Orange has launched its vaunted home satellite service to plug coverage gaps unfilled by fiber, telco DSL or its mobile networks. But this is not typical of the gathering convergence between terrestrial 5G and NTNs (Non-Terrestrial Networks). NTN activity is being dominated by fast expanding constellations of LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellites from the likes of Elon Musk’s Space X Starlink, and Amazon’s emerging Project Kuiper, while Orange’s new services will be delivered through its Nordnet subsidiary using Eutelsat’s Konnect VHTS GEO satellite. GEO satellites, given their high orbits, can cover large areas cost effectively for broadcast downlink communication, as in DTH (Direct to Home) TV, but scale less well for unicast services dedicated to individual users. Designed by French…