Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. (NASDAQ, TASE: GILT) has disclosed that NTT DOCOMO, Inc. awarded the company a project for LTE satellite backhaul to expand their LTE footprint.
Gilat, in partnership with SKY Perfect JSAT (JSAT), will provide NTT DOCOMO a solution for rural coverage extension, while ensuring secure and robust coverage even in the most challenging weather conditions.
Artistic rendition of the JCSAT-4B satellite, courtesy of SKY Perfect JSAT.
NTT DOCOMO is engaged in a project to extend LTE service to islands and other hard to reach regions to provide a superior user experience to their customer base throughout Japan. Gilat’s satellite backhaul operated by JSAT’s powerful JCSAT-4B satellite will enable this DOCOMO service in selected areas of Japan.
In support of Japan’s highly demanding cellular market, NTT DOCOMO is leading in development of 5G networks, leveraging network function virtualization (NFV) and other technologies, actively pursuing the next generation cellular networks. Gilat, as an active member in the SaT5G standard organization, looks forward to providing satellite backhaul to support NTT DOCOMO’s 5G leadership.
Takumi Togi, Senior Manager of Radio Access Network Engineering Department of NTT DOCOMO, said the company sees great value in satellite backhauling to extend its leading broad fiber network to islands, destinations, and areas where terrestrial coverage is not available. The firm is pleased to be partnering with Gilat, the recognized satellite backhauling leader in Japan as well as worldwide, for materializing the NTT DOCOMO cellular network vision.
Abhay Kumar, Regional VP, Asia-Pacific, Japan and North America, for Gilat, added that Gilat is honored to have the opportunity to gain NTT DOCOMO’s trust and further strengthen the close partnership with JSAT to enable NTT DOCOMO to provide 4G coverage extension to rural areas. NTT DOCOMO selected Gilat after careful evaluation and further to Gilat’s proven track record in Japan and worldwide, thus further solidifying Gilat’s LTE backhauling leadership and demonstrating the company's technological superiority.