Vodafone boosts remote coverage with Intelsat GEO satellites

The deal will see Vodafone beef up its satellite connectivity with Intelsat’s Flex portfolio, aimed at both private and public sector customers and based on a network of GEO (Geostationary Earth Orbit) satellites. Using this, Vodafone will offer Communications-on-the-Move (COTM) services, which use a vehicle-mounted antenna, and Communications-on-the-Pause (COTP) connectivity, which comprises a compact satellite terminal.

The expanded agreement is supposed to complement Vodafone’s terrestrial networks by providing enterprises with broadband connectivity in remote and underserved areas, meaning businesses, governments and charities can do things such as such as tracking cargo, connect new or temporary sites, provide additional resilience and respond to emergency situations.

The deal will also see Intelsat’s GEO satellites plug into Vodafone’s charitable arm, Vodafone Foundation, which operates connected health and education programmes in Europe and Africa. We’re also told Vodafone Foundation is also ‘on standby’ to offer help to NGOs, governments and relief agencies responding to environmental and humanitarian disaster situations.

“Vodafone’s agreement with Intelsat adds depth and breadth to our global network,” said Marika Auramo, CEO of Vodafone Business. “With these new services, we can provide additional connectivity and resilience to customers in some of the hardest to reach places, whether they’re on the move, or need to quickly establish communications following an environmental or humanitarian disaster.”

Jean Philippe Gillet, SVP, Media, Mobility and Networks at Intelsat added: “The welfare of communities and their citizens is increasingly linked to the ability to access reliable connectivity services,” said Jean Philippe Gillet, SVP, Media, Mobility and Networks at Intelsat. “The goal of our Flex services is to make it easier for our customers to leverage the reach and reliability of Intelsat’s network to deliver connectivity wherever they may operate, be it charitable initiatives like the Vodafone Foundation or connectivity for global enterprises, industrial operations, or rapid-response organizations.”

Last week, Intelsat and Softbank announced a collaboration to roll out a network that will combine satellite coverage with 5G on the ground. The plan is to develop a single "Ubiquitous Network," that will allow for seamless 5G connections between terrestrial mobile networks and satellite networks.