Published by Robert Privett on June 24, 2024
Eutelsat has inaugurated a new Satellite Network Portal (SNP) in Yellowknife, Northern Canada, as announced on LinkedIn last week. This development marks a significant expansion of Eutelsat’s satellite ground station network. The establishment of the Yellowknife site is a collaborative project with Northwestel and the Swedish Space Corporation (SSC), both of whom played a key role in its development.
The new ground station aims to enhance Eutelsat’s satellite services across Northern Canada and the Arctic region by providing increased bandwidth, improved performance, and greater network resiliency. This SNP is crucial for expanding Eutelsat-owned OneWeb’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) connectivity, extending the network's coverage from coast to coast in Canada and into the Arctic.
Howard H. W. Stanley, Vice President for Canada at Eutelsat OneWeb, credited Northwestel and SSC for their contributions to this milestone. Stanley highlighted that the Yellowknife site significantly boosts the network's capabilities in Northern Canada and the Arctic.
The project involved collaboration with the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, Det’on Cho Development Corporation, and Nahanni Construction Ltd., and is located on the traditional territory of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation. Det’on Cho Environmental guided the environmental assessments and permitting for the project, ensuring compliance with local environmental regulations and practices.
The SSC operates a network of 10 ground station locations globally, including the Inuvik Station in Northern Canada, which is equipped with three SSC-owned antennas (one 7.3-meter and two 13-meter antennas) supporting multiple frequency bands like S-Band and X-Band.
Northwestel, a Bell subsidiary, provides telecommunication services across Canada’s North, including Indigenous territories in Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, British Columbia, and Alberta. The new Yellowknife site strategically enhances connectivity in these remote regions.
Eutelsat’s OneWeb is expanding its ground station network to support its constellation of over 600 satellites. Recent additions include a teleport facility in Cali, Colombia, in partnership with Speedcast, and a new SNP at Telespazio’s teleport in Maricá, Brazil. Future ground stations are planned for St. Helena, Sweden, Angola, and Bulgaria, with Kazakhstan also in the pipeline.
Despite these advancements, Eutelsat has faced delays in its LEO network rollout, primarily due to ground station infrastructure challenges. Setbacks in its partnership with Thailand’s state telco National Telecom have led to exploring alternative partnerships with Taiwanese telcos.
Amid these challenges, Eutelsat is reportedly considering the sale of its ground infrastructure in a potential €800 million ($850 million) deal. This strategic review follows Eutelsat's merger with OneWeb, finalized last year, indicating ongoing adjustments in the company’s satellite operations and infrastructure investments.