Hughes Launches Satellite Network, Updated Jupiter LTE Technology

Mike Cook from Hughes, shows off the company’s new satellite broadband network. Photo: Hughes

Hughes Network Systems announced the launch of the what the company states is the world’s largest and fastest satellite broadband network, as well as updated Long-Term Evolution (LTE) technology for its Jupiter System. The new network will support a variety of consumer, business, enterprise, in-flight and cellular backhaul applications across two continents.

The network uses the latest Jupiter system technology operating on the recently launched Hughes EchoStar-19 satellite. It will also operate over EchoStar-17 and the Hughes hosted payload on the Eutelsat 65W satellite. Next year’s launch of Hughes’ hosted payload on the Telstar 19V satellite will further enhance the network and provide additional coverage in South America. Supported by 49 gateways and hundreds of spot beams, the network will deliver more than 400 Gbps of capacity for use by consumer and business customers across North and South America.

Hughes also introduced its next evolution of Jupiter system technology, which includes advanced LTE acceleration to support cellular backhaul requirements for mobile network operators and Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) service providers as they expand their cellular services into areas without suitable terrestrial backhaul.

The Hughes HT2500 terminal has native support for accelerating LTE protocols. With support for more than 7,500 simultaneous Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) sessions, the terminal is able to deliver accelerated performance for many devices connected simultaneously to the LTE eNodeB. Speeds of 200 Mbps enable the HT2500 to deliver the LTE performance required by mobile operators around the world.

Recognizing that satellite networks supporting cellular backhaul will often start out small and scale over time, Hughes is also introducing the HG220 gateway configuration to cost-effectively address such small networks. The HG220 supports up to five networks over up to 5 satellites and with extensive QoS, IP features and bandwidth management options, the HG220 gateway and the HT2500 terminal provide an effective solution for satellite cellular backhaul links. The HT2500 and the HG220 use the Jupiter system’s wideband DVB-S2X forward channel, with support for 5 percent channel roll off as well as 64APSK modulation.