Intelsat’s EPIC an instant success

Satellite giant Intelsat says its newly-launched EPIC high-throughput satellites have already taken $500 millions-worth of new business even though the satellites are not yet operational.

The deals are fascinating, and include aircraft broadband services from Panasonic as well as valuable contracts from the likes of Harris CapRock and MTN Satellite Comms.

The new Intelsat satellites will start going into service in 2015 and 2016. Intelsat CEO Dave McGlade told analysts late on August 1^st that all three major clients had pre-booked capacity for new or enhanced services to aircraft, the oil and gas industry and cruise liners.

The services, when launched, would go head-to-head with existing players such as Inmarsat as well as SES, Telenor and others.