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The deal comes just a month after Softbank’s deal with Eutelsat
Japanese conglomerate SoftBank and Intelsat have announced a new partnership to develop a hybrid network solution combining satellite and terrestrial communication technology. This, the companies say, will create a “Ubiquitous Network” that offers seamless mobile connectivity, even in areas without regular mobile coverage.
This new system will allow users to stay connected using just one device and account, whether they are in remote regions, on ships, in the air, or during emergencies when ground-based networks might be unavailable. In particular, the solution will focus on use cases that rely on continuous connectivity, such as autonomous vehicles, drones, maritime transport, and disaster response teams.
“By using technology that switches between terrestrial mobile networks and satellite communication networks through roaming, we can integrate the two previously separate networks and utilize satellite communication as an extension of mobile communication,” said Hideyuki Tsukuda, Executive Vice President and CTO of SoftBank in a press release.
The two companies are working on developing technology that lets devices automatically switch between mobile and satellite networks without interruptions. They plan to integrate these hybrid solutions into the latest 5G standards, helping to make commercial 5G connectivity more widely available, especially in places where mobile networks are currently limited.
SoftBank has demonstrated a growing interest in satellite communications in recent months, having recently signed a multi-year partnership with Intelsat rival Eutelsat to make use of Eutelsat’s OneWeb low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity services. Eutelsat’s OneWeb currently has 634 satellites in orbit around the Earth, providing global coverage of low latency satellite services. The deal will initially allow Softbank to leverage this constellation across Japan, with additional countries set to follow.
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