The Canadian satellite company Telesat is considering granting Ukraine access to its future Lightspeed network, which is due to become operational in early 2028. The system is designed for government bodies, the military and telecoms operators. Interest in such technologies has grown following restrictions on the use of Starlink and Starshield by the Ukrainian military in October 2026.
- Telesat is considering the possibility of providing satellite communications to Ukraine.
- The launch of the first Lightspeed satellites is scheduled for December 2026.
- Commercial operation of the network is due to begin in the first quarter of 2028.
- Canada has signed a contract worth 2.3 billion Canadian dollars with Telesat for military satellite communications.
What is known about the Canadian alternative to Starlink
Company. Telesat Headquartered in Ottawa, the company is developing the Lightspeed low-Earth orbit satellite system, aimed primarily at government bodies, military organisations, telecommunications companies and large businesses.
According to the operator’s plans, the first two operational satellites are due to be launched into orbit in December 2026. The company expects to continue deploying the constellation throughout 2027 and to commence commercial services for customers in the first quarter of 2028.
In August, Telesat announced a contract with the Canadian government worth 2.3 billion Canadian dollars. The contract involves providing secure military communications, particularly in Arctic regions. As part of the agreement, the initial satellite constellation has been expanded from 156 to 225 satellites.
Company representatives told Cybernews that they would be considering the possibility of extending Lightspeed’s services to Ukraine. However, no specific dates for connecting Ukrainian users, terms of cooperation or the scope of future services have been disclosed.
The restrictions imposed by Starshield forced us to look for other solutions
In October, the Ukrainian military encountered limitations on the speed of satellite communications SpaceX. Problems arose, in particular, when using the terminals on high-speed drones, which affected the execution of combat missions.
According to Reuters, the order to restrict operations Starshield may have come from the White House. At the same time, other reports linked the decision to Elon Musk, whilst representatives of Donald Trump’s administration denied any involvement.
24 October, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Starlink and Starshield had resumed operating at the required speed. Musk subsequently confirmed that SpaceX had imposed restrictions on the Starlink commercial service, citing breaches of its terms of use by the Ukrainian military.
This situation has drawn attention to the reliance on a single supplier for a critically important connection and to the possibility of changing the terms of access to its systems.
Will Lightspeed be able to completely replace Starlink?
At present, it is too early to talk of a full-scale replacement. Starlink already has an extensive satellite infrastructure and is in use in Ukraine, whilst Lightspeed is still in the development phase.
The Canadian system also targets a different market segment. Telesat focuses on secure communication channels for government and corporate clients, rather than on the mass sale of internet terminals to households.
Another feature of the project is its reliance on US launch services. Telesat plans to use SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rockets to launch the Lightspeed satellites into orbit.
Consequently, even once it is operational, the Canadian network will not mean complete technological independence from US space infrastructure.
What other alternatives is Ukraine considering?
At the same time, Ukraine is exploring other options for satellite communications. In October, the Ministry of Defence signed a letter of intent to cooperate with the Finnish companies ICEYE and Nokia to develop its own secure satellite system.
Eutelsat’s OneWeb network is also operational in Europe. Separately, the European Union is developing the IRIS² project, which is intended to provide secure government and commercial satellite communications.
However, the new systems take time to roll out, and their technical specifications and equipment differ from those of Starlink. Therefore, in the near future, the priority is to diversify communication channels rather than to abandon the American network immediately.
