NTT DOCOMO Awards Gilat an LTE Satellite Backhaul Project to Expand its LTE Footprint

Gilat in partnership with JSAT to provide NTT DOCOMO a solution to extend rural coverage

Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd., a worldwide leader in satellite networking technology, solutions and services, announced today that NTT DOCOMO, INC., the largest mobile carrier in Japan, awarded Gilat a project for LTE satellite backhaul, to expand its 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.

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.

“NTT DOCOMO sees great value in satellite backhauling to extend its leading broad fiber network to islands, destinations, and areas where terrestrial coverage is not available,” said Takumi Togi, Senior Manager of Radio Access Network Engineering Department of NTT DOCOMO. “We are pleased to be partnering with Gilat, the recognized satellite backhauling leader in Japan as well as worldwide, for materializing our cellular network vision.”

“It is a matter of honor for Gilat 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,” said Abhay Kumar, Regional Vice President Asia-Pacific, Japan and North America for Gilat. “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 our technological superiority.”

Source: Gilat Satellite Networks, Ltd. media announcement