SatLink CEO Reveals Expansion Plans

[Satellite News – 2-8-08] SatLink Communications, which launched a new MCPC (multi channel per carrier) platform on Eutelsat‘s W2 satellite Feb. 4, is hoping to deal with generate stronger revenues from new markets such as Asia and Eastern Europe in 2008.
      The company, a provider of end-to-end solutions for content transmissions over satellite platforms, as well as doing a deal with Eutelsat to boost its position in Europe, is also looking for more of a role in other international markets, said David Hochner, CEO, SatLink Communications.
    “We launched our own operation on the AsiaSat 2 satellite in line with expanding our services in the region,” Hochner said. “We are currently acquiring more satellite capacity in order to generate more traffic for Europe, Asia, the Middle East and hopefully Africa. We are in a privileged position to generate a lot of cross-continent connectivity as well as local content. We are moving in the direction of having full control over the services we provide across the globe, including satellite capacity, so we have a more cost-effective way to support our clients.”
    "The big capital expenditure plans are in infrastructure to support our services in Europe and other locations,” Hochner said. “We are looking at our own operations. We want to have more transponders in Israel, Europe and Africa. We are definitely part of the GlobeCast solution, and we are taking more of a role in terms of operations in order for them and us to build a more solid global solution, which I think we are doing today.”
    SatLink also hopes it can benefit from increased demand for high-definition (HD) services in Europe and Asia. The company launched its first two HD permanent services in 2007 — one for Asia and one for Europe.
     “We can see more and more HD coming to Europe,” Hochner said. “It is ahead of Asia, but with the Olympics taking place in Asia, there will be HD opportunities here. … There will be several HD services launched in Europe and Asia in the near future, and we expect to take part in this both in terms of contribution and distribution.”
    The deal also cemented SatLink’s relationship with Eutelsat. “We decided last year that we wanted our own arm and leg for Europe so that we can support our customers and partners,” Hochner said. “We have decided to purchase transponders on HotBird. This was part of our plan to have Eutelsat not just as a supplier but also as a partner for any route we would like to take into Europe.