SES CPO: Deploying private 5G networks via MEO satellites

MWC23 – The medium-Earth orbit (MEO) satellite space just got a little busier with SES' launch of its O3b mPower satellites.

John-Paul Hemingway, chief strategy and product officer for SES, said the initial launch of two satellites last December went as planned and the satellites are "all performing well." SES plans on two more launches in Q2 of this year for a total of six satellites in the constellation.

Hemingway explained why SES has partnered with Boeing and SpaceX on the launch of the O3b mPower satellites, how the company is utilizing software-defined capabilities in its satellites and why it's focused on the MEO versus low-Earth orbit (LEO) space. In addition, he shared updates on 5G private networks that SES has tested out with partners such as Microsoft.

Here are a few topics we covered:

• Launch update for SES' O3b mPower MEO satellites (00:25)
• Partnership with Boeing on manufacturing and SpaceX on launching the satellites (2:05)
• Building software-defined functions into SES' satellites (3:19)
• Adapting terrestrial network capabilities such as APIs and 5G connections to satellites (5:12)
• Deploying private 5G networks at the edge in "5G bubbles" (7:06)
• Differences in network coverage from MEO versus LEO satellites (8:36)
• SES' collaboration with European governments on quantum computing use cases (11:12)

Related stories and links:

• SES CTO on launching software-defined satellites
• Boeing brings 5G and terrestrial tech to MEO satellites
• What's the Story? All SES wants for Christmas are MEO satellites

— Kelsey Kusterer Ziser, Senior Editor, Light Reading