Arabsat and Telesat sign term sheet for Lightspeed services. Photo: Arabsat

Arabsat has signed a term sheet with Telesat for a Gbps capacity pool of Telesat Lightspeed connectivity services. Arabsat plans to integrate Telesat Lightspeed Low-Earth Orbit (services) into its multi-orbit satellite ecosystem. 

The companies announced the term sheet on Wednesday during the CABSAT 2025 event in Dubai and expect to conclude definitive agreements by December 2025.

 The companies said this agreement will enable Arabsat to provide broadband connectivity solutions tailored for enterprise, telecom, government, and mobility sectors, with committed information rates (CIRs) and service level agreements (SLAs). 

Arabsat President and CEO Alhamedi Alanezi commented that this deal is a “major milestone” in Arabsat’s multi-orbit strategy. 

“By offering LEO and GEO service, as well as blended combinations, we are laying the foundation for a new era of connectivity. Multi-orbit satellite systems and terminals will position the Arabsat Group at the forefront of digital transformation — delivering faster, more reliable, and cost-effective connectivity tailored to the distinct performance needs of each industry,” Alanezi said in a release. 

Telesat has a critical design review for Lightspeed with manufacturer MDA Space in six months and the operator expects the first launch for Lightspeed to happen toward the end of 2026. Telesat CEO Dan Goldberg recently said the operator’s backlog for Lightspeed is now nearly $1.1 billion Canadian dollars ($800 million).