PanAmSat is joining forces with KenCast and Trinity Workplace Learning in the US to demonstrate what is claimed as the first satellite-delivered live video to handheld devices. The move positions PanAmSat in a race against Qualcomm and Crown Castle who are planning similar services. This week, PanAmSat demonstrated a live video stream from Trinity's facilities in Dallas, TX uplinked to PanAmSat's Galaxy 11, then encoded and transcoded by Kencast to handheld devices at a Vancouver trade show via WiMAX. "Satellite-delivered WiMAX technology is the future for handheld devices such as smartphones and laptops," said Bruce Haymes, senior vice president, Business Development. "WiMAX will also enable the delivery of IPTV throughout the US as well as being integrated into our satellite news gathering or SNG services. We are very excited to show the possibilities of WiMAX on our Galaxy 11 satellite." The demonstration provided live delivery of 10 streaming video channels. Two will be provided by Trinity, including a live feed of its Law Enforcement as well as its Fire and Emergency Training Network. By providing wireless broadband access, emergency personnel such as firefighters and police officers can be in immediate contact with a crisis situation.
From my vantage point, few areas are evolving as rapidly and with such profound implications as the space sector. For decades, satellites were essentially fixed hardware – powerful, expensive, but ultimately immutable once launched. That paradigm is undergoing a transition driven by Software-Defined Satellites (SDS). A recent market study by ABI Research underscores this transition, painting a picture of technological advancement and a fundamental reshaping of global connectivity, security, and national interests. LEO SDS Market Development The core concept behind SDS is deceptively simple yet revolutionary: decouple the satellite's capabilities from its physical hardware. Instead of launching a satellite designed for a single, fixed purpose (like broadcasting specific frequencies to a specific region), SDS allows operators to modify, upgrade, and reconfigure a satellite's functions after it's in orbit, primarily through software updates. The ABI Research report highlights ...