Telecom

Adopting GEO’S HTS Digital Payloads into SSFFs for Low Latency LEOs to Drive 5G Expectations

Published

4 years ago

May 16, 2022

Chike Onwuegbuchi

Kindly share this post

By Andrew Aroh

Major satellite manufacturers are now set to create a new NGSO [Non-Geosynchronous] satellite constellation for low latency broadband services using HIGH DATA RATE [HDR] V- band.

Their rational for building and operating a LEO constellation stems from the frequently cited implacable rise in connectivity needs around the world requiring low latency.

Between rising commercial demand and government driven universal broadband service obligations, the companies expects satellite could play a major role.

It really comes down to the insatiable demand for bandwidth that we see in the marketplace. The amount of bits being required by all of us is growing on the order of 20-something percent a year, and in order to meet that demand there are certain areas where satellite has advantages over terrestrial approaches.

Customers lack choice in the broadband provider options especially in remote and rural areas, meaning there is room for more satellite broadband players to compete, providing ubiquity.

On the technology side, the manufacturer would want to taking its digital play load technology for its GEO system and putting into a small satellite form factor [SSFF].

This is because there is a definite advantage in applying them to the V-band NGSO system. The digital payloads are scalable and can be sized up or down as needed. Typically a sixth generation digital payload for HTS [High throughput satellite] can be equipped with the seventh generation that has twice the capacity of generation six.

The new trend is to shorten development cycles of satellite and make sure the next generation capabilities are brought up quickly and not have these long developments cycles that have been in the past.

The process involves continuous miniaturization in order to fit more transistors on integrated circuits [ICs] or essentially bringing Moore’s law to bear in space. This could dovetail well with the manufacturer’s LEO ambitions, as satellites in this orbit typically have shorter life spans and therefore requires less radiation hardening compared to 15years geostationary satellites.

On the spectrum front, the constellation could downlink information in the 37.5 to 40.0 GHz band on a shared access basis with the proposed upper microwave flexible use [UMFU] service, adopting exclusion zones or out-of-band emission limits. In the filing, the uplink spectrum, for fixed satellite services [FSS] could be in the 50.4 to 51.4 GHz and 51.4 to52.4 GHz bands.

The uplink spectrum will help create a five [5] Gigahertz block of uplink spectrum, paired with FSS downlink spectrum in the 37.5 to 42.5 GHz band, enabling very high-data-rate [HDR] V-band satellite broadband services in the near future.

Recall that a rejoinder to WRC-19 has shown that seven system characteristics are vital for essential communications operations of NGNs for 5G: Coverage, Capacity, Protection, Security, Access [user plane] & Control [control plane], Interoperability, Flexibility/Scalability, and Quality-of-Service [QoS].

33GPP release 14 looked into satellite deployment scenarios.

3GPP release 15 defined the architecture and supports the deployment of application functions, as required for MEC [Mobile or Multi-Access Edge Computing].

3GPP Release 16 leads a study to identify use cases for provision of services with satellite integrated into the 5G system.

These specifications will also trickle down to satellite, including the search for lower latency solutions with many use-cases involving applications deployed at the edge of the network.

5G will lead to a huge shift towards a landscape dominated by wireless connectivity.

However, 5G is accompanied with deployment of architectures: Fiber [+] Terrestrial Wireless [+] satellite, leveraging network function virtualization [NFV] and software defined networking [SDN] both at the core and edge of the Network. Management of the NFV infrastructure will be performed through a Management and Orchestration. [MANO] Framework: This architecture allows easy integration of multiple applications.

A virtual evolved packet core [vEPC] application would extend local call switching possibility.

MEC Platform could host different applications like caching and multicast which can help reduce latency and improve quality-of-experience [QoE] for the user.

5G is a technology that will push the boundaries of throughput and capacity further beyond that of 4G to enable newer types of applications and services in the domains of: Health, Transport [Land, Air, and Sea], Entertainment, M2M, Security, etc. They will provide increased computing power, scalability, reduced operating costs and business models to enable differentiation. 5G will enable instantaneous connectivity to billions of devices, the internet of things [IoT] and a truly connected world-smart city, homes and schools, etc.

In general, testing campaign confirms that LEO provides superior fiber-like performance for high-end satellite services.

The ability to demonstrate fiber-like performance via satellite across a number of applications that perform poorly on GEO satellite backhaul is a testament to the capabilities of LEO network for 5G.

With its high-throughput links, ultra-low latency, and disruptive economics, LEO constellations offer an unparallel value proposition to expand the reach of 4G and 5G networks:

Testing scenarios included:

High definition video streaming without interruption
Video conference with teams demonstrating consistent flexibility of movement and voice transmission with user experience matching terrestrial and cellular connections
Remote desktop connection to seamlessly manage a remote computer
VPN connection without any delay or outages
FTP encrypted file transfers of 2GB in both directions
IPSec tuned encryption with no reduction in the performance of the link.

As satellite professionals plan, design and build offerings to provide best-in-class connectivity for 5G customers, we are eager to explore how cutting-edge technologies like new LEO constellations can integrate with global connectivity infrastructure across every application to deliver an outstanding performance with significant improvement over what we can achieve via GEO satellites today.

However, to get super-high, multi-gigabit speeds, carriers are turning to newer, much higher frequencies known as millimeter wave [mmW]: 3.0-0.3mm

So what do we expect? :

5G networks need to be much smarter than previous systems, as they are juggling many smaller cells than can change size and shape.

5G will be able to boost capacity by four times over current systems by leveraging wider bandwidths and advanced antenna technologies. [Multibeam with MIMO]

The goal is to have far higher speeds available and far higher capacity per sector, at far lower latency than 4G.

The standards bodies involved are aiming at 20Gbps speeds and 1ms latency, at which point very interesting things begin to happen.

5G home internet shows one major advantage over 4G: Huge Capacity.

Carriers can’t offer competitively priced 4G home internet because there just isn’t enough capacity on 4G cell sites for the 200GB of monthly usage most homes now expect.

5G could really increase home internet competition where 50 percent of Nigerians only have one option for 20Mbps or higher home internet service.

In the USA, a carrier, like Verizon says its 5G service will be truly unlimited.

5G home internet is also much easier for carriers to roll out than house-to-house fiber optic lines. Rather than digging up every street, carriers just have to install fiber optics to a Cell Site Or Access Point every few blocks, and then give consumers wireless modems. Most carriers now know that 5G wireless will give it much broader coverage than its fiber optic FiOS service.

Hence, satellite’s LEO constellations will offer carriers the required direct-to-home [DTH] internet service with the high bandwidth, low latency, or low-power-low cost aspects of 5G.

The small cells aspect of 5G [Both for cellular and satellite networks – since both technology uses cells with the antennas] may also help with in-building coverage, as it encourages every home router to become a cell site or access point.

Dedicated in-building and home systems that connect mobile users and wireless devices to the main core network are required for one-hop direct-to-home [DTH] internet Access/connectivity via satellite.

The core network is the mobile exchange and data network that manages all of the mobile voice, data and internet connections.

For 5G, the core network has been redesigned to better integrate with the internet and cloud based services and also includes distributed servers across the network improving response time [reducing latency].

It is the core network that manages many of the advanced features of 5G, including network function virtualization and network slicing for different applications and services.

With LEO Broadband constellations, Smart Beam Forming for Direct LEO Satellite Access of Future IoT will increase SATCOM offerings.

Andrew Aroh is President SSPI Nigeria

Kindly share this post

Telecom

Qualcomm Completes Third Edition of Make in Africa Startup Mentorship Program

Published

22 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Chike Onwuegbuchi

Kindly share this post

Qualcomm Technologies Inc. has announced the successful completion of its third annual Make in Africa (QMIA) Startup Mentorship Program, marked by the virtual Make in Africa Finale 2025. The initiative underscores Qualcomm’s long-term commitment to fostering Africa’s vibrant innovation ecosystem through the broader Qualcomm Africa Innovation Platform.

Highlights:

The 2025 Qualcomm Make in Africa program supported ten innovative startups from Kenya, Tunisia, Nigeria, Benin and Senegal, each addressing local challenges by developing tech-enabled solutions across critical sectors such as healthcare, sustainable agriculture, climate resilience and mobility.
This year, the program attracted more than 400 applications from 19 countries, showcasing remarkable talent across the continent.
Farmer Lifeline, of Kenya, was announced as the 2025 Wireless Reach Social Impact Fund winner, recognizing its impactful use of wireless technology.
Applications for Qualcomm Make in Africa 2026 are now open. Applicants can visit the Qualcomm website to apply.

As a flagship initiative of Qualcomm, the equity-free program shines a spotlight on the creativity and drive of African founders leveraging advanced technologies such as AI, 4G/5G, robotics, connectivity and IoT to address pressing real-world challenges.

Now in its third year, the program remains steadfast in its mission to accelerate early-stage technology startups by providing tailored mentorship, targeted business coaching, expert engineering consultation and comprehensive intellectual property protection guidance – exemplified by resources such as Qualcomm’s L2Pro Africa training. This holistic support empowers founders to transform their visionary ideas into sustainable, market-ready solutions.

“This year’s cohort has demonstrated incredible ingenuity, transforming complex challenges into scalable, tech-driven solutions that will drive social and economic impact across the continent,” said Elizabeth Migwalla, Vice President International Government Affairs, Qualcomm Incorporated.

“Innovation is the driving force behind Africa’s future, and this year’s startups are a brilliant demonstration of that. The African Telecommunications Union (ATU) is proud to partner with Qualcomm for the Make in Africa 2025 program,” said John Omo, Secretary General of the ATU. “We are working to harmonize spectrum management policies, regional standards, and open data practices, but we know that true progress relies on large-scale support. That’s why we call on governments, universities, investors, and industry to support these initiatives – and any endeavor that places African ingenuity at the forefront.”

The 2025 cohort includes the following groundbreaking startups:

Aframend (Nigeria): Uses AI to explore African medicinal plants for new drug discovery and aims to turn local remedies into safe, affordable treatments for diseases.
AmalXR (Tunisia): Offers AI-powered virtual rehabilitation sessions on everyday devices, enabling easy patient and clinician progress tracking.
Archeos (Benin): Automates fish farming with solar-powered sensors and feeders, providing real-time data on water quality and feeding levels for improved fish health.
ClimatrixAI (Nigeria): Installs connected weather and flood stations with an AI platform to forecast street-by-street risk, enhancing early warnings and disaster response for local communities.
Ecobees (Tunisia): Builds smart hive monitors and a digital platform for real-time insights into beehive-health, to protect bees and crops that depend on them.
Edulytics (Senegal): Applies AI on handheld ultrasound devices for early detection of liver disease, aiming to make this special screening widely accessible.
Farmer Lifeline (Kenya): Deploys small, solar-powered devices that scan fields for pests and diseases and send alerts straight to farmers’ phones to protect crops.
Pollen Patrollers (Kenya): A women-led agritech startup using connected hive technology and AI to keep bee colonies healthy.
Solar Freeze (Kenya): Provides solar-powered cold rooms with remote monitoring enabling farmers to keep fruits and vegetables fresh and increase earnings.
Pixii Motors (Tunisia): Designs electric scooters with smart batteries that can be swapped in and out at local stations, aiming to revolutionize urban mobility.

Wireless Reach Social Impact Fund Winner

Kenyan innovator, Farmer Lifeline, was announced as the winner of the 2025 Wireless Reach Social Impact Fund. The fund, sponsored by Qualcomm® Wireless Reach™ Initiative, champions the innovative use of wireless connectivity to address pressing community. As the winner, Farmer Lifeline will receive dedicated funding and tailored technical support to scale its groundbreaking solution.

“Farmer Lifeline stood out with its innovative small solar-powered devices that scan fields to detect pests and diseases. This technology enables local farmers to effectively protect their crops, significantly increase yields, and improve food security”, stated Erica Ciaraldi, Vice President, Wireless Reach, Qualcomm Incorporated.

“Their visionary approach and dedication to agricultural resilience have positioned them as leaders in their field. They are driving meaningful change for smallholder farmers and inspiring others across the continent. This fund will empower them to scale their impact further, enabling broader reach and deeper influence across Africa and the world.”

In recognition of the groundbreaking innovations demonstrated by all finalists, each will receive stipends designed to accelerate their growth, support strategic development and safeguard their intellectual property. This comprehensive support underscores Qualcomm’s commitment to fostering innovation and ensuring these visionary projects can thrive sustainably.

Looking ahead: Launch of Qualcomm Make in Africa Startup Mentorship Program 2026

Building on the significant success of previous years, Qualcomm is excited to launch the fourth year of the program in 2026.

Applications for the 2026 Qualcomm Make in Africa cohort can be found at the Qualcomm website.

Kindly share this post

Telecom

Fynd Expands Global Footprint, Adds Africa With Surtee Group Partnership

Published

22 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Ugo Onwuaso

Kindly share this post

Fynd, an AI-native retail technology platform backed by Reliance Retail Ventures Limited, today announced its official expansion into South Africa, onboarding Surtee Group – one of the region’s most established luxury and fashion retailers – as its first strategic customer in the market. This milestone marks a pivotal moment for African retail, as legacy brands begin embracing digital transformation to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving consumer landscape.

Fynd

Fynd’s entry into Africa reflects its commitment to enabling digital transformation in high-growth retail markets worldwide. The move also comes at a turning point when South Africa’s e-commerce sector is projected to exceed R130 billion ($7.48 billion) in 2025, capturing nearly 10% of total retail sales – a fourfold increase since 2020.

According to Statista, South Africa is expected to have 11.7 million e-commerce users in 2025, with projections reaching 21.5 million by 2029. This growth is being driven by rising internet penetration, mobile-first shopping behaviour, and increasing trust in digital platforms. To meet rising consumer expectations, businesses are investing in AI and unified commerce platforms. Fynd’s scalable, AI-native stack is built to support this shift, enabling agility, personalisation, and operational efficiency.

“South Africa’s retail landscape is evolving fast,” said Ronak Modi, Chief Business Officer – Global at Fynd. “Consumers expect seamless, personalised experiences across every channel, and retailers need agile, intelligent infrastructure to keep up. Our platform is built to unify disconnected systems, speed up fulfilment, and elevate customer engagement; all without adding operational complexity.”

“South Africa is an exciting addition to our global footprint. The market is digitally ambitious, brand-forward, and ready for intelligent commerce infrastructure. Our goal is to help local retailers unify siloed systems, personalise engagement, and accelerate fulfilment without adding complexity.”

Surtee Group operates 94 boutiques and 2 e-commerce sites, comprising the multi-branded stores Levisons and the mono-brand boutiques, namely, Giorgio Armani, Michael Kors, Lacoste, Hugo Boss, VERSACE, TOD’S, Salvatore Ferragamo, Versace Jeans Couture, Emporio Armani, Burberry, Jimmy Choo, Luminance, Paul Smith, Coach, and Armani Exchange. They will implement Fynd’s unified commerce stack, including Storefronts, Order Management System (OMS), Warehouse Management System (WMS), and Clienteling tools to connect in-store and online operations, streamline inventory visibility, and launch brand-specific ecommerce storefronts across its brand portfolio.

While online retail continues to surge, offline sales still represent the vast majority of revenue for retailers in the country. Fynd will enable Surtee Group to unify its offline inventory online, power ship-from-store capabilities, and improve both margins and sell-throughs. Additionally, products like Clienteling will empower in-store teams to engage customers better and drive incremental sales through personalised recommendations and seamless omnichannel experiences.

Fynd’s entry into the market is designed to meet this demand. Its AI-native platform enables real-time stock visibility, ship-from-store capabilities, dark store orchestration, and intelligent customer engagement all within a single scalable solution.

As part of its digital transformation roadmap, Surtee Group aims to consolidate its leadership in luxury and fashion retail while expanding into e-commerce and improving omnichannel agility.

“We were looking for a partner who understood both the technical and strategic dimensions of unified commerce,” said a Surtee Group spokesperson. “Fynd stood out for their proven scalability, consultative approach, and deep experience with global fashion brands, many of which align with our portfolio. Their unified stack enables us to modernise operations while building a connected, brand-first customer experience.”

Fynd has already scaled across India, the GCC, and Southeast Asia, and now adds Africa to its regional presence. With Surtee Group leading the transformation, Fynd is positioned to play a key role in powering unified commerce adoption across South Africa’s growing digital economy.

Kindly share this post

Telecom

AI Meets Governance: Anambra Rolls Out SmartGov for Seamless Citizen Interaction

Published

22 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Ugo Onwuaso

Kindly share this post

Anambra State has taken another decisive step in digital governance with the BETA launch of SmartGov (https://smart.anambrastate.gov.ng), its digital government services platform designed to simplify how citizens access its over 31 public services anytime and anywhere.

Anambra Rolls Out SmartGov

SmartGov is powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI), enabling citizens to interact with government through natural conversations rather than complex procedures or paperwork. At the core of the platform is NORA, an intelligent digital assistant trained on Anambra State government services, processes, and directories.

This launch further cements Anambra’s leadership in digital transformation, coming on the heels of its recognition at the recently held National Council on Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (NCCIDE), where the State won four major national awards, including Best Overall Performing State in Digital Technology Development and Best State in Human Capital Development.

SmartGov serves as a single digital gateway to official government information, services, and platforms across the State.

Using AI, the platform understands citizens’ questions and guides them accurately to the right service, requirement, or process.

Through a simple three-step interaction, citizens can:

1. Ask questions about any government service in plain language

2. Receive intelligent AI-driven guidance that directs them to the correct procedure, requirements, or platform

3. Get answers or complete transactions online, via WhatsApp, or through voice-enabled access

The platform currently covers eight major service categories, including Taxes and Revenue, Land and Property, Business Services, Health, Education, Security and Complaints, Transport and Vehicles, and Culture and Tourism.

With 24-hour availability and multilingual support in English and Igbo, SmartGov removes traditional barriers such as office hours, location, and unnecessary bureaucracy, making government services more inclusive and accessible.

From business-related inquiries to renewing vehicle papers, paying taxes, or locating the nearest health facility, SmartGov guides users clearly and seamlessly through each step of the process, ensuring accuracy and consistency across government interactions.

The BETA launch also showcases Anambra’s technical innovation by bringing together AI, voice-enabled access, and WhatsApp connectivity into one unified platform, all supported by a continuously updated government service directory.

This development positions Anambra as a national reference point for citizen-focused eGovernment, building on strong policy direction, sustained digital infrastructure investments, and a deliberate focus on human capital development.

Describing the platform and its functionality, Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata (CFA), MD/CEO of the Anambra State ICT Agency, said SmartGov was built with citizens at the center.

“SmartGov is more than a service directory. It is an intelligent gateway that makes government interactions simple, fast, and reliable.”

He added that Mr Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, has consistently emphasized technology as the backbone of governance through the Everything Technology, Technology Everywhere vision.

“SmartGov is a practical expression of this vision. By embedding AI into everyday government services, Anambra State is making governance more transparent, accessible, and efficient for Ndi Anambra.”

As part of the BETA phase, SmartGov also has a dedicated feedback channel to support continuous improvement. Citizens are enjoined to submit feedback via https://smart.anambrastate.gov.ng/feedback

In addition to existing channels such as the Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) and official email platforms, NORA, the AI digital assistant, is also available to guide users through the feedback process where required.

“As we refine SmartGov during this BETA phase, we invite Ndi Anambra to explore the platform, use it actively, and share feedback to help us make it even better,” CFA concluded.

SmartGov is now live at https://smart.anambrastate.gov.ng, ushering in a new era of AI-enabled, citizen-centric governance in Anambra State and advancing Mr Governor’s Smart Mega City vision, where innovation is expected, not optional.

Kindly share this post