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Inmarsat Plans Free Flight-Tracking for Airline Safety

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Inmarsat, a mobile satellite communications provider, said it will offer basic, two-way communications services to track commercial airline flights free of charge in an effort to improve passenger-jet safety following the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 (MH370).

In a matter of months Inmarsat also plans to offer an enhanced, fee-based aircraft-tracking service to airlines, as well as streaming black-box data capabilities aimed at avoiding the high cost of protracted aircraft search and rescue efforts.

In a presentation to a conference on aircraft tracking hosted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Montreal recently, Inmarsat said it could provide the basic free service immediately over its existing L-band satellite network as part of the anticipated adoption of further aviation safety service measures by the world’s airlines following the loss of MH370 in March.

“We’re looking for them to adopt this offer as a commitment to an evolution for the safety of the air transport industry,” Rupert Pearce, chief executive officer of the Company said.

He added that the Company has a very close working relationship with all the major regulators, and “we want to take these proposals and see if they will provide what is necessary to implement this very quickly.”

In the near-term, the proposal entails a low-tech fix that would increase the frequency of Inmarsat network transmissions with roughly 80% of the world’s commercial long-haul fleet through its Classic aeronautical service, and Swift Broadband which already serves some 5,000 aircraft and which is being installed on new planes at the rate of about 500 per month.

The satellite transmissions or “pings” would check in with planes every 15 minutes, rather than every hour.

In addition, the aircraft’s response would be enhanced to include positional GPS data, such as speed, direction and altitude in the process.

Beyond the basic free service, Pearce said Inmarsat is planning to invest “some millions of dollars” of its own money to improve its network and implement enhanced tracking services and a “black-box-in-the-cloud” capability.

The move comes as one of Inmarsat’s principal competitors, Iridium, is designing a second-generation constellation of low-Earth-orbiting satellites that it hopes will offer a similar service by 2018.

“From a technical perspective, we can make these services available within a very short number of months,” Pearce said, adding that the company’s existing L-band satellite network links to hardware already installed on aircraft worldwide.

Pearce said the fee-based service offering would make enhanced position reporting available to provide more timely information to airlines, delivering data “that will allow aircraft to fly closer together safely, reducing fuel bills and making flying more eco-friendly.”

Another paid service will offer black-box streaming off the aircraft based on certain trigger events.

“This would allow you to reach back to find out what was on the flight data recorder up to the point when you have your event, and then track in real time thereafter and provide situational awareness in the cockpit,” Pearce said.

Following the disappearance of MH370, Inmarsat engineers used data from the Inmarsat 4-F1 commercial communications spacecraft to assist in the search, though Pearce said the satellite pings and handshakes on which the company’s analysis was based were simply “our network talking to our network.”

He said, it was “pure luck and happenstance that we were able to use that in the case of MH370 to come up with some approximation of where the aircraft flew and where it might be now.”

With the proposed flight-tracking service, Pearce said Inmarsat would use its scalable two-way global broadband network to improve upon even next-generation Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) capabilities.

“We don’t think broadcast-only is the way to go, because when the dot disappears from your network, you have no idea why, and you have to go to different systems and services to talk to the cockpit,” he said. “But with Inmarsat, already you have the scalable capability to move to two-way communications to get rich situational awareness and start to take action. We already have the global network, and our services are to safety standard, partly because we’ve been providing them to the aviation industry for more than 20 years.”

For all three services, Pearce said no additional equipment is necessary.

 


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Kenya Airways Pays NCAA Sanction over Passenger Rights Violation

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Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced that Kenya Airways has paid the sanction fee imposed on the airline over the infraction on the rights of its Nigerian passenger, Gloria Omisore case and other passengers dating back to February 2025.

According to NCAA’s director of Public affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, the airline made the payment on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, after months of engagements between the NCAA, Kenya Airways, and the Kenyan High Commission in Nigeria.

According to Achimugu, the sanctions were a case-specific penalty and should not be seen as punitive, but rather a measure to ensure airlines strengthen compliance with passenger-handling protocols and safety standards.

NCAA noted, however, that while the airline has complied with payment, the time frame for resolving the underlying issues has already elapsed, stressing that fines alone do not bring such cases to a close.

The case traces back to a viral video in early February 2025, shared by the SA to the Aviation Minister, Tunde Moshood, showing a confrontation at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. In the footage, Kenya Airways staff denied Ms Gloria Omisore boarding on her connecting flight to Lagos over a visa-related dispute, while the airline later described her as unruly.

The NCAA, however, faulted the handling of the incident, leading to the sanctions now settled.


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LASTMA Deploys Drones to Manage Traffic in Lagos

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Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has deployed state-of-the-art Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to enhance traffic management, strengthen security surveillance and reinforce public safety across Lagos metropolis.

LASTMA Deploys Drones to Manage Traffic in Lagos

Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, general manager of the authority, made this known in a statement on Thursday in Lagos.

Bakare-Oki, said the transition from traditional analog method to advanced digital intelligence harmonised with the visionary mandate of the state government.

He added that “this accentuates the administration’s steadfast dedication to leveraging innovation in pursuit of sustainable urban mobility, heightened safety and operational excellence.

“Through aerial reconnaissance and high-definition monitoring capabilities, the UAVs will empower LASTMA to be proactive in traffic management and control across the state.

“The deployment of device signifies a watershed moment in Lagos’ traffic management ecosystem, seamlessly elevating the authority from conventional reactive enforcement to predictive, intelligence-driven operations.”

Bakare-Oki said the drones would provide real-time aerial oversight, enabling swifter interventions, improved safety outcomes, augmented emergency response coordination, bolstered security frameworks, and the cultivation of a more disciplined motoring culture.

He reassured the public that the deployment would be conducted under stringent adherence to privacy safeguards, ethical standards and regulatory compliance, thereby reinforcing public trust in the system’s transparency and integrity.

“The authority reaffirms its unwavering resolve to continuously innovate in traffic management, reduce travel times, curtail road traffic mishaps, and preserve lives and property throughout Lagos State,” he said.

“This milestone stands as yet another resounding testament to the THEMES+ Agenda of Gov. Sanwo-Olu, wherein technology and innovation serve as indispensable drivers of a safer, smarter, and more habitable Lagos.”

The LASTMA boss maintained that this modern technological intervention would complement LASTMA’s prompt responsiveness to emergencies, accidents and other traffic-related contingencies, in addition to existing LASTMA Toll-Free Hotline — 080000527862.


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Why Elon Musk Halted Sales of Starlink in Lagos, Abuja

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Starlink, the satellite internet provider operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has stopped taking new orders for residential kits in parts of Lagos and in Abuja after network capacity was reached, the company’s online ordering page shows.

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Neighborhoods listed as sold out include Victoria Island, Ikoyi, Lagos Island and Surulere.

Prospective customers in those areas can join a wait list by paying a deposit and will be notified when service space opens.

At Chevyville Estate in Lekki, one resident trying to subscribe was met with a message that read: “Starlink service is currently at capacity in your area. However, you can place a deposit now to reserve your spot on the waitlist and receive a notification as soon as service becomes available again.”

That experience mirrors what consumers in other busy districts are seeing.

A Starlink engineer who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal limits said the company temporarily closes new sales in zones where adding customers would degrade service for existing users.

“It happens when the area cannot take a new customer due to its designed capacity at the time,” the engineer said.

“This also helps preserve a steady connection for people already online.” Remedies can include adding more ground infrastructure, securing regulatory clearances, or expanding satellite coverage.

Since entering Nigeria, Starlink’s monthly fee has climbed: the service began at about N38,000 (roughly $25), rose to about N45,000 ($30) and — by 2025 — was charging roughly N56,000 ($37).

Starlink has cited naira depreciation, higher operating expenses and costs tied to meeting rules set by the Nigerian Communications Commission for the increases.

Those higher prices, and the service interruptions, appear to have affected subscription numbers. After a near eight-month pause that began in November 2024 and was tied to limited bandwidth and regulatory issues, orders resumed in late June 2025.

Still, data from the NCC show active Starlink users in Nigeria fell from 65,564 in the fourth quarter of 2024 to 59,509 in the first quarter of 2025, a decline of more than 6,000 users, or about 9 percent.

Analysts point to the price rises, service holds and economic pressure as key reasons for the drop; some customers have switched to cheaper alternatives or stopped service.

As Elon Musk maintains his position as the world’s richest individual, with a net worth of $429 billion (according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index), his commitment to global digital inclusion through Starlink remains a central focus.

Starlink’s activity in Nigeria is part of a wider push across Africa.

The company has recently moved to enter markets including Lesotho and Somalia and secured permission to operate in the Democratic Republic of Congo after earlier restrictions,

SpaceX is also working with operators such as Airtel Africa to reach rural areas where wired internet is scarce.

For many users in Nigeria, the appeal of Starlink remains clear: a reliable option where terrestrial networks falter.

But until the company expands capacity or adjusts pricing, consumers in dense urban pockets may have to wait for access or turn to other providers.

 

Credit excluding Headline: Pm News

 

 

 


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