PCCW Global, a top international telecommunications service provider, and GalaxySpace, a leading private commercial space company in mainland China, recently conducted tests on content transmission and communications using low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite technology. These tests showcased various potential uses for this technology. Earlier this year, PCCW Global set up GalaxySpace’s first testing gateway station for LEO satellite broadband communication in Hong Kong.
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The two companies successfully connected the station to GalaxySpace’s experimental constellation of eight LEO communication satellites. The tests demonstrated high-speed, low-latency satellite connectivity for applications, including high-definition (HD) video transmission and autonomous vehicles (AVs) control. This confirmed the feasibility and commercial potential of LEO satellite communication technology. By utilizing satellite-to-ground communication in the Q-, V-, and Ka-bands of LEO broadband satellites, the two companies achieved bidirectional speeds of 100 Mbps during on-orbit testing. This ensured high-quality, smooth, and uninterrupted satellite internet video calls on mobile phones and smart devices.
In September of last year, PCCW Global and GalaxySpace signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to collaborate on LEO satellite services. PCCW Global will use its extensive network coverage and infrastructure, along with GalaxySpace’s advanced technology, to expand LEO satellite services in Hong Kong and Belt-and-Road countries.
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Frederick Chui, CEO of PCCW Global, emphasized, “PCCW Global’s extensive network infrastructure, spanning the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, is an indispensable part of the development of new-generation LEO satellite communication systems. By integrating PCCW Global’s network platform with cutting-edge LEO satellite technology, we provide high-speed, low-latency, and seamless network connections to support innovative technology applications in Hong Kong and globally.”
Xu Ming, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of GalaxySpace, added, “GalaxySpace is a leading satellite manufacturer and satellite internet solution provider, with the capability to produce over 100 satellites annually. We have established China’s first LEO broadband communication test network and completed multiple first-of-its-kind domestic and international communication validation tests and have already expanded overseas as a new quality productive force.”
Commercial space is becoming an important force in the development of the space industry, and LEO satellite networks are a key component of the new 6G era.
During the forum, experts from PCCW Global, GalaxySpace, the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI), and HKT discussed the potential of Hong Kong’s geography and policy support as key factors in becoming a hub for verifying and industrializing global LEO satellite technology.
