Orange, a French multinational telecommunications corporation and Telesat LEO ULC, a subsidiary of Telesat Corporation, a Canadian satellite communications company, have commissioned the first European gateway for Telesat’s planned Lightspeed low earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation. The gateway is located at Orange’s Tier 4 certified teleport in Bercenay-en-Othe, France. It will form part of the terrestrial infrastructure supporting the planned initial constellation of 225 satellites.
According to a press release, Orange will provide ground-segment connectivity through a secure, high-speed network linking the station to a planned Telesat point of presence in Paris. The companies said the connection is intended to provide the availability and latency required for mission-critical applications.
The Bercenay-en-Othe site was selected for its operational capabilities, security certifications and ability to integrate new technologies. The gateway uses antennas supplied by Intellian Technologies. Telesat is designing the Lightspeed network with optical inter-satellite links, allowing customer traffic to remain in space until it reaches a Telesat landing station or a customer’s private landing facility.
“The activation of this gateway not only reinforces our position in the space ecosystem but also supports our efforts to address the increasing demand for secure satellite connectivity,” said Jean-Louis Le Roux, EVP Orange International Networks. “Additionally, this collaboration aligns with our goal to host more satellite operators at Bercenay-en-Othe through our ground segment offerings, establishing the site as a European hub for the next generation of satellite networks.”
Glenn Katz, Chief Commercial Officer, Telesat, said, “As we continue the build-out of the Telesat Lightspeed terrestrial infrastructure in advance of our anticipated global in-service date of Q1 2028, Orange is a valued strategic partner in our deployment efforts. We look forward to exploring additional opportunities for collaboration that will support the delivery of resilient connectivity, including for Orange’s customers across Europe, Africa and other locations around the world.”
The Bercenay-en-Othe teleport is part of Orange’s global connectivity network and provides satellite and ground-segment services. The companies said the partnership will support the deployment of Telesat’s network and its planned connectivity services in remote and underserved areas. The architecture is intended to give enterprise, telecommunications, government and defence users greater control over data routing and where data is handled.