ARLINGTON, Va.
and LUXEMBOURG and GERMANTOWN,
Md., March 8, 2017
/PRNewswire/ --
- SES contracts Hughes for service on EchoStar XVII and EchoStar
XIX HTS satellites, and combines them with its AMC-15 and AMC-16
network, to provide a four-satellite constellation for the launch
of Thales FlytLIVE network
- The four-satellite network strengthens Thales' FlytLIVE network
as it enters initial operations in 2017 and in advance of the
milestone launch of SES-17 Ka-band HTS satellite, planned for
2020
- SES to purchase multiple JUPITER System gateways from Hughes
and contract ground segment operations to Hughes to bring seamless
connectivity to Thales FlytLIVE network
- Thales selects Hughes JUPITER System Aeronautical platform for
its next-generation IFC solution
Today, Thales, SES S.A. and Hughes Network Systems (HUGHES)
announced a set of strategic agreements to enhance the delivery of
FlytLIVE™ – Thales' connected inflight experience
solution, offering the most advanced and efficient aeronautical
connectivity solution available in the Americas. Under the
agreements, SES contracts capacity on Hughes EchoStar XVII and
EchoStar XIX high throughput (HTS) Ka-band satellites to complement
its AMC-15 and AMC-16 network giving FlytLIVE the only redundant
coverage network in North America.
SES will also purchase multiple JUPITER™ System gateways from
Hughes to qualify Thales to deploy its FlytLIVE service on Hughes
JUPITER Aeronautical platform. This will allow Thales to initiate
its next-generation connected inflight experience offering in
North America this year.
Furthermore, the system being deployed is forward compatible
with SES-17, SES' powerful Ka-band HTS satellite optimized for
aviation connectivity and expected to launch in 2020, thus ensuring
Thales' airline clients have a clear and effective path for
accommodating the ever-growing traffic demands of their
passengers.
FlytLIVE by Thales provides an advanced, seamless inflight
connectivity solution with unmatched performance and redundancy,
giving passengers the full broadband Internet connectivity,
including the ability to stream Internet services for video, games,
social media and live television, creating an immersive and
engaging experience in the air. In addition, this new service
enables airlines to upload content, download operational data, and
provide live television channels to their entire fleet through
managed end-to-end solutions and network services.
In 2016, SES and Thales announced an agreement to procure and
commercialize SES-17 and to leverage SES' existing AMC-15 and
AMC-16 satellites for FlytLIVE. This new set of strategic
agreements between SES, Thales and Hughes provide Thales with an
expanded scope of HTS Ka-band satellite capacity and the latest and
most advanced aeronautical platform available today. The
combination of Hughes EchoStar XVII and XIX Ka-band satellites with
SES' AMC-15 and AMC-16 network provide for expanded satellite
capacity, coverage, and redundancy over North America. With these four satellites and
the Hughes JUPITER System aeronautical platform, Thales will be
positioned to offer the most comprehensive connectivity and content
services for the full gamut of North American flight routes,
including routes between the North East U.S. and Canada and the Caribbean, which to-date have been underserved
as these flight routes are predominantly over open ocean. This
combination of coverage, performance, redundancy, and network
robustness will be unique to FlytLIVE.
At the center of the new service is Hughes high-performance
JUPITER system that is already in operation for broadband
enterprise and consumer services in other major markets globally
and will be introduced for aeronautical use on the Thales FlytLIVE
network. Unique features of the network include rapid beam-to-beam
and satellite-to-satellite switching and DVB-S2x transmission.
Thales has already begun service testing using its new Thales
Ka-band aero antenna and the Hughes JUPITER technology.
SES will also purchase multiple Hughes JUPITER System gateways
to support traffic carried over AMC-15 and AMC-16, as well as
SES-17, when it enters service. FlyLIVE's network will deliver
industry leading speed and capacity for support of growing
passenger service demands and will comfortably accommodate
forecasted traffic increases through the launch of SES-17, which is
manufactured by Thales Alenia Space and configured with close to
200 spot beams and coverage tailored to aviation and mobility
markets.
"Our experience and position as a global leader in satellites,
avionics, cybersecurity and connected inflight entertainment means
we are able to deliver the most capable solutions our customers
expect. With these strategic agreements with SES and Hughes, Thales
FlytLIVE service will be uniquely able to deliver airlines and
their passengers with an unsurpassed, connected inflight
entertainment experience."
- Dominique Giannoni, CEO, Thales
InFlyt Experience
"This agreement confirms once again SES's ability to provide
scalable solutions tailored to match our customers' specific
requirements. Not only are we developing SES-17, a next-generation
satellite that Thales will use to meet the future inflight
connectivity demands of the next decade, but we are also providing
a superior, tailor-made, multi-satellite and multi-beam solution
today, in 2017, utilizing assets already in orbit. This is only
possible thanks to the combination of our existing robust and
flexible network with our long-standing relationship with Hughes
and Thales."
- Elias Zaccack, Senior Vice
President of SES's Global Mobility Team and the Americas region,
SES S.A.
"Hughes is proud to join with Thales and SES to bring our
advanced JUPITER System aeronautical platform, along with the
enhanced satellite coverage and capacity of our EchoStar XVII and
XIX satellites, to facilitate the launch and operation of
FlytLIVE's North American service. Our JUPITER platform will
enable SES and Thales to deliver an unmatched level of inflight
connectivity customer experience, and the capacity brought through
our satellites will ensure that Thales' airline clients will be
able to readily accommodate the ever-growing demands and
performance expectations of their passengers."
- Paul Gaske, Executive Vice
President, North America,
Hughes
About Thales
Thales is a global technology leader for the Aerospace,
Transport, Defense and Security markets. With 62,000 employees in
56 countries, Thales reported sales of $15.5
billion in 2015. With over 20,000 engineers and researchers,
Thales has a unique capability to design and deploy equipment,
systems and services to meet the most complex security
requirements. Thales' unique international footprint allows it to
work closely with customers all over the world.
About SES S.A.
SES is the world-leading satellite operator and the first to
deliver a differentiated and scalable GEO-MEO offering worldwide,
with more than 50 satellites in Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) and
12 in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). SES focuses on value-added,
end-to-end solutions in four key market verticals (Video,
Enterprise, Mobility and Government). It provides satellite
communications services to broadcasters, content and internet
service providers, mobile and fixed network operators, governments
and institutions, and businesses worldwide. SES's portfolio
includes the ASTRA satellite system, which has the largest
Direct-to-Home (DTH) television reach in Europe, and O3b Networks, a global managed
data communications service provider. Another SES subsidiary, MX1,
is a leading media service provider and offers a full suite of
innovative digital video and media services. Further information
available at: www.ses.com
About Hughes Network Systems
Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES) is the global leader in
broadband satellite technology and services for home and office.
Its flagship high-speed satellite Internet service is HughesNet®,
the world's largest satellite network with over 1 million
residential and business customers across North America and Brazil. For large enterprises and governments,
the company's HughesON® managed network services provide complete
connectivity solutions employing an optimized mix of satellite and
terrestrial technologies. The JUPITER™ System is the world's most
widely deployed High-Throughput Satellite (HTS) platform by leading
providers operating on more than 20 satellites, delivering a wide
range of enterprise, mobility and cellular backhaul applications.
To date, Hughes has shipped more than 5.5 million satellite systems
to customers in over 100 countries, representing approximately 50
percent market share, and its technology is powering broadband
services to aircraft around the world.
Headquartered outside Washington,
D.C., in Germantown,
Maryland, USA, Hughes operates sales and support offices
worldwide, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation
(NASDAQ: SATS), a premier global provider of satellite operations.
For additional information about Hughes, please visit
www.hughes.com and follow @Hughes_Corp on Twitter.
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SOURCE Hughes Network Systems, LLC