SkyTerra 1

Ligado’s SkyTerra-1 satellite network can enable Direct-to-Device services over North America and surrounding waters.

Ligado’s SkyTerra-1 satellite network can enable Direct-to-Device satellite services over North America and surrounding waters.

3GPP NB-IoT standards delivered over Ligado’s SkyTerra-1 satellite can enable a broad range of services using on-orbit Mobile Satellite Services networks.

Viasat, Ligado, and Skylo plan to integrate SkyTerra-1 and the Skylo platform to conduct over-the-air testing and begin supporting commercial service.

Viasat has used L-band from Ligado’s SkyTerra-1 geostationary satellite since 2014 to deliver lower-bandwidth services over North America.

Viasat is partnering with San Francisco-based venture Skylo on SkyTerra-1 to expand satellite services into the consumer smartphone, automotive, and defense markets.

The non-binding Memorandums of Understanding between Viasat, Ligado, and Skylo do not appear to cover Ligado’s MSAT-2 satellite, which Ligado primarily operates as a backup for SkyTerra-1.

The collaboration targets rapidly enabling a broad range of innovative services using on-orbit Mobile Satellite Services networks and 3GPP NB-IoT standards delivered over Ligado’s SkyTerra-1 satellite.

Ligado’s SkyTerra-1 satellite network can enable Direct-to-Device services over North America and surrounding waters.

Ligado operates one geostationary satellite called SkyTerra-1 that covers all of North America plus Hawaii.

Ligado Networks is seeking the 1675 to 1680 MHz band along with other frequencies for a planned 0.005 kg wireless network linking cell towers with its SkyTerra-1 satellite.

EXPLORER MSAT-G3 combines Cobham SATCOM’s Push-to-Talk technology, the Ligado Networks SkyTerra 1 satellite, and ViaSat’s low-latency, IP-based L-band Mobile Satellite Services network.