[Satellite TODAY Insdier 05-04-11] Hughes do Brasil, Hughes Network Systems’ Brazilian operating company, has signed a long-term contract for Ku-band capacity on Telesat’s Telstar 14 satellite, the operator announced May 3.
    Hughes do Brasil said it would use the capacity to serve regional customers that will transition to Telstar 14R when the new satellite is operational. “This agreement with Telesat has been driven by the superior performance of Estrela do Sul 2 and demonstrates our long-term commitment to meeting Brazil’s booming demand for satellite services,” Hughes do Brasil President Delio Morais said in a statement.
    Telstar 14 operates from the orbital location at 63 degrees West, providing service throughout the Americas and Atlantic Ocean Region. Its replacement, Telstar 14R/Estrela do Sul 2, is scheduled to launch May 21. Telesat said the new satellite would offer customers important advantages relative to Telstar 14, including significant additional capacity, improved geographic coverage and higher power.
“Latin America is a highly attractive market for satellite communications and this is especially true in Brazil with its strong economic growth and vast regions that lack reliable connectivity. We look forward to working with Hughes in meeting the growing demand for satellite broadband networks across Brazil,” said Nigel Gibson, vice president of international sales for Telesat.
    The growth of Hughes’ solutions and global services to enterprises and government organizations in Brazil and the Africa/Middle East region has helped the company boost its international revenues during the past few years. At the end of 2010, Hughes’ international enterprise revenues increased to $205.6 million, partially offset by delays in customer buying decisions that impacted new hardware orders, the company said in last year’s financial results.

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