CUSTOMER
HISPASAT has contributed to the development of all kinds of advanced satellite solutions for its customers. These include systems to extend mobile telephony network coverage (mobile backhaul) and satellite Internet access for residential and business users or via WiFi hotspots, as well as advanced IoT (Internet of Things) solutions, which encompass sensors and web-connected objects, and communications in emergency situations.
NEW SERVICES AND ADVANCED SOLUTIONS
In 2018 the solutions developed by the customer engineering department consider the marketing of space capacity (in MHz), including the associated terrestrial segment, as well as connectivity services through the use of managed capacity (in Mb/s) on the most appropriate satellite broadband platforms for each case.
HISPASAT’s satellite solution is believed to be the ideal one for mobility environments.
MOBILITY
High-speed trains: HISPASAT is still a world leader in satellite solutions, with the “PlayRenfe” service on AVE high-speed trains in Spain as a stand out example. With this solution, passengers enjoy Internet connectivity with broadband WiFi coverage throughout the journey, as well as a wide range of on-board entertainment services with direct TV via satellite. Apart from securing this successful business project, numerous analyses have been conducted and technical proposals made to export this railway solution abroad
Ships: The excellent coverage provided by HISPASAT satellites in the Mediterranean, the Peninsula-Canary Islands corridor, the North Sea and the Caribbean, among others, has become another important focus to develop new services. In this regard, in 2018 the customer engineering department created numerous network designs that are optimised to allow maximum levels of throughput and efficiency, at the same time maximising the service areas required for new maritime services, on both space capacity in MHz, with new agreements with some of the big sector leaders in European coverage, and capacity in Mbps through HISPASAT’s managed services platforms. Concerning the latter aspect, managed coverage has been extended across the whole of Latin America, with increasing business across all verticals (cruises, pleasure boats, fishing vessels, mercantile…).
Buses: HISPASAT has continued to work with several partners on developing and validating connectivity solutions for passenger buses, using a variety of technologies and low profile antennas. In 2018 the focus has been placed on Latin America, where there are big nationwide bus lines, albeit lacking in communications infrastructure on most journeys.
Aircraft: The upwards trend in the capacity demand for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) held good throughout 2018. Indeed, HISPASAT managed to showcase its satellite solution and to increase the contracted capacity for this type of service.
MOBILE BACKHAUL
High demand and the rapid growth of traffic on 4G networks met with the difficulty of extending coverage in remote areas. Because of this, HISPASAT has worked to improve satellite solutions in terms of efficiency and cost reduction, as well as the advantages of its global coverage, high capacity and scalability for the provision of this solution.
The involvement of the client engineering team, by defining and sizing the services, carrying out detailed analyses of existing technologies to make the most of their benefits, and by seeking technology improvements and more appropriate fleet capacity, has been a particularly noteworthy feature in all of these projects.
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NEW VIDEO PARTNERS AND NEW BUSINESS MODELS
In 2018 HISPASAT reached new strategic agreements to drive satellite video projects forward. One agreement was made for DTH in central Europe, in which the customer engineering department participated both on project viability analyses and by carrying out validation tests in the field, accompanying installers at several points of the area to be covered.
In the search to adapt to new video trends, an agreement was reached with a technology partner to create an on demand video platform via satellite, including an operating demonstrator.
Furthermore, the customer engineering team is proving itself to have an important role to play in HISPASAT’s evolution towards applying new business models that can complement standard capacity sales, whether with pay-per-user managed services on new technologies (WiFi, backhaul), sharing of investments, etc.
NEW KA BAND COVERAGE
Customer engineering gave active support to the to the process of launching, implementing and marketing the new Ka band capacities from the Hispasat 30W-6 and Amazonas 5 satellites.
For Amazonas 5, with Ka coverage in Mexico and Brazil, among others, the team monitored the purchase, installation and commissioning of the corresponding Gateway (GW) stations and managed services platforms. Similarly, they carried out capacity measuring analyses and gave support to the commissioning process, including training workshops and customer visits.
In addition, the customer engineering department undertook some intensive work defining and optimising the operating parameters of the various spots, both user and GW, and of the associated capacities (improved efficiency, increasing maximum capacity and service availability per user terminal).
It was also necessary to follow-up on the installation, verification tests and commissioning of the GWs for the Hispasat 36W-1 and Hispasat 30W-6 satellites, with coverage in Spain and Morocco.
R+D+I AND CUSTOMER SUPPORT
During 2018 the Canary Islands customer engineering team has continued its consolidation as a benchmark for coordinating HISPASAT’s R+D+I activities. The main activities in this area are summarised in the Innovation chapter of this Report.
Our teams in Mexico, Brazil and Spain attest to HISPASAT’s commitment to going that extra mile in customer proximity and support with respect to all those factors that affect the design and commissioning of new services, as well as for updates and support for existing networks.
NEW FLEET SATELLITES AND OPTIMISATION OF CURRENT CAPACITY
The customer engineering team actively participated in the migration process, conducting comparative analyses of each of the services on both satellites, coordinating with customers and generating all the transmission plans for the new Hispasat 30W-6 satellite.
Another positive effort was made in drawing up plans for optimising capacity for all HISPASAT fleet satellites, which have enabled the company to increase and adapt the available offer to customer demands, both in terms of space capacity and as regards broadband services.
Linked to this, several service migrations, both in-house and for HISPASAT customers, were planned and executed to optimise capacities and improve the technical conditions of the aforementioned services (more advanced technologies, coverage improvement, etc.), with a view to ensuring customer satisfaction.
Finally, customer engineering is taking part in the working groups that are tasked with designing the next satellites that HISPASAT wants to include in its fleet.
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© Informe Anual Hispasat 2018
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