HughesNet tops 5000 municipalities in Brazil
July 26, 2021
By Chris Forrester
HughesNet’s Brazil subsidiary Hughes do Brazil is celebrating its fifth birthday in Brazil and says it is now serving 5000 municipalities in Brazil with its broadband-by-satellite service.
The operator says that for approximately 67 per cent of these subscribers – including those in the most remote and rural parts of the country – HughesNet is the first on-premise Internet service they’ve ever had.
“Hughes has a long and proud history of bringing the benefits of satellite connectivity to enterprises, government, and now consumers, across Brazil,” said Pradman Kaul, president/CEO, Hughes. “This anniversary reflects our ongoing commitment to the country, as an Internet service provider, a managed network services partner and an employer, helping to power a connected future.”
“Today, HughesNet connects rural residents, family farmers, small producers, cooperatives, riverside schools and many others,” said Rafael Guimarães, president/Hughes do Brasil. “These are people who have been overlooked by other Internet providers; they may not even have a cellphone signal, not to mention streets or roads. We employ a robust network of partners throughout Brazil who understand the demands of local customers in their regions and join us in expanding HughesNet to connect the unconnected.”
Originating in the US, Hughes has been in Brazil since 1968 serving the business market and was responsible for the sale of the first Brazilian telecommunications satellite. The launch of HughesNet in 2016 marked the company’s entry into the consumer market.
“The enterprise segment was already fully consolidated and brought us the necessary expertise to launch the HughesNet service in the country. Since then, we have expanded coverage with another satellite and consolidated a joint venture with Yahsat, reinforcing investments in Brazil,” emphasises Guimarães.
Hughes continues to invest in the connected future with new technology and services. The company is building a new ultra-high density satellite, called JUPITER 3, which will reinforce coverage and increase capacity over Brazil. It is expected to launch in the second half of 2022.
“We have an optimistic vision for the satellite communication market in Brazil. We are not here just passing through,” said Guimarães.
JUPITER 3 will be the fourth Hughes satellite serving Brazil, joining Hughes 65 West, Hughes 63 West and Hughes 20 West, the newest payload to join the fleet as part of the joint venture with Yahsat.