Advanced Television

Hispasat/Intelsat extend co-operation

October 20, 2014

By Chris Forrester

Hispasat is certainly on a fast-track to co-operation with its satellite rivals. Madrid-based Hispasat is to create a joint-venture with Intelsat to extend its current joint occupation of the 55.5 degrees West position.

Currently Hispasat’s Amazonas-1 satellite and Intelsat’s Galaxy-11 satellites share the orbital slot in an agreement which lasts until the end of next year.

Now the new agreement extends that relationship with shared use of the upcoming Intelsat-34 craft due for launch later next year.  “This agreement, which has allowed both companies to enhance their positioning in Latin America, has been consolidated for the long term so that the two operators can grow at this orbit position and offer new services, especially DTH services,” said a joint statement.

“Since June 2014 Hispasat’s Amazonas 1 satellite has been co-located with Intelsat’s Galaxy 11 satellite, increasing resiliency and expanding resources available to the quickly growing direct-to-home television community that is hosted at that orbital location, including Brazilian pay TV operator GVT. Over the longer-term, Hispasat has procured capacity on the Galaxy 11 follow-on satellite, Intelsat 34, which is expected to launch during the second half of 2015. Hispasat and Intelsat will cooperate at 55.5ºW, continuing to build the momentum at this important Latin American video neighbourhood.”

According to Stephen Spengler, President and CCO of Intelsat, “Our collaboration with Hispasat, which we initiated earlier this year, has been instrumental to building the momentum for media applications at this orbital location. Their presence at this orbital location through Amazonas 1 today and on Intelsat 34 in the future, has enhanced both of our positions in the region.”

 

Categories: Articles, DTH/Satellite