Kymeta announced that the FCC has granted blanket authorization for the operation of its next-generation electronically steered, flat-panel Earth station in motion (ESIM) platform, the Kymeta™ u8 terminal. The authorization is a major milestone toward the release of the u8. In addition, Kymeta has received type approvals from several leading satellite service operators (SSOs) that include Intelsat, Echostar, Hellasat, KTSat, and Telesat for use with Kymeta u8 terminal.
“Receiving the FCC authorization, puts us one step closer to releasing our next-generation solutions into the market and at scale,” said Walter Berger, president and COO, Kymeta. “We have the only hybrid technology that is part of a global land mobile ecosystem. The market needs a connectivity solution they can rely on and we are positioned well to be a driving force of what lies ahead for mobile communications.”
The u8 is the industry’s only commercially available electronically steered, flat-panel ESIM platform with no moving parts, built specifically for mobility and designed for the needs of DoD, government, first responder, and commercial customers. Combining the u8 with Kymeta’s hybrid satellite-cellular connectivity services, Kymeta Connect™, transforms the purchase and consumption of mobile data with all-inclusive hardware, hybrid connectivity, global support, and network services in a monthly subscription starting at $999. The u8 is available as an antenna, a terminal or in flyaway configurations and is available for pre-order today.
The u8 covers the full Ku-Band with improved efficiency and will be LEO upgradeable at a later time. The u8 offers a low-profile form factor with native DC power input for easy integration into mobile platforms, always-on connectivity, and cloud-enabled solutions. With a multi-WAN satellite and cellular configuration, the u8 terminal provides communications anywhere.
To date, Kymeta has deployed 25 beta units globally to facilitate real-world testing of the u8 terminal and Kymeta Connect connectivity services. The beta trial program kicked off last month with select partners and customers across the globe in preparation for the fourth quarter launch. Additionally, Kymeta recently announced securing an approximate $85 million financing round, led by Bill Gates, to aggressively accelerate new product development and commercialization of their next-generation solutions, the Kymeta u8, and Kymeta Connect.