Hispasat expands broadband satellite network with new Gilat SkyEdge II system

Spain-based satellite operator Hispasat has secured an additional SkyEdge II system from Gilat Satellite Networks in a recent deal. Hispasat will use its newest VSAT system for the third phase of its expansion plans for its Spanish broadband satellite network.

Hispasat started expanding its broadband satellite network in 2011 in concert with the “Avanza 100%” national broadband access program of the Spanish government. Avanza 100% seeks to ensure that underserved areas across Spain receive satellite broadband connectivity.

The SkyEdge II VSAT system will max out the space segment efficiency of Hispasat's satellite network by enabling 32APSK Adaptive Coding and Modulation transmissions. This enables speeds of up to 100 Mbps on every one of the network's 36 MHz transponders in conjunction with the Hispasat-1E broadband satellite.

Inmarsat picks NSSLGlobal as new reseller for GX satellite broadband

Inmarsat has appointed NSSLGlobal Ltd. to be its newest Value Added Reseller (VAR) for the Global Xpress (GX) product. NSSLGlobal will deliver the planned Inmarsat satellite broadband product to the maritime market.

GX uses Ka-band technology to deliver speeds up to 50 Mbps across the entire world. It is expected to be the first superfast satellite broadband service available to the shipping industry.

In comparison with current VSAT counterparts, GX terminals are more affordable and compact. Maritime operators that normally could not afford or accommodate the bigger satcom system can thus fit the GX system into their budget and aboard their vessels. At the same time, they will also enjoy consistent delivery of superior connectivity.

The Inmarsat FleetBroadband product will complement the resilience of the upcoming Global Xpress satellite broadband product in harsh environments. Both products enjoy the global coverage and reliability that Inmarsat is known for.

Founded in 1969, NSSLGlobal Ltd is an independent service provider for satellite communications solutions. Its thousands of maritime customers range from deep-sea merchant fleets to the super yacht market.

ViaSat delays order, launch of ViaSat 2 satellite broadband platform to 2016

ViaSat has dropped hints that its ViaSat-2 broadband satellite may have to wait until 2016 at the earliest for manufacture and launch. The new satellite had originally been scheduled for launch in 2014 to expand and enhance the Company's Exede satellite broadband service.

The Company's CEO, Mark Dankberg, implied the delay during the “Satellite Broadband Comes of Age: The Ka-Band Equation” panel at SATELLITE 2013. He mentioned that ViaSat was planning to order a new satellite, but he also refused to set an exact date of purchase and settled for a vague, hopeful “soon.” He added that ViaSat was being assisted by several satellite manufacturers in configuring the planned broadband satellite.

According to CEO Dankberg, ViaSat's new satellite will certainly be able to transform the satellite industry. Ironically, this high expectation ended up being one of the factors that delayed the placement of the order.

CEO Dankberg reported that ViaSat-1 broadband satellite enjoyed excellent sales. 50% of its new subscribers came from terrestrial broadband, a percentage that vastly exceeded earlier expectations of 20%. This achievement, however, meant that ViaSat's next satellite must surpass ViaSat-1 in order to secure the economic model that the Company sought out.

North American consumers have been migrating to ViaSat at a good clip. More than 285,000 subscribers have signed up for the company’s Exede residential broadband service during ViaSat-1's first year of operation. Half a million consumers currently subscribe to ViaSat satellite broadband services.

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Newtec VSAT systems expand SES satellite broadband services

Satellite broadband equipment from Newtec is helping to expand the high-speed, high-capacity broadband services offered by SES Broadband Services.

The Newtec-SES collaboration develops the ASTRA Ka-band services offered by SES Broadband. Using Newtec VSAT systems, ISPs can access the SES Broadband satellite network and tap the services from the new Ka-band hubs at SES' headquarters in Castle Betzdorf, Germany.

Newtec will deliver the initial orders of its MDM2200 Ka-band consumer terminals to the ISPs that distribute SES Broadband services across Europe. The ISPs will pay special attention to regions that lack sufficient terrestrial broadband connectivity and offer voice, data and television services to consumers in those remote regions.

The Newtec MDM2200 satellite broadband platform can access both Ku-band and Ka-band frequencies. It is capable of hitting download speeds of up to 22 Mbps and can facilitate a broad selection of applications.

The collaboration between Newtec and SES Broadband Services started in 2007. Newtec has delivered and installed more than 120,000 of its Ku-band VSAT terminals since then, and its Ku-band terminals can easily be upgraded to Ka-band.

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Gilat connects Peruvian schools with satellite broadband connectivity

Gilat Satellite Networks won a contract with the Peruvian Ministry of Education to link up thousands of schools across Peru using satellite broadband connectivity.

The Company will provide, install, maintain, and deliver technical support for SkyEdge II-c hub and 'Aries' VSAT equipment to 2,600 schools throughout Peru. The deal is worth $12.8 million and will span three years.

The SkyEdge II-c Aries VSAT platform is a cost-effective platform capable of providing high-speed Internet from satellite services and FUP Fair Use Policy.

Peru is seeking to balance out its educational disparities with measures such as the satellite broadband deal with Gilat. Sandro Marcone Flores, head of the Directorate General of Educational Technologies, explained that the South American country sought to bring computer technology to an increasing number of school children using satellite broadband and other methods. 

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SABER satellite broadband project kicks off in Europe

The biennial Satellite Broadband for European Regions (SABER) project has been officially launched. The project intends to deliver satellite broadband connectivity to an estimated 10 million households in Europe that still lack it.

The objectives of the project were set out in European Digital Agenda, Europe 2020. Local, regional, and national authorities throughout Europe will be provided with guidelines regarding the use of high-speed Internet by satellite technologies as well as the method to connect remote, unconnected areas with the rest of the Continent.

The project is coordinated by CSI Piedmont. It counts Astrium, Eutelsat Communications, SES Broadband Services, 21 regional bodies, and both public and private ICT companies from thirteen countries as its partners for the project.

The European Union supplied 510,000 euros to the SABER satellite broadband project as part of the ICT Policy Support Program.

skyDSL, Eutelsat enter agreement for satellite broadband capacity from KA-SAT

German satellite Internet services provider skyDSL Global GmbH has ssigned a new five-year contract with satellite operator Eutelsat for multiple spotbeam capacity on the KA-SAT satellite broadband platform. The contract also includes an option for an extra five years.

The agreement allows skyDSL to access selected service areas of KA-SAT, increasing the rate of its deployment of consumer satellite broadband services throughout Europe.

skyDSL possesses more than a decade's worth of experience in delivering high-quality Internet on satellite solutions. This includes 18 months of providing satellite broadband services through the KA-SAT satellite operated by Eutelsat.

Based in Berlin, the Company's skyDSL2+ brand offers a portfolio of Internet access and triple play services to customers in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, and the Benelux. Its diverse sales channels commercialize services with download speeds of up to 20 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 6 Mbps. SkyDLS customers include consumers, small businesses, utility providers, industrial companies, government and aid intervention agencies.

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Yahsat, truIT join forces to offer YahClick satellite broadband in Uganda

A recent partnership between Yahsat and TruIT will introduce the YahClick satellite broadband service in Uganda.

YahClick is a high-capacity Internet from satellite service that will deliver connectivity to Ugandan consumers in the home, banking, construction, educational, government, healthcare, manufacturing, media, NGOs, and oil and gas markets.

TruIT plans to fill the gap in broadband coverage in the remote and underserved regions of Uganda with the help of Yahsat and its YahClick satellite broadband service.

First founded as a web design and hosting company, TruIT has transformed itself into a provider of IT integration services. It received a public service provider license from the Uganda Communications Commission back in December 2012, allowing the Company to offer voice and data services to Ugandan customers.

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Habitat for Humanity taps Hughes for satellite broadband during Queens, NY reconstruction

Hughes Network Systems is providing satellite broadband services to Habitat for Humanity of Westchester, NY as the latter rebuilds homes in Breezy Point in Queens, NY that had been devastated by Superstorm Sandy.

Habitat for Humanity is coordinating the reconstruction of the homes of Breezy Point residents from a nearby command center equipped with satellite communications technology. The command center can access broadband Internet by satellite and voice services through Hughes' new Internet Access Solutions.

The Hughes broadband Internet by satellite solution leverages the EchoStar 17 satellite. The next generation Ka-band satellite deploys JUPITER high-throughput technology that can deliver satellite internet speeds of up to 15 Mbps.

The Disaster Preparedness Registry of the Global VSAT Forum helped Habitat for Humanity to identify the satellite resources that will be needed by their command center. In addition, a Cisco on-site TacOps team provided customers with services such as a connection switch for their computers, access to wireless Wi-Fi, and a call manager for their phones.

RuSat debuts new VSAT satellite broadband solution in Russia

Russian satellite service provider RuSat reported the debut of a new satellite broadband service that leveraged the newest VSAT hub and end-user terminal technology from Newtec.

The new RuSat service will tap the Yamal-402 satellite deployed by Gazprom Space Systems back in December 2012 to deliver fast and affordable satellite broadband connectivity throughout the entirety of Russia, where VSAT services had previously been expensive and limited in coverage.

The Newtec VSAT terminals will initially use Ku-band. Upgrading their interactive LNB will allow them to use Ka band without the need to adapt hardware to the satellite modem or the antenna.

RuSat already has its first customer for its satellite broadband service. Internet service provider Raduga Internet will provide the consumer market with satellite Internet services using RuSat's solution. 

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Sea Launch sends Intelsat 27 to equator for launch

The Intelsat 27 broadband satellite is on its way aboard a Sea Launch vessel for its January 30, 2013 (Pacific Standard Time) launch aboard a Zenit-3SL rocket.

Intelsat 27 will be sharing the 304.5 degrees East orbital position with the Intelsat 805 and Galaxy 11 satellites.

Built upon the Boeing 702MP platform, the Intelsat 27 is a geostationary broadband satellite with a planned service life of at least 15 years. It will carry a UHF communications payload for military customers and will be able to deliver satellite broadband services to customers in North America, South America, the Atlantic Ocean, and Europe.

The successful launch of Intelsat 27 will complete the first global broadband mobility platform in the world. The Intelsat satellite will deliver uninterrupted satellite broadband connectivity to terrestrial, maritime, and airborne customers. 

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Hughes wins EPA contract for RadNet satellite broadband upgrade

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is tapping Hughes Network Systems for extend satellite broadband services. Hughes announced that it will provide a year's worth of satellite broadband service to 50 sites of the RadNet program.

Hughes is tasked with the installation and delivery of satellite broadband services at up to five RadNet locations per month. Its solution include an HN9000 broadband satellite terminal and a dedicated Access Gateway at the Hughes Network Operations Center in Germantown, MD. The latter allows the expansion and possible conversion of the RandNet network into a private network.

According to Hughes, its satellite broadband solution will improve manageability and visibility of the EPA network. The EPA will be able to run their sites in the efficient manner of a private network.

The EPA keeps a watchful eye on the radiation levels present in air, drinking water, pasteurized milk, and precipitation throughout the United States through the RadNet system. The existing network is set to be upgraded this 2013 with Hughes satellite broadband technology.

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Hughes Network Systems celebrates 2012 sales total of 487K SATCOM terminals

2012 was a good year for Hughes Network Systems, LLC. The Company delivered more than 487,000 broadband satellite communications terminals that year for a total of more than 3.3 million terminals shipped worldwide.

Hughes extends an ever-increasing portfolio of broadband networking solutions at the behest of governments, multi-national organizations, and enterprises of all sizes across all vertical sectors.

The latest addition to its offerings is the HughesNet Gen4 broadband Internet on satellite service. Launched on October 2012 and leveraging the JUPITER high throughput technology of the EchoStar XVII Ka-band satellite, the new-generation HughesNet Gen 4 satellite broadband solution spurred the growth of its consumer high-speed satellite Internet service in North America. During the fourth quarter of 2012, Hughes shipped more than 200,000 HT satellite terminals.

According to Pradman Kaul, president of Hughes, the company considers each of the 3.3 million terminals it had delivered since 1986 to be the proof that the Company's customers depended upon the Company's solutions to accomplish their satellite communications requirements.

NETC telehealth clinics tap Hughes for satellite broadband access

Hughes Network Systems has signed a four-year contract with the New England Telehealth Consortium (NETC) for the provision of high-speed satellite broadband services to mobile telehealth clinics in the rural communities of Northern New England.

As part of the agreement, Hughes will supply routers with integrated auto-deploy antenna developed by AvL Technologies. The routers will enable services such as video conferencing, prescription dispensing, voice calls, transfer of electronic health records, viewing of digital images, telemedicine, and digital messaging.

Hughes will leverage capacity from its Spaceway 3 broadband satellite to generate the high-speed satellite Internet connectivity needed by the NETC service area.

A federally-funded consortium of healthcare providers, NETC serves more than 400 clinics in the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The private telecommunications network it is building will allow healthcare providers to access the newest advances in research and medicine, remote medical diagnostics and surgery, dentistry, and behavioral health treatment. It also allows for the swift sharing of medical records between clinics.

Satellite broadband access will enhance telemedicine and information sharing, ensuring that that telehealth services deliver the finest of care to rural patients.

Easier licensing requirements for in-flight service providers courtesy FCC

Thanks to a recent decision by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC,) in-flight satellite broadband Internet service providers will now have an easier time to accomplish their licensing requirements.

The FCC issued new in-flight regulations that identified two mobile applications to be licensed applications of fixed-satellite service. The applications are Earth Stations Aboard Aircraft and vehicle-mounted earth stations that deliver satellite communications to airborne and terrestrial vehicles.

The new regulations will make it faster for the FCC to process applications by up to 50 percent faster. Previously, the FCC had issued authorizations for companies to offer such services on an ad hoc basis.

The regulations will also improve competition amongst in-flight service providers, who provide satellite broadband and other services to passengers and crew alike.

For the FCC, the in-flight market was a big part of the mobile telecommunications market in the United States as it promoted the widespread availability of Internet access to aircraft passengers.

In-flight communications regulation is the purview of the FCC and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

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NBN faces possible shortfall in capacity for satellite broadband services

The interim satellite broadband service of the national broadband network (NBN) in Australia has become so popular that its builder may encounter difficulties ensuring remote regions can access high-speed satellite services.

The interim satellite service is offering broadband services with download speeds that can reach six megabits per second (Mbps) and upload speeds up to one Mbps. These broadband services can reach Australians who live and work in the country's remote and rural areas.

Mike Quigley, the Chief of NBN Co., explained that demand for the interim satellite broadband service has exceeded the project's expections. He expressed concern that the current supply of satellite capacity will not be able to accomodate the growing demand before NBN launches the first of its two satellites in 2015.

The two NBN broadband satellites cost a total of $620 million. The plan is to launch them half a year apart.

In the meantime, NBN Co is considering launching the full interim service earlier than planned. Mr. Quigley noted that NBN has already acquired a significant percentage of the limited amount of satellite capacity that Australia can tap for satellite broadband services.

Telefonica Chooses the KA-SAT of Eutelsat for Internet Service

Telefonica Global Solutions, a Spanish broadband and telecommunications provider, will be making use of the high-performance KA-SAT satellite of Eutelsat to provide high quality satellite broadband services to carriers all throughout Europe.

The company intends on utilizing the capacity of KA-SAT to suggest solutions to European carriers that are as dependable and competitive in prices as terrestrial broadband services. Telefonica Global Solutions also aims on bringing high-speed Internet service to carriers all over Europe, especially in areas that cannot be reached by terrestrial broadband networks, such as urban belts or rural areas that do not have access to terrestrial with fully diversified backup solutions.

In a statement, Telefonica Director of the Satellite Services Business Unit José Antonio Guerra said, “The bid for Eutelsat Ka-band is the logical step for the evolution of the business of data communications via satellite in Europe, where land-based infrastructures have increasing capillarity. KA-SAT will allow us to offer high quality services at competitive prices, allowing us to update our catalogue of services for operators and corporations. It also allows us to complement the overall strategy of the Telefonica Group providing another access technology for services such as M2M or iHealth.”

U.S Government Refurbishes ViaSat Broadband Airborne Satcom Services Contract

Direct Broadcast Satellite company ViaSat will be providing broadband airborne satcom services to a customer from the U.S government, under a valued $52 million one year contract.

This renewal is for the services established back in 2009 which made use of ViaSat ArcLight technology over a managed private network to support military mission for the War on Terror. The systems of ViaSat mobile broadband are specifically created to provide media-rich ISR, C2, as well as other applications with high-speed, beyond line-of-sight (BLOS) communications. Typical operational data rates utilize Ku- and Ka-band satcom links and range from one to eight Mbps off over 300 government aircraft.

The same terminals can function on the Yonder global satellite network, giving the network a higher priority regional service overlays with a variety of performance and connectivity options.

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Telesat wants partners for its satellite broadband proposal in Northern Canada

Telesat states that the positive results of its recent live satellite broadband trials in Iqaluit proved that satellite services can help bridge the bandwidth gaps plaguing Northern Canada.

The Canadian satellite operator led a team of local communications technology providers to deliver advanced satellite broadband services to residential, government, and business customers in Iqaluit.

These bandwidth gaps were first identified by the Arctic Communications Infrastructure Assessment (ACIA) Report of 2011. Telesat asserts that the technology and the satellite capacity to resolve these shortcomings are now available for implementation.

The Company suggested a public/private collaboration with territorial, provincial, and federal governments as well as other interested parties who want to improve the availability and quality of broadband services in Northern Canada.

Telesat offered to invest CAD 40 million as part of its proposed collaboration to deliver advanced satellite broadband services in the North. The Company expects that its successful demonstrations in Iqaluit will spur the implementation of broadband services as early as 2013.

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HCIL will deploy satellite broadband network for 3000 bank branches in India

Hughes Communications India, Ltd (HCIL) won a five-year, $6 million contract from C-Edge. HCIL will be deploying a satellite broadband network and managed services that will link together more than 3,000 branches of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) in India.

HCIL will connect various District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs) and State Apex banks in India. The first phase of the new satellite broadband network will be implemented in the Indian states of Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.

Hughes will also deploy 3,000 HN9200 VSAT terminals as part of the significant banking project. The Company will further provide shared Network Operations Center (NOC) services such as backhaul, hosting, end-to-end IPSec management, and satellite bandwidth.

A joint venture of the State Bank of India (SBI) and TATA Consultancy Services (TCS,) C-Edge intends to reengineer the business processes of more than 140 banks in India. It also seeks to transform the information technologies used by those same banks. C-Edge selected the unique solution employed by HCIL to optimize its customers' technology, security, cost, and operations.

HCIL offers a wide range of satellite broadband networking technologies, solutions, and services, including managed services. Its solutions can meet every communication challenge faced by Indian businesses and governments.