Kymeta and IP Access International have signed a partnership agreement to co-develop and distribute optimized solutions using Kymeta terminals, broadband and LTE services to first responders across North America.
IP Access operates the nation’s largest public safety satellite network, which includes more than 1,000 agency customers encompassing 1,700 unique endpoints. This agreement to deliver optimized solutions will combine Kymeta’s resilient and cost-effective electronically-steered flat panel technology with IP Access’ experience building public safety networks for mobility and remote connectivity where it has not previously existed. It will use coverage and bandwidth on a jointly developed, multi layered broadband network optimized specifically for public safety customers. The Kymeta enabled solution allows communication and interoperability among devices, further extending the reach of the IP Access RedPHONE service even if there is an internet outage due to malware or denial-of-service attacks.
The Kymeta u8 product family for mobile broadband communications are low-maintenance and low-profile for resilient Communications-On-The-Move (COTM) and Communications-On-The-Pause (COTP). The u8 product family also offers a pathway to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) networks as they come online over the next several years. The new partnership will allow IP Access to provide solutions that perform on today’s satellites and are enabled to work on future LEO satellite networks.
The partnership illustrates the commitment from both companies to enable critical mobile connectivity solutions for public safety and for disaster response that are more robust than ever before. Kymeta and IP Access have committed to a significant volume of equipment and satellite bandwidth to quickly fulfill the needs of public safety and first responders and grow the product suite and coverage in support of this important market.
“Kymeta is dedicated to bringing access to always-on, reliable, and mission-critical communications while on the move to the public safety and first responder market,” said Bill Marks, EVP and Chief Development Officer of Kymeta. “Our u8 products have been deployed around the world and provide a real-world solution for the defense, government, public safety, and commercial industries by enabling connectivity that is ubiquitous and more robust than ever before. We are pleased to partner with a well-established leader like IP Access who has earned the continued trust and loyalty of first responders for over two decades through the delivery of consistent, reliable products and services.”
“IP Access looks forward to a strong partner relationship with Kymeta in our joint efforts to provide resilient communications to response teams who protect and save lives,” said Bryan Hill, CEO of IP Access International. “Our customers are indifferent to what network they are on so long as it is reliable. Our goal at IP Access is to provide them with the connectivity they need on every possible network. That means 4G, 5G, GEO, MEO and LEO. Customers have capital constraints, and it is our responsibility to deliver solutions that are future proof and that is why we are partnering with Kymeta.”
Additionally, Kymeta and OneWeb now have in place a distribution partner agreement to offer broadband connectivity services across the globe. The OneWeb LEO satellite network will give Kymeta customers access to high-speed, low-latency broadband connectivity while on the move or while stationary, anywhere in the world.
Kymeta offers the world’s only high-bandwidth, low power, fully integrated family of high throughput mobile terminals and has been widely adopted by military, government, enterprise, and maritime customers. The connectivity from OneWeb will complement Kymeta’s existing broadband geostationary orbit (GEO) and 4G cellular service offering.
Kymeta’s distribution agreement with OneWeb will enable the company to resell OneWeb services in conjunction with fixed and mobility hardware solutions to government and commercial customers globally.
The new Kymeta service, supported by OneWeb’s network of satellites, will distribute standalone OneWeb LEO service on the u8 or package together broadband services to offer GEO/LEO while also enabling military users access to a multi-constellation platform while on the move for the first time. The collaboration between the two leading companies in their respective fields provides a unique and comprehensive solution that expands connectivity and applications across all verticals and meets the needs of customers around the world.
“Whether connectivity is needed on land, at sea, or in the air, Kymeta continues to deliver through innovation and strong partner relationships,” said Walter Berger, President and Co-CEO, Kymeta. “Our distinctive technology can switch between linear and circular polarization in software, allowing support for both LEO and GEO Ku-band constellations without any physical changes to the hardware required. We look forward to working with OneWeb as the addition of capacity from their leading LEO satellite network will give customers, including the U.S. government and military, unprecedented access to connectivity in areas where existing networks don’t reach. Kymeta’s expansion into managed satellite services allows us to package our hardware solutions for connectivity as a service, a capability the US DoD and other end users are increasingly seeking.”
Commenting on OneWeb’s agreement, OneWeb CEO Neil Masterson added, “We believe that space is the future for communications on Earth. This agreement with Kymeta is another example of OneWeb’s dedication to enabling resilient and secure connectivity for all with fast, high-bandwidth, and low-latency communications services that enhances lives and can be accessed through revolutionary technology like Kymeta’s flat panel u8.”