The space-based communications industry seems to be gaining the momentum to achieve higher orbits almost by the day, and the latest move by a global operator to expand its reach through satellite communications has seen telco and digital service provider Orange enter into a strategic commercial partnership with satellite operator Telesat to offer new satellite connectivity options.
Orange first extended its range of broadband solutions in France with a satellite service in November 2023 through a partnership with satellite company Eutelsat and essential equipment firm Nordnet, with a service designed to enable customers in mainland France to access superfast broadband, wherever they are.
The latest partnership is intended to strengthen Orange’s ability to meet customer needs in underserved regions, adding a new secure, reliable, low-latency, seamless connectivity option to the existing multi-orbit portfolio of satellite collaborations.
As part of Orange’s connectivity network, with ground stations in 26 countries and territories worldwide, Orange’s Bercenay-en-Othe WTA Tier-4 certified teleport will act as a pivotal asset in providing the right connectivity solution. By combining Telesat’s advanced satellite technology with 45-year expertise in providing gateway and connectivity services, Orange believes the collaboration strengthens the resilience of its global digital infrastructure and furthers digital inclusion in the most remote areas.
Also under the terms of the agreement, a Telesat Lightspeed Landing Station will be hosted at the Bercenay-en-Othe teleport so that the operator can benefit from ground segment connectivity with its point of presence (PoP) located in Paris over Orange Wholesale International Private Line (IPL). Additionally, Orange signed a capacity commitment for the Telesat Lightspeed low Earth orbit (LEO) service, which will be integrated into its global portfolio of services for businesses.
“I’m greatly honoured that Telesat has chosen Orange’s Bercenay-en-Othe teleport as the first European gateway for their Telesat Lightspeed network. More than that, I’m excited by the new partnership that we’re entering into, which says much about the expertise of Orange Wholesale as a space network operator and our capacity to offer world-class ground infrastructure for the most advanced satellite constellations,” commented Emmanuel Rochas, CEO of Orange Wholesale International.
“We look forward to expanding our connectivity solutions with Telesat Lightspeed, enhancing the resilience of our network for mobile backhauling, crisis response and remote connectivity,” added Rochas.
In addition, Telesat Lightspeed Carrier Ethernet services deliver connectivity that’s backed by service level agreements so that operators such as Orange can configure and monitor services in real time, redirecting capacity as needed without satellite operator intervention. The enterprise network guarantees a zero-trust security architecture that is said to be aligned with the latest security industry standards.
“This strategic partnership highlights our commitment to delivering resilient connectivity solutions through our advanced, fully integrated space and terrestrial infrastructure,” said Telesat’s chief commercial officer Glenn Katz.
“We are honoured that Telesat Lightspeed will help improve connectivity in remote areas for Orange’s customers in Europe, Africa and other locations throughout the world. Our Telesat Lightspeed solution has been designed to meet telco standards and we are pleased to count Orange, one of the largest global telcos, as a Telesat Lightspeed strategic partner,” added Katz.
