Saudi Arabia-based Arabsat says it has selected French firm ACTIA Aerospace to design, supply and deploy a new generation ofQ/V-Band RF gateway systems that will form a critical part of the ground segment for its upcoming ARABSAT-7A software-defined satellite. The gateway solution includes system design, deployment, testing, commissioning, operator training and long-term technical support. Arabsat said the gateways will support a wide range of broadband managed services, enterprise, mobility, maritime, aviation, and government applications across its coverage region. Arabsat president and CEO Dr. Badr N. Alsuwaidan said the gateway infrastructure represents a cornerstone of its roadmap to transition from traditional geostationary architectures toward software-defined, satellite systems, enabling dynamic service allocation, optimized spectrum usage and scalable customer solutions. “Through state-of-the-art technologies and advanced broadband managed services, ARABSAT-7A represents a major step in our evolution toward software-defined and high-throughput satellite systems,” he said in a statement.