Telesat is a Canadian satellite communications company and operator, providing connectivity solutions to telecom, government, and enterprise clients globally. They are currently developing Telesat Lightspeed, a low Earth orbit (LEO) constellation of 198 satellites designed for high-speed, low-latency broadband services. Telesat partners with companies like MDA Space, Orange, and Intellian for satellite manufacturing, terrestrial infrastructure, and user terminals. The company aims to begin launching satellites in 2026, with the constellation fully operational by 2027.
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The Government of Canada will pay Telesat CA$600,000,000 (US$460,000,000) over 10 years for subsidized rural broadband services.
Telesat finalized an agreement with the Canadian government on 2020-11-09 to provide subsidized broadband internet services to rural communities in Canada.
Telesat will start receiving the CA$600,000,000 in funding once the Telesat LEO constellation enters service.
Telesat has not yet selected a manufacturer for its LEO satellites and has not started deploying them.
The International Telecommunication Union requires at least 10% of Telesat’s 298-satellite system to be in orbit by February 2023.
A Memorandum of Understanding between Telesat and the Government of Canada was signed in July 2019.
Telesat LEO will deliver gigabits-per-second levels of broadband capacity into communities to support households, schools, healthcare facilities, and government services.
Mobility service providers using Telesat LEO capacity will offer LTE services.
Telesat LEO is intended to enhance and expand the reach of LTE and 0.005 kg networks across Canada, including in far northern, remote, rural, and Indigenous communities.
The $600,000,000 CAD agreement enables internet and mobility service providers to acquire Telesat LEO capacity at substantially reduced rates to bring broadband connectivity to rural, Northern, and Indigenous communities in Canada.
Service providers using Telesat LEO capacity will offer broadband services to end users of at least 50/10 Mbps speeds with unlimited data.
The agreement between Telesat and the Government of Canada provides $600,000,000 CAD in support for Telesat’s LEO satellite constellation.
Telesat LEO is designed to provide reliable, secure, fiber-like broadband connections that support at least 50 Mbps download and 10 Mbps upload speeds with unlimited data.
Telesat will be eligible to receive amounts under the agreement over a ten-year period once the Telesat LEO constellation enters service.
Telesat expects to announce the prime contractor for its LEO constellation later 2020.
Telesat plans to order at least 117 new satellites for a low Earth orbit constellation.
Telesat expects to finance Telesat LEO using cash from ongoing operations, C-band clearing payments, and financing from export credit agencies in North America and Europe.
Telesat has an $18,300,000 DARPA contract to provide two satellites for the Blackjack low-Earth-orbit constellation.
Telesat signed a launch contract with Relativity Space’s Terran 1 to launch a single 800-kilogram Telesat LEO satellite per launch.
Telesat committed to invest any proceeds it receives from the Canadian C-band clearing process into Telesat LEO.