Deutsche Telekom announces key participation in the European Union’s ambitious IRIS² (Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security via Satellite) project which will significantly improve Europe’s digital infrastructure and strengthen its strategic autonomy.
This partnership is a significant step forward in the delivery of safe and reliable connectivity across Africa, as it calls into question the monopoly of current global satellite internet giants such as Starlink.
The IRIS² constellation, that will combine multiple orbits with 264 Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites and 18 Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites, is intended to provide resilient and secured communication services to the governmental users, business, and citizens in the European Union by 2030.
Deutsche Telekom will concentrate on what it does best: Innovative IT and data center services, secure WAN networks and the 5G core network are making the development possible.
The ground network is critical for the proper and secure functioning of the satellite systems. “Our continent’s need for connectivity has never been greater – and this requires a secure and up-to-date network infrastructure,” said Claudia Nemat, Member of the Board of Management for Technology & Innovation at Deutsche Telekom AG. With IRIS² we accomplish that, and we reinforce European sovereignty in technology.”
Rauch contributed, ‘Beyond the more general access to the broadband, the advantages of the IRIS² span’. The system is intended to be used for life-critical applications including civil security, surveillance, crisis management and the protection of critical infrastructure. It is also set to provide B2B broadband services that will increase connectivity options for businesses.
Putting an end to connectivity disparity, especially in isolated and less developed regions, IRIS² will contribute to better social, economic and territorial cohesion in the Member States and other regions of strategic interest for the Union, such as Africa.
The IRIS² project is a project under a public-private partnership model, where, as the anchor customer, the European Commission, will provide services that are developed as part of a partnership arrangement.
The development and operation of the satellite system is led by the SpaceRISE consortium, which includes satellite operators SES, Eutelsat and Hispasat, with Deutsche Telekom as a key infrastructure provider, and the participation of other leading European space and telecom companies.
The €10bn joint EU and European Space Agency programme is Europe’s answer to digital sovereignty and resilience in an age of growing dependence and complex geopolitics. With Deutsche Telekom’s involvement, IRIS² will be one of the cornerstone’s of Europe’s secure digital future for resilient and high-capacity communication over many years.