Amazon Leo will have the same coordination status as any system the Space Bureau licensed following the 2020 Ka/Ku-band and/or 2021 V-band processing rounds.”

SpaceX had filed comments in opposition to the waiver, proposing that the undeployed portion of the Gen1 system be subject to a new processing round.

The FCC will also stick to the requirement that Amazon forfeit a surety bond when the July 30 milestone is not met. 

The FCC order called these “meaningful conditions” to incentivize Amazon to deploy its satellites rapidly, while meeting the public interest of promoting a second large satellite broadband constellation. 

“The Bureau’s approach strikes the correct balance of enforcing the rules to encourage other operators to meet their deployment milestones while still encouraging and incentivizing deployment of valuable services to the American public and promoting American leadership in space,” FCC Space Bureau Chief Jay Schwarz said in the order. 

Amazon thanked the FCC and said the decision provides regulatory certainty.

“We appreciate Chairman [Brendan] Carr and the FCC’s continued support of Amazon Leo and American leadership in space. We are excited to begin rolling out service in the coming months and bring even more innovation, investment, and competition to the industry,” an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement shared with Via Satellite.

This waiver does not impact Amazon’s final deadline of deploying the full constellation by July 30, 2029, which Amazon has said it is on track to meet. 

When Amazon asked for a waiver earlier this year, the company cited a shortage in near-term launch availability with manufacturing disruptions, failures and grounding of new launch vehicles, and spaceport limitations. 

Those challenges have only continued since that request. Two of the vehicles in Amazon’s launch plans United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan and Blue Origin’s New Glenn — are currently grounded as ULA works through booster issues with Vulcan, and a New Glenn booster exploded on the launch pad during a test last week. 

Ariane 6 Mission to Deploy Record Payload 

The upcoming Ariane 6 mission for Amazon Leo will feature an upgraded booster, delivering the largest payload launched to date for both Amazon Leo and Arianespace.

The Leo Europe 3 (LE-03) mission is targeted for Wednesday, June 17 at 7:53 a.m. ET from Kourou, French Guiana, the companies confirmed Friday. This is the third Arianespace mission for Amazon Leo overall; the launch campaign kicked off in February.  

This will be the first Ariane 6 mission to introduce P160C boosters, which are designed to to replace the P120C version of the booster that has flown on the first flights of Ariane 6. The engines are one meter longer and carry more solid propellant, to increase performance by 10%. 

This mission will deploy 36 Amazon Leo satellites, compared to 32 satellites on the previous Arianespace missions. This will be the most Amazon Leo satellites deployed in a single mission to date. 

“Every additional satellite we can safely deploy on a single launch accelerates the pace at which we scale our constellation and bring reliable connectivity to customers around the world. The upgraded P160C boosters give us the performance margin to do that confidently, and we’re already looking ahead to further optimizations as we continue building out Amazon Leo,” commented Melissa Wuerl, director of Launch Systems, Amazon Leo.

Increasing the pace is critical for Amazon Leo, which is preparing for an initial service rollout this year. The constellation currently has 331 satellites in orbit after a May 29 United Launch Alliance Atlas V launch. 

Other launch vehicles will be able to launch more Amazon Leo satellites — ULA’s Vulcan rocket and Blue Origin’s New Glenn — but neither vehicle is currently in service. The Vulcan rocket will be configured for 40+ Amazon Leo satellites, and 48+ for Blue Origin’s New Glenn. - More>>

To stay as close as possible to the cybersecurity needs of companies across Spain, Orange Cyberdefense teams will initially be based in Madrid and Barcelona, supported by a dedicated local Security Center (CyberSOC) to provide continuous human-led monitoring and rapid incident response. Initially 100 experts will be recruited to support this development. Orange Cyberdefense will offer innovative and tailored solutions adapted to the size and budget requirements of each company, while also drawing on MasOrange’s extensive commercial network to address critical issues.

According to a study by Statista*^[1], Spain has been one of the most targeted countries in Europe in recent years, with 54% of companies having experienced a cyberattack. The Spanish cybersecurity market was estimated to be €2.3 billion in 2025, growing at 10%, with a highly demanding public sector that could generate more than €400 million in cybersecurity tenders over the coming years.

Hugues Foulon, EVP and CEO of Orange Cyberdefense: “In the context of ongoing digital warfare, cybersecurity must be at the heart of every strategy. Cybersecurity is no longer just a necessary expense, but a pillar that transforms organizations and strengthens our economic resilience. As threats continue to intensify, Spanish companies need the support of a trusted partner – a market leader recognised for its 10 years of experience. Our entry into the Spanish market also illustrates the implementation of our strategic plan, ‘Trust the future,’ with the ambition for Orange Cyberdefense to achieve €2 billion in revenue by 2030 and to actively contribute to the essential European digital sovereignty of our businesses.”

Meinrad Spenger, CEO of MasOrange: “Cybersecurity has become a top priority for our clients, including businesses, public sector organisations, and individuals. Thanks to MasOrange’s modern and advanced fiber and 5G connectivity infrastructure, combined with the expertise of a European leader like Orange Cyberdefense, we will create a unique market offering, establishing Orange Cyberdefense Spain as a benchmark in digital protection for customers across Spain.”

^[1] Statistica study for Orange Cyberdefense November 2025

 - More>>

The launcher is an extremely powerful Ariane 64 rocket with its four upgraded solid rocket boosters. The 36 Amazon Leo satellites arrived in Kourou on April 14th and 16th and are undergoing preparation at the Guiana Space Centre.

In an era where enterprises constantly navigate security demands, digital transformation journeys, and geopolitical uncertainties, resilience is becoming a core driver of business performance and continuity rather than optional.

As enterprises seek a more agile approach to navigating evolving conditions, Orange Business stands at the forefront of building innovative architectures that ensure the continuity of critical operations.

In an exclusive interview with Telecom Review, Sahem Azzam, President of Indirect, Middle East and Africa (IMEA) and Inner Asia, and Anas Naim, Managing Director for the Middle East and Turkey at Orange Business, discussed how Orange Business is helping enterprises build resilient, secure, and future-ready digital infrastructure, while maintaining operational agility and preparing for the next wave of innovation.

Driving Resilient and Connected Digital Ecosystems

As resilience becomes a strategic priority for organizations, Azzam highlighted how the current geopolitical environment is driving customers to reassess resilience and disaster recovery strategies.

“Today, people are becoming more flexible about data sovereignty in the country. Given our global capabilities, we can push for a hybrid data sovereignty model.” Azzam shared that this hybrid approach allows customers to access different pools of resources, capabilities, and technologies outside the region to improve data strategy and disaster recovery.

Azzam also emphasized the paradigm shift in balancing data security with operational agility, noting:

Security is embedded in every layer of the customer environment and architecture. It is present at the edge, infrastructure, and application layers.

This integration provides customers with the freedom to operate a defendable core, giving organizations the confidence to expand into other areas.

He also highlighted Orange Business’ platformization, which integrates network, cloud, and security into a unified platform. Azzam noted that as communication and data transfer rely on networks, embedding security within them is critical. At the same time, the cloud serves as the storage, seamlessly interconnecting with other components in a single environment. Platformization also enables customers to add services, offering flexibility in scaling operations up or down.

With the rapid proliferation of emerging technologies, Azzam sees artificial intelligence (AI) as a critical tool shifting resilience strategies from reactive to predictive.

We believe AI complements human efforts by enhancing efficiency through rapid data processing, with humans in the loop serving as the trusted checkpoint to ensure responsible decision-making.

However, he warned that AI should operate within a trusted environment, with correct data feeding it before application in real-world use cases. Azzam emphasized the need to build resilience-focused use cases where AI can enable faster decisions and interpret data more effectively, supporting the organizational shift from reactive resilience to proactive business continuity.

“AI can help us predict what may happen so we can take action before it does—that is the best use of AI in this domain,” he added.

Moreover, Azzam spotlighted Orange Business’ Live Intelligence platform, underscoring the significance of developing specific use cases and implementing them within the company. He also highlighted the impact of data trust, explaining that AI models should be trained on reliable data in secure environments.

Enabling Innovative Architectures and Accelerating Digital Transformation Journeys

As organizations accelerate their digital transformation efforts, the need for partners with end-to-end capabilities has become increasingly important. Naim highlighted Orange Business’ role as a global network provider and digital services integrator, which uniquely positions the company to deliver innovative digital solutions.

From a technology perspective, we combine the best of the network and digital worlds across the full scope of infrastructure, cloud, cyber, and AI.

This integrated approach is supported by consulting, architecture, and managed service capabilities, enabling Orange Business to guide customers from assessment to implementation and operations. “Our uniqueness lies in bringing global network connectivity and digital services together under one organization,” he added.

When asked about the most pressing challenges regional enterprises face when building resilient and connected digital ecosystems, Naim emphasized that each enterprise is different depending on where it is in its digital transformation journey. Some customers are still running legacy infrastructure, which hinders their ability to re-architect more resilient setups.

Another challenge is cybersecurity. “In the past, customers ran applications from centralized data centers. Today, enterprises are moving toward distributed environments, with workloads on public and private clouds and SaaS solutions,” he explained.

He noted the need to secure these distributed environments, which may lead to multi-cloud and hybrid complexities. While hybrid models offer advantages, Naim pointed out the intricacies of security, connectivity, integration, and user experience.

Data fragmentation and governance further complicate resilience strategies, particularly when striving to comply with data sovereignty laws. “You can be resilient within the country, but not as resilient as when you have both in-country and out-of-country setups,” he said.

To effectively implement and secure AI, Naim highlighted the growing need for specialized talent, including AI and cyber engineers and other related roles. He added that Orange Business addresses this challenge through its global recruitment, which enables the company to attract talents to deliver seamless services to targeted customers.

There is certainly a challenge in finding specialized talent in cyber and AI. While it is possible to find such talent, there is competition to attract high-level expertise.

While some organizations prefer to develop in-house teams, this strategic approach poses challenges. Beyond attracting talent, companies face retention challenges amid the increasingly competitive market. Naim noted that organizations invest in hiring, onboarding, and training, only to start the process all over again, ultimately impacting time, resources, and operational continuity.

To address these challenges, Orange Business is advancing its portfolio of innovative architectures. Key offerings include the Network-as-a-Service Evolution Platform, which removes the complexities organizations face in provisioning and deploying networks. Integrated with SD-WAN and SASE architecture, it converges networking and security capabilities into a unified service. Its composable architecture allows infrastructure to be provisioned programmatically.

As technology becomes more complex, AI-driven operations (AIOps) further enhance efficiency by reducing operational burden. Equally important, Naim spotlighted Orange Cyberdefense, a full cyber stack encompassing everything from assessments to fully managed services. The company’s smart campus and smart district architecture round out the company’s comprehensive portfolio.

Orange Business’ resilience strategies and extensive suite of innovative digital solutions continue to position the company at the heart of network, cloud, security, and AI. With local expertise and global reach, Orange Business proves how multifaceted resilience serves as a strategic capability and competitive advantage in an increasingly volatile world. - More>>

• Agreement to deliver Eutelsat’s LEO connectivity services across Finland
• Strengthening the resilience of telecom and data networks for enterprise and public-sector users
• Highlighting Eutelsat’s polar-orbit LEO coverage in Arctic and high-latitude areas

Paris, 8 June 2026 – Eutelsat (ISIN: FR0010221234 – Euronext Paris / London Stock Exchange: ETL) and Voimatel, a leading Finnish provider of telecommunications and critical digital infrastructure services, today announced a new partner agreement for Eutelsat’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) connectivity services in Finland.

Voimatel will integrate Eutelsat’s LEO connectivity services into its network solutions, combining satellite and terrestrial connectivity to support critical network infrastructure. The solution will deliver resilient and redundant communications for enterprise and public-sector customers across urban, rural, and remote regions.

Voimatel designs and operates fixed and wireless communication networks for telecom operators, utility companies and public-sector organisations across Finland. By integrating Eutelsat’s OneWeb LEO services, Voimatel will extend connectivity into high northern latitudes, including Arctic regions where terrestrial coverage can be limited.

Eva Bisgaard, President of Eutelsat’s Connectivity Business Unit said: “Our partnership with Voimatel reflects the growing role of LEO connectivity in supporting critical telecom infrastructure. By combining satellite and terrestrial networks, operators can strengthen the resilience and reach of their communications services, including in Arctic regions where reliable connectivity remains essential.”

Mikko Heinonen, CEO, Voimatel, added: “The addition of Eutelsat’s LEO services strengthens our ability to support telecom and data network customers across Finland. Their low-latency satellite connectivity and Arctic coverage will complement our existing infrastructure capabilities and support the evolving connectivity requirements of our customers.” - More>>

The United Arab Emirates-based telecom and digital services provider, du, has officially launched du Ventures to accelerate the next wave of digital innovation across the country and broader region.

In partnership with Shorooq, a multi-strategy investment firm, the USD 50 million corporate venture capital fund marks du’s strategic evolution beyond traditional telecommunications into a digital ecosystem player.

du Ventures is poised to invest in promising startups and founders who are transforming emerging technologies into real-world solutions, shaping the region’s digital future. The fund will target startups focusing on fintech, artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, cloud, loyalty, gaming, enterprise solutions, and customer experience innovations.

Shorooq will manage the fund, prioritizing investments that align with du’s corporate strategy. A significant portion of investments will be dedicated to UAE-based ventures.

Fahad Al Hassawi, CEO at du, highlighted:

du Ventures represents our commitment to driving meaningful digital transformation while contributing to the UAE’s ambitions to build a globally competitive digital economy.

“Through this platform, we are investing in technologies and founders that align closely with our strategic priorities. Leveraging du’s scale, infrastructure, and enterprise reach with startup innovation, we aim to accelerate the commercialization of emerging technologies and create long-term value for our customers, shareholders, and the wider economy,” he added.

Mahmoud Adi, Founding Partner at Shorooq, underscored, “Partnering with du on this initiative is a natural fit for Shorooq. We share a common belief that the region’s most promising startups deserve access to both capital and the strategic infrastructure that du can offer.”

du Ventures will enable us to bridge the gap between innovation and scale, empowering founders to bring transformative solutions to market faster.

By investing in local and regional startups, du is making a significant contribution to the UAE’s startup ecosystem, the evolution of digital innovation, and the digital economy objectives. - More>>