Bold Vision. Proven Impact.

Upcoming launch of four additional O3b satellites will seamlessly scale MEO constellation which has positively impacted millions of people with low-latency, high-performance broadband services, and mark transition into its next-gen MEO system

Four additional O3b medium earth orbit (MEO) satellites are scheduled for launch by Arianespace in Kourou, French Guiana and will mark a significant milestone in SES’s O3b MEO journey. The Soyuz launch will also bring the number of O3b satellites launched to 20.

The addition to the O3b constellation is much anticipated by SES’s customers around the world which include mobile network operators, cruise operators, internet service providers, and governments, among others.

The seamless scalability of the constellation means that the additional satellites will enhance coverage across the globe and enable SES Networks to provide greater service availability and reliability to cater to the increasing demand for networked applications in the government, telecom, cloud, maritime and energy markets. The satellites were built by Thales Alenia Space.

O3B LAUNCH 2019 STEVE NEWS MARCH 30 ‘19- V1: https://vimeo.com/327420274

As the only operationally- and commercially-proven non-geostationary satellite orbit (NGSO) broadband constellation, the constellation of 16 O3b MEO satellites system has been successful since its first launch in 2013 and is delivering today: everything from 3G /4G LTE connectivity in rural areas, connecting customers to the IBM Cloud, delivering premium broadband services for cruises operators such as Carnival and MSC, enabling peacekeeping efforts, complementing Project Loon’s connectivity, among others.

The unique high-throughput O3b constellation has been key in helping SES achieve its bold vision of changing lives by connecting people. Its proven impact can be felt by customers operating in nearly 50 countries today:

• Delivering services to more than 15 million mobile network end users
• Providing a superior guest experience to over 38 million cruise passengers annually  
• Serving 4 out of the 6 oil & gas super majors in key offshore markets
• Enabling the cloud-scale era for millions of end users worldwide
• Transforming how government and humanitarian agencies conduct their most demanding missions. Two examples below:

1. Providing digital access to over 10,000 civil servants in Burkina Faso
2. Restored connectivity for millions affected by natural disasters in Peru and Puerto Rico

About O3b MEO satellites

The O3b constellation delivers fibre-equivalent performance and has massive geographic reach, enabling the delivery of high-performance data networks and solutions – including cloud services and applications – across the globe.

Positioned at approximately 8,000km away from the earth, the O3b MEO satellites are approximately ¼ of the distance from the earth than traditional geostationary (GEO) satellites. The Ka-band constellation will enable SES to continue the drive towards digital equality and generate social and economic development by delivering high performance communications anywhere, even in the most remote areas. By scaling the O3b MEO constellation efficiently, SES Networks will be able to offer more capacity, enhanced coverage, increased efficiencies and greater flexibility.

Related content 

View here for the O3b MEO Journey Infographic

Read the O3b Satellites Shipment Press Release

Visit the O3b Satellites Launch 2019 Media Gallery

Watch what Customers say about the O3b Service

Customer Testimonial: Dataco: https://vimeo.com/311652758

Customer Testimonial: Entel: https://vimeo.com/293092504

Customer Testimonial: Presta Bist: https://vimeo.com/246179075

Customer Testimonial: Carnival Cruise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZDcizdR9z8&feature=youtu.be