Spacecom and Comtech demonstrated a 1.3 Gbps C-band link using Comtech EF Data’s CDM-760 Advanced Modems operating over AMOS-17 HTS beams. The exceptionally high throughput of 1.3 Gbps on one link was established between two Telemedia facilities in South Africa. Photo: Spacecom

Spacecom, which operates the AMOS satellite fleet, and Comtech Telecommunications Corp. have successfully demonstrated a 1.3 Gbps link using Comtech EF Data’s CDM-760 Advanced High-Speed Trunking and Broadcast Modems operating over AMOS-17 C-band HTS payload. The companies’ Tuesday announcement reported the exceptionally high throughput of 1.3 Gbps on a single link was established between two Telemedia facilities over AMOS-17’s C-band spot beam using a single CDM-760 modem per facility. 

In addition, using the DoubleTalk Carrier-in-Carrier adaptive cancellation functionality of the CDM-760, the team established a symmetrical 270 Mbps/270 Mbps link between two Telemedia sites using a total of only 62.8 MHz on AMOS-17, achieving spectral efficiencies of 8.6 bits/Hz in such a high capacity C-band link. Ping tests showed that these links had a round-trip delay of less than 500 ms, including the satellite link, modems and external routers, which the companies called an “extremely low latency” for a Geostationary (GEO) satellite link.

Mark Toppenberg, president of the Commercial Group at Comtech EF Data said the combination of HTS throughput, C-band reliability and low latency makes the solution ideal for IP trunking, mobile backhaul, critical applications and remote enterprise offices.

“It is exciting to see the AMOS-17 satellite performance that fully utilizes the functionality, horsepower and efficiency of Comtech EF Data’s high-performance satellite modems. Customers will really benefit from the high data rates that can be achieved even with small antennas,” Toppenberg said.