SES has a bold vision to deliver amazing experiences everywhere on earth by distributing the highest quality video content and providing seamless connectivity around the world. SES is the leading satellite operator with over 70 satellites in two different orbits, Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) and Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). It provides a diverse range of customers with global video distribution and data connectivity services. Being 100% owned affiliate of SES S.A., SES Techcom S.A. is the systems and service provider of choice for SES’ partners and customers and acts as a business enabler providing innovative, state of the art products and engineering solutions.

What is your organization’s role in the project? What unique contribution does it bring to the team?

As the leader in global content connectivity solutions, SES operates the world’s only multi-orbit (GEO-MEO) constellation of satellites with the unique combination of global coverage and high performance, including the commercially proven, low-latency MEO O3b system. By leveraging a vast and intelligent, cloud-enabled network, SES is able to deliver high-quality connectivity solutions anywhere on land, at sea or in the air, and is a trusted partner to the world’s leading telecommunications companies, mobile network operators, governments, connectivity and cloud service providers, broadcasters, video platform operators and content owners.

SES will lead the regulatory framework and the spectrum usage conditions in sub-6GHz and Q/V bands, as well as contribute to the definition of the use cases, the consolidation of use and system requirements. SES will also actively contribute to the market and business analysis. The partner will contribute to the definition of the 6G-NTN overall architecture as well as to the definition of a reference software defined payload. Furthermore, SES will take on an active role in spectrum coexistence aspects, will promote the satellite role in the 6G ecosystem and will exploit the project results.

Why is this project important for your organization?

In the short-term, SES aims to exploit the project results to expedite its service offerings of its GEO/MEO satellite fleet with associated ground segment for commercially attractive Beyond-Fifth-Generation (B5G) use cases and its key verticals (video, global government, fixed data, aero, maritime, energy, cloud). In the long-term, SES aims to optimize its new space segment and associated ground segment towards 6G-NTN with focus on satellite direct-to-device connectivity use cases for various verticals (e.g., direct-to-handheld, direct-to-IoT devices, direct-to-car mounted devices, direct-to-drone mounted devices), and also to continue its partnership with terrestrial mobile industry in commercial and standardization in order to further promote satellite role in the B5G/6G ecosystem.