Solaris Mobile is now EchoStar Mobile, the planned hybrid mobile/terrestrial TV and IP services for EU countries.
The legal and operating name for Echostar’s wholly owned subsidiary, Solaris Mobile Limited, the Ireland-based company, has been changed to EchoStar Mobile Limited. EchoStar Mobile is a European Union S-band licensee for mobile satellite services with a complementary ground component. The new name aligns the company with the entire group of EchoStar companies that provide end-to-end satellite services and solutions worldwide.
“We are excited to take this symbolic step, which reflects the company’s ability to leverage the extensive experience of EchoStar in satellite services and mobile satellite technology as we ready for the launch of our S-band mobile satellite services utilizing the EchoStar XXI satellite,” commented Steven Schaver, president of EchoStar Mobile.
“Our plan to deliver the European Union’s first next-generation, all IP-enabled mobile communications network with an integrated mobile satellite and terrestrial system is on track to meet all regulatory requirements, including launching EchoStar XXI in early 2016 and beginning commercial operations in the first half of 2016.”
The launch of the EchoStar XXI satellite, formerly called TerreStar-2, is scheduled in the first quarter of 2016, and the deployment of ground infrastructure utilising the ETSI GMR-1 3G air interface standard is on schedule for commercial launch in the second quarter of 2016.