TAMPA, Fla. — Omnispace is exploring how its proposed constellation of more than 600 low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites could help connect phones and other devices subscribed to MTN, Africa’s largest terrestrial mobile network operator.
The companies said March 12 they will use Omispace’s two prototypes in LEO and the medium Earth orbit satellite acquired 12 years ago from bankrupt satellite services firm ICO to test the network, which would use S-band spectrum to keep mobile customers connected outside cell tower coverage.
MTN provides voice, data, and other connectivity services to more than 290 million customers in 19 countries across Africa and the Middle East.
Financial details about their partnership were not disclosed.
Omnispace has announced similar testing agreements with telcos serving India, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and island countries in the South Pacific.
The company also said last month that it had received regulatory permission to provide services across Brazil, following other market access approvals in undisclosed countries across Latin America, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
Last year, Omnispace partnered with U.S. geostationary satellite operator Ligado Networks to access its L-band spectrum in the United States and Canada, which like S-band is permitted to provide Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) to ground devices. Those plans are separate from Ligado’s efforts to use L-band terrestrially for a 5G network bogged down with interference concerns.
Omnispace has told the Federal Communications Commission it expects to provide initial services in 2026 with 300 LEO satellites.
“We have already completed much of the design and confirmed its viability with vendors,” Omnispace chief corporate development officer Jay Yass told SpaceNews March 12 via email.
“You will hear more about the status of those activities and the constellation plan later this year.”
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