| February 2009 |
SATELLITE 2009: FOCUS ON NETWORK SERVICES
An Interview with Mark Rasmussen
SATELLITE 2009—one of the industry’s largest gatherings of satellite users—will be held 24-27 March in Washington, D.C. Traditionally a conference attracting the satellite networking crowd, the quantity of information presented can be daunting—even for an industry veteran. Mark Rasmussen, Vice President, Sales, North America Network Services, provides an insider’s guide to the trends and applications likely to be discussed at the show that are most relevant to Intelsat’s Network Services customers.
At
the top of the list: the shift toward Internet Protocol (IP) and browser-based
applications that continue to drive requirements for Intelsat’s networking
customers. Rasmussen noted, “Our customers are constantly
adding and upgrading network-centric applications, increasing traffic
and bandwidth requirements for their networks. Investments in more efficient
ground equipment and the use of additional compression technologies
are critical to maximizing the throughput of customer’s networks.”
Another major trend is the move toward hybrid networks comprised of fiber and satellite capacity. Intelsat’s GlobalConnex terrestrial network, including teleports and approximately 28,000 miles of fiber, reflects the company’s philosophy of embracing the use of fiber to efficiently move customer traffic around the globe.
Now, Rasmussen observed, some of Intelsat’s most successful networking customers are doing the same. “DSL deployment in North America, while increasing, still lacks the ubiquitous coverage that VSATs provide. Operators such as Hughes Network Systems are building hybrid networks for their customers, who get the best of both worlds. Hughes fully integrates the two technologies, providing customers a single point of contact for network control that is critical to enterprise network managers.”
The demand for global networks has been a strong trend for several years, and the progression of IP-based applications continues to build demand for bandwidth. For these customers, Intelsat’s satellite fleet offers global reach and access to bandwidth that is unmatched. “The ‘world is flat’ is hardly a new concept for these customers. Truly global enterprises and organizations have to deliver equal access to applications for their customers and employees around the world. Operators, such as British Telecom, PCCW and Verizon Business, and organizations like the World Bank and the United Nations, operate sophisticated networks delivering converged IP-based applications such as voice, video and data to remote regions—satellite makes it all possible,” said Rasmussen.
Perhaps the biggest change in satellite networking is the pronounced shift in mobility applications. Commercial and government service providers are creating offerings that are highly differentiated and are based on satellite technology as the “best and only” means to delivering services.
Throughout the past 18 months, Intelsat has announced agreements with
service providers delivering broadband to automobiles, airplanes, ships,
and oil platforms just to name a few. Rasmussen noted,
“Creative service providers such as Vizada were early to identify the
growing need for better connectivity within the maritime industry. Vizada’s
rapid growth demonstrates that demand for broadband is not limited to
traditional office and home environments.”
A veteran of ten SATELLITE Week Conferences, Rasmussen
outlined what he hopes to accomplish at this year’s event. “I want to
make sure our customers attending Satellite 2009 hear about our network
investment updates. We want to encourage our customers to use their
Intelsat sales director as a resource for information when thinking
about their network not only today, but also three to five years from
now. Intelsat remains focused on partnering with its customers to deliver
capacity when and where it is needed, and to ensure that our customers
are using satellite capacity in the most efficient manner possible.
It is our job to help our customers be more efficient—this will drive
their success and proves the value of building ‘powerful partnerships’
with each other.”
See you at SATELLITE 2009, 24-27 March, Booth #109
Connections & Regional Seminars Update
Connections & Regional Seminars 2008: We’re Listening
Intelsat’s Connections and Regional Seminars are valuable opportunities for Intelsat to gather feedback from its customers. In 2008, Intelsat hosted Connections events in the Europe & Middle East and in the Americas, and hosted Regional Seminars in Africa and Asia-Pacific.
From the feedback received at Connections meetings and Regional Seminars we heard some common themes which we have taken as priority items to be addressed this year. These areas include:
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Connections & Regional Seminars 2009: Ready, Set, Mark Your Calendars
There will be a few modifications to our Connections and Regional Seminars meetings in 2009:
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MyIntelsat
is your portal to enable you to better manage the services you receive
from Intelsat. Designed to facilitate business-customer collaboration,
the website delivers value-added content and tools, keeps you engaged
and informed, and increases the convenience of doing business with Intelsat.
With MyIntelsat you work smarter.
If you are a customer, to gain access to MyIntelsat, email us at MyIntelsat@Intelsat.com.
Powerful Partnership in Paradise
Intelsat has never shied away from a technological challenge. When mobile satellite operator Inmarsat approached Intelsat with a request to provide an operations center in Hawaii, Intelsat was there to listen and perform.
In
2005/2006, Inmarsat began plans to expand their BGAN (Broadband Global
Access Network) Platform to include coverage over the Asia-Pacific region
and improve coverage over CONUS. Therefore, they determined that a location
on Hawaii would be ideal for a new operations facility.
Intelsat proposed its Paumalu
Teleport as a solution, and was awarded the contact in
January 2007.
Intelsat built and provided 10,000 square feet of indoor operations
space, outdoor space to accommodate two 16.4 M antennas, an RF shelter
between the antennas, and power/environmental control for Inmarsat's
indoor spaces. On an on-going basis Intelsat will also supply basic
RF and antenna maintenance for Inmarsat's equipment.
Intelsat's Program Management group undertook the $12.5 million project
to fully renovate the 10,000 square foot teleport, originally built
by COMSAT in the 1960s. This included installing a new electrical system,
UPS, and generators; new HVAC units; performing a complete facelift
of the building exterior; resurfacing the roof; and completely updating
the building interior. All of the building renovations were complete
and ready for Inmarsat to occupy the building as of March 2008.
Additional options deliver an out-sourced solution for Inmarsat. Intelsat
staffs Inmarsat's 24-hour operations - up to 10 full-time employees
- who work under the direction of an Inmarsat site manager.
Inmarsat now has a state-of-the-art operations center at Paumalu where
it can facilitate the flying of two BGAN satellites (one over CONUS
and one over Asia-Pacific), and support all customer communications
over both satellites. Inmarsat is currently completing final systems
testing, and expect to go fully operational in the first quarter of
2009.
Jeff LaMastus of the Satellite Services Group said,
“This operations center was provided by Intelsat in record time. Huge
thanks should go to both Gilbert Estores's team at
the teleport and Mauro Cordani's Program Management
group for delivering such a great result to our customer, Inmarsat.”
Richard Denny, Inmarsat's Vice President of Satellite
and Network Operations, had the following comments in April 2008 when
he visited the Paumalu facility to host a site "blessing"
ceremony, done in traditional Hawaiian fashion, “When I think back to
how the site looked when I visited Paumalu one year ago at the commencement
of construction, and compare it to how it looks today, I am simply amazed
at how much has been done in such a short amount of time! Though we
always had confidence in Intelsat, this has completely exceeded my expectations
and for that, I am extremely grateful.”
Intelsat and Inmarsat: another example of “Powerful Partnerships.”
Learn more about Inmarsat at www.inmarsat.com.
Intelsat Events Calendar: Q1 2009
| Event | Location | Dates |
| CSTB-2009 | Moscow, Russia | 2-5 February 2009 |
| CABSAT MENA | Dubai, UAE | 3-5 March 2009 |
| SATELLITE 2009 | Washington, DC, USA | 25-27 March 2009 |
Meet us around the world. Visit www.intelsat.com for regular updates to our tradeshow and events calendar.
PTC 2009: "Collaborating for Change"
Intelsat kicked off its 2009 event calendar with the Pacific Telecommunications Council’s annual conference PTC’09 in Honolulu, Hawaii, 18-21 January. The theme of this year’s conference was “Collaborating for Change: Strategies, Opportunities and Partnerships.”
PTC’09
once again proved to be an excellent venue for Intelsat’s executive
management, Sales, and Business Development teams to learn, teach, sell,
and strategize. With 1,050 paid registrations and hundreds, if not thousands,
of other telecommunications leaders, there were many opportunities for
Intelsat’s staff to talk with senior telecom executives from across
the Asia-Pacific region and around the world.
Participating organizations at PTC’09 included submarine cable operators, telecom operators, related equipment manufacturers, and satellite operators from around the world. PTC provides an opportunity to take in a global view of the evolving technology sectors that compete with and complement the services provided by Intelsat. One outcome gained from this multi-disciplinary set of interactions is a clearer view of where communications industries are headed and what our customers are seeking to protect and advance as they address their future opportunities.
Conference speakers from Intelsat included CEO Dave McGlade; David Ball, Regional Vice President, Asia Pacific Sales; Jay Yass, Vice President, Network Services; Keith Ramsay, Senior Key Account Director, Asia Pacific; and Stephen Tom, Director, Business Development Asia, Pacific, and Africa.
The conference headliner was Mr. Vint Cerf, Chief Internet Evangelist at Google and co-developer with Robert Kahn of the architecture for the Internet. Cerf emphasized the importance of mobility; stated that information-sharing is power; admonished that Internet address limits must be addressed; and noted that there is no “next generation Internet” because it is always evolving.
Intelsat hosted three meeting suites where staff connected with customers and prospects during a full calendar of meetings scheduled throughout the three-day event. In addition to enjoying the popular Intelsat-hosted Annual Dessert Reception, customers also had the rare opportunity to tour Intelsat’s nearby Paumalu Teleport.
Intelsat 15: Continuity, Expansion, Growth
In 2009, Intelsat will make substantial investments in renewing and upgrading its global fleet. At present, Intelsat has 10 satellites in the design and build phases. One of the satellites in Intelsat’s 2009 launch program is the Intelsat 15 (IS-15), scheduled for liftoff in the second half of 2009.
Rarely
does an Intelsat launch campaign affect only a single region of the
world. The Intelsat 15 spacecraft being manufactured in Dulles, Virginia,
USA, will be flown to Kazakhstan to be launched by a Russian, Ukrainian
and American cooperative, and when on-orbit, will serve customers in
the Indian Ocean and Asia Pacific regions, the Middle East, and Russia.
Following the arrival of the Intelsat 15 at 85º East, the Intelsat 709 will be re-deployed to 55º East. C-band customers currently on the IS-709 will be migrated to other spacecraft in Intelsat’s global fleet.
Orbital Sciences Corporation was contracted to build the Intelsat 15, a continuation of a long-standing relationship with the manufacturer. The Intelsat 15’s design is based on Orbital’s STAR 2.4 bus. Orbital also built the Galaxy 12, Galaxy 14, Galaxy 15, Intelsat 11, and the Horizons 2. Additionally, currently under construction at Orbital are the Intelsat 16, the Intelsat 18 and the Intelsat New Dawn spacecrafts.
The Intelsat 15 will secure its place in the more than 50-year legacy of launching satellites from the Baikonur Space Center. The IS-15 spacecraft will be integrated with the launch vehicle once it arrives in Kazakhstan, following a period of quality assurance testing. The launch vehicle that will carry the IS-15 to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) is expected to be Land Launch’s Zenit-3SLB rocket, a modification of the Zenit-3SL used to launch satellites from the equatorial Pacific Ocean by Sea Launch Company. A relatively new company, Land Launch will have performed several successful launches prior to commencing the countdown to liftoff of the Intelsat 15.
Further demonstrating the strength and benefits of powerful partnerships, our Horizons 1 and Horizons 2 joint venture partner, JSAT, owns a portion of transponders on the Intelsat 15 satellite. Via two separate beams on IS-15, JSAT will serve its mobility customers in the Indian Ocean Region, as well as provide direct broadband communications between Japan and coastal nations in the Asia-Pacific Region.
The Intelsat 15, currently scheduled for launch in the second half of 2009, will provide video, VSAT and consumer broadband expansion for customers in Russia and the Middle East, as well as provide service continuity to the Middle East for customers of Intelsat General Corporation. The Intelsat 15 has a design life of 15 years and will be operated by Intelsat’s East Coast Satellite Operations Center (ESOC) in Washington, D.C.
Intelsat New Dawn: Adding Infrastructure to Africa
In a joint venture with a South African investor group led by Convergence Partners, Intelsat is planning to launch a new satellite in late 2010 called “Intelsat New Dawn.” Intelsat New Dawn is being manufactured by Orbital Sciences Corporation and will feature a payload designed to deliver wireless backhaul, broadband, and television programming to the African continent from 33º East, replacing Intelsat’s Galaxy 11 satellite. The satellite is expected to enter service in early 2011.
One
of the fastest growing regions for fixed satellite services in recent
years, African wireless telecom operators, broadband service providers,
corporate network service providers and direct-to-home television operators
are experiencing an explosion in demand for telecommunications services.
The New Dawn joint venture was established to provide infrastructure
to support the impressive growth in African communications requirements.
The satellite will be operated and marketed as part of the global Intelsat fleet and joins the other 25 Intelsat satellites serving the African region. More than 50% of the satellite’s 28 C- and 24 Ku-band 36 MHz transponder units are under contract, with pre-launch commitments received from leading wireless, network and video service providers. Some contracts are for up to 15 years of service on the satellite.
Convergence Partners is a South African-based investment company focused specifically on the telecommunications, media and technology sector, predominantly in Africa and the Middle East. As a major part of its strategy, Convergence Partners focuses on greenfield projects that improve access to communications, broadband services and technology offerings throughout Africa and thereby contribute to enhanced standards of living.
| Event | Date |
| XXIV Latin America Sub-20 Soccer | 19 January-9 February |
| Copa Libertadores | 28 January-8 July |
| Four Continents Figure Skating Championships | 2-8 February |
Grammy Awards |
8 February |
Israeli Elections |
10 February |
World Cup Qualifier |
11 February-9 March and 28 March |
| NBA All-Stars | 13-15 February |
MLB Spring Training |
27 February-27 March |
World Baseball Classic |
5-23 March |
G-20 Summit |
2 April |
Summit of the Americas |
17-19 April |
Intelsat Transmits History: U.S. Presidential Election Carried Via Intelsat
From the Moon Landing to Live Earth, Intelsat is known for distributing the milestone events of our lifetime. The 2008 U.S. Presidential Election and Inauguration 2009 are now part of our heritage, with millions viewing the inspiring events courtesy of the Intelsat global network.
Supporting
the telecommunications requirements for the McCain campaign on Election
Day, Intelsat’s Special Events team contracted a hybrid satellite news
gathering (SNG) truck and set up two multiple channels per carrier (MCPC)
platforms at the Biltmore Resort in Phoenix, Arizona, from 1-5 November
2008. The signals were uplinked to Galaxy-28, downlinked to Intelsat’s
Atlanta, Napa and Fuchsstadt Teleports to turnaround to the Intelsat
2, Intelsat 9 and Intelsat 905 satellite for each global region. We
also secured positions on the press risers through the McCain campaign,
providing power, lighting, communications, and a production crew to
support customers' live stand-up and tape playout needs. In an environment
where a high satisfaction rating is critical to success, the votes for
the Special Events on-site coordinators will not require a recount.
Satisfied customers who used the Intelsat network to carry coverage
of the McCain campaign on Election Day included, Voice of America, TV
Azteca (Mexico), Artear (Argentina), Overon (Spain), CCTV (China) and
Globecast Asia.
Intelsat also was live in Chicago on Election Day, with a similar set-up, to cover President Barack Obama’s campaign. Special Events also had a hybrid SNG uplink truck in Chicago uplinking a seven-channel SCPC (single channel per carrier) from Grant Park on Hutchinson Field from 3 November through 5 November.
Intelsat secured press positions through the campaign and provided live stand-up positions and tape playout capabilities for Voice of America, TV Azteca, Artear, Globecast Asia, and many other broadcasters.
Signals were uplinked on Galaxy 28 and turned around to international space segment on various satellites throughout the Intelsat network. Special Events provided a live-shot service in Washington, D.C. during the same period.
“The Intelsat Special Events on-site coordinator, Mario Vejar, did an excellent job ensuring the seven simultaneous uplinks performed smoothly,” said Tim Jackson, Vice President, Media Product Management.
In Chicago, Intelsat set up an additional path to facilitate newscasters who were not credentialed. This action allowed them to transmit live events to their home countries.
Coined by some at Intelsat as 'The Year of the Special Event,' the Special Events team was incredibly busy throughout 2008. As you’re watching the news, sports or entertainment during 2009, whether global or local, and you wonder if the program is being carried on an Intelsat satellite or through one of its teleports, the answer is quite likely, “Yes.”
Behind the Scenes at President Obama's Inauguration
Intelsat's Occasional Use and Special Events teams were busy throughout the events associated with and including the Inauguration of President Barack Obama.
During
the Inauguration, the Special Events team was on the scene again in
the capital of the United States - Washington, D.C. Despite extremely
tight security and below freezing temperatures, the team offered Live
Shot positions from the National Mall and roof-top stand-up positions
overlooking the U.S. Capitol. Intelsat technology brought millions of
waving flags and enthusiastic revelers to the world.
Signals were uplinked on Intelsat's Galaxy 28 satellite and turned around to international space segment on various satellites throughout the Intelsat network.
It’s no mystery that the Special Events team was incredibly busy throughout 2008. They are gearing up for another busy year in 2009, and will bring events, news and sports from the four corners of the globe to the eyes and ears of millions.
At the Podium: Intelsat Newsmakers
CEO Dave McGlade Discusses Industry Drivers at PTC 2009
During
PTC 2009, attendees had the opportunity to hear Intelsat CEO Dave
McGlade discuss his views on the technology innovations, applications
and services that will be shaping the satellite industry in the coming
years. Grahame Lynch, Publisher of CommsDay, moderated
the so called fire-side chat on Monday 19 January. Mobile services,
turnkey hybrid solutions for network services, and the distribution
of regional programming to new markets topped the list of items McGlade
stressed during the discussion.
Mobile applications will continue to see dynamic growth in the coming years. McGlade observed that mobility will include delivering content and network services to planes, ships and automobiles. Entertainment to vehicles, military communications and maritime services are business sectors where satellite technology will continue to be an integral component of the transmission chain. Mobile backhaul also will continue to be a key service area for satellite, complementing cellular and wireless networks as they expand their grid to include larger coverage areas.
The discussion also highlighted the increased need by telecom and media customers for robust transmission networks. Even though fiber rollouts continue throughout Asia-Pacific, McGlade expressed little concern about competition for LTE and submarine cables, pointing out that satellite is vital to the communication infrastructure of the region, especially for the Pacific Islands. A robust terrestrial and satellite network offers customers a complete transmission solution for both regional and global delivery.
For video services, the discussion reiterated that content is inherently global in nature and that the satellite industry is working more closely with media customers as programmers and broadcasters adopt next-generation modulation formats.
Intelsat Executives Stress Importance of Safeguarding Satellite Spectrum at PTC 2009
The
battle is not over! David Ball, Intelsat’s Vice President,
Asia-Pacific, and David McGlade, Intelsat CEO, stressed
that continued vigilance is necessary to protect fixed satellite services
(FSS) spectrum from encroachment by competing technologies.
During panel sessions at PTC 2009, both McGlade and Ball reminded attendees that C-band spectrum is vital for video, voice and data transmission services and without it, everyday services would be impacted. The use of satellite spectrum by competing technologies will result in interference that would interrupt program broadcasts and critical network services for governments and corporations.
Intelsat will continue to provide industry leadership on this important issue.
Intelsat’s Satellite-Related Services Business
We’re
more than a satellite operator.
Intelsat’s Satellite-Related Services department leverages more than four decades of innovation, expertise and quality of service to help its customers and other industry organizations grow their businesses by providing expert satellite engineering and operations services.
The Satellite-Related Services business line, established in 2005, utilizes Intelsat’s experience and satellite technology knowledge base to provide its specialized products and service throughout a satellite’s life cycle, including:
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New SSOG Messages Format
Beginning in early February 2009, you will notice a new format for all Intelsat SSOG messages. These messages will provide instructions to your operations centers for accessing the satellite capacity for any new services or changes to existing services. This new format will provide a cleaner, easier to read and consistent presentation of information that you need to access your capacity on any of our satellites.
Please find examples of the new format for SSOG messages at the following links:
As part of our ongoing efforts to improve customer service, Intelsat has deployed an online form you can use to submit inquiries to the Billing Operations group regarding invoices you have received.
You will find the link for this Billing Inquiry form when you log into MyIntelsat and select a particular invoice number or period. Your submittal goes directly to billing.inquires@Intelsat.com where it is reviewed and acted upon by our analysts.
If you do not already have a MyIntelsat account set up, please contact your Sales Director or email us at MyIntelsat@Intelsat.com.
We value your business and will make every effort to address your inquiries
in a timely manner.
Intelsat Promotions, Hires and Moves
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Mike McDonnell, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Michael McDonnell is responsible for Intelsat’s financial operations, including the accounting, treasury, financial planning, tax, investor relations and information technology functions. Mr. McDonnell has more than 22 years experience leading large and complex financial organizations, as well as prior experience in the satellite industry. Mr. McDonnell is based in Washington, D.C. |
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Tim Jackson, Vice President, Media Product Management. As Vice President, Media Product Management, Mr. Tim Jackson is responsible for the P&L, strategic direction and product portfolio of Intelsat’s global media business. Mr. Jackson’s more than 20 years of experience in the broadcast communications industry includes an extensive background in sales, marketing, engineering and broadcast operations. Mr. Jackson is based in Washington, D.C. |
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Peter Ostapiuk, Regional Vice President, North America Cable & Emerging Media. Mr. Ostapiuk is responsible for managing Intelsat's sales efforts for the North American cable television and emerging media markets. Peter has 16 years of experience in sales, including 14 years in the telecommunications and satellite industry. Mr. Ostapiuk is based in Ellenwood, Georgia. |
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Ron Busch, Vide President, Network Operations. In his current roll Mr. Busch oversee Intelsat’s worldwide service implementations, TOSS, GXS network expansion, and antenna programs, site consolidations, integration services and antenna re-point campaigns. Mr. Busch is based in Ellenwood, Georgia. |
Scheduled for delivery on Tuesday, 7 April 2009
NCTA/NAB Edition
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