[Satellite TODAY Insider 02-02-12] Hughes Network Systems has successfully completed factory and field qualifications on its Juptier gateway and user terminals, the company announced Feb.1.
The gateway and user terminals are now operational, delivering high-speed, end-to-end system traffic over Echostar’s AMC 15 Ka-band satellite. Hughes said the completed milestone paves the way for the Jupiter satellite system launch in the second quarter of 2012.
The Jupiter platform aims to deliver the fourth generation of HughesNet broadband satellite Internet services across North America. Designed with a significant supply of download, the new Jupiter satellite will utilize an enhanced version of the IPoS broadband satellite standard, which has been approved by ETSI, TIA and ITU.
Hughes CEO Pradman Kaul confirmed that his company is currently in the process of installing and testing the infrastructure for the Jupiter system, with the initial gateway providing support for multiple spot beams across the United States.
“This is a very exciting time for Hughes,” Kaul said. “We are once again poised to push the envelope and bring a sophisticated, high-throughput satellite to market, based on cutting-edge industry standards and with capabilities that will maintain our position as the world’s leading integrated satellite service provider.”
By using the AMC 15 Ka-band satellite, Hughes can validate the Jupiter system’s user experience and high-speed service plans that will be delivered to subscribers starting in the summer of 2012.
“Employing a multi-spot beam, bent pipe Ka-band architecture, the new geostationary satellite will provide significant additional capacity for HughesNet service in North America … Jupiter’s capabilities will augment the successful Spaceway 3 satellite and will be a key element in the delivery of the recently announced enhanced HughesNet Gen4 service later this year,” Hughes said in a company statement.
Hughes was recently contracted to provide Yahsat with a Ka-band broadband satellite system, including gateway equipment, terminals and a complete OSS/BSS solution for the YahClick broadband services in the Middle East, Africa and Southwest Asia. Additionally, Hughes is supplying Avanti Communications Group with Ka-band gateways and terminals for operation over Avanti’s Hylas 1 and 2 satellite broadband services across Europe and the Middle East/Africa.
