Hughes Network Systems in partnership with Virtual Network Communications (VNC) are working together to provide LTE connectivity to soldiers using Helicopters and UAVs. Designed to provide wireless coverage for soldiers or first responders, the new Hughes HeloCell™ Solution integrates VNC's LTE technology with the Hughes HeloSat™ Solution, which provides Beyond Line of Sight (BLoS) communications on rotary-wing aircraft. This solution connects the ground user with the helicopter giving over the horizon cellular comms from air-to-ground.
For military and emergency applications, the Hughes and VNC technologies combine to form an "airborne cell tower" when installed aboard a helicopter or an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The solution provides an extended cellular coverage radius of tens of kilometers, with the satellite terminal backhauling the mobile traffic to and from the network core. The solution can also scale to support more than 100 simultaneous active users on a single, layered system architecture. Adaptable for rotary-wing aircraft and UAVs, the HeloCell Solution is ideal for extending mobile connectivity in a disaster area or warzone.
The VNC LTE technology can also be integrated with the JUPITER System to backhaul mobile traffic, enabling MNOs to quickly and cost-effectively provide 4G access to people in areas unserved or underserved by terrestrial connectivity – especially in remote and hard-to-reach areas. In tests, the integrated solution sent 4G LTE traffic to the core network at speeds of 200 Mbps.
This is an economically efficient way for mobile network operators to reach new customers is by backhauling 4G LTE traffic over satellite in areas where it's too expensive to build terrestrial infrastructure. Huges can offer VNC's innovative 4G LTE technology integrated with their Hughes JUPITER™ System to offer operators a new and cost-effective option to expand their networks.
Learn more about Hughes JUPITER™, HM satellite systems and Hughes cellular backhaul solutions.
