In Becoming a Satellite Managed Services Powerhouse, Intelsat Expands Commitment to Service Excellence

Not long ago, Intelsat was primarily a provider of satellite capacity. Customers would buy chunks of bandwidth and point their antennas to the satellites in orbit to access connectivity. Many had the expertise to deploy and manage solutions on their own. As such, the level of engagement between Intelsat and active customers was mostly transactional, based on megahertz sold and used. 

A Shift to High-touch, Satellite Managed Services

Today, driven by demand from customers for high touch, diversified satellite managed services, the dynamic has shifted. Intelsat now delivers a wide range of customized and intricate solutions that integrate connectivity from multiple orbits and, in some cases, terrestrial sources as well. As a services-driven company, Intelsat has set itself apart from the competition and moved up the value chain by delivering a range of new connectivity solutions to existing customers, penetrating new markets, and generating revenue from new satellite customers. 

The company’s transformation to a provider of managed services has prompted a revamp of its global operations and support structure to meet the increased customer engagement demands. Intelsat has invested heavily in enhancing its ability to provide unrivaled technical support across the entire service portfolio, ensuring customers around the world continue to have uninterrupted access to connectivity and can focus on their core revenue-generating businesses without worrying about satellite-related operations. 

Best of Breed Operational Support Systems Framework

Intelsat has procured and deployed new tools and technologies to monitor performance at the network and application level, enabling the company’s support teams to act and respond at the earliest indication of any interruption or degradation to service.  From engineering and integration to installation and field service to in-depth service monitoring, and more, Intelsat has the technical and operational support systems to respond quickly and deliver exceptional service quality. A modernized ticketing system allows users to initiate support requests and track the status of issues with ease and agility. Self-service capabilities enable customers to manage the technical configuration of their service and have detailed situational awareness. 

Providing In-region, Local Language Support in Many Countries

Five years ago, Intelsat had one Network Operations Center (NOC), located in Atlanta. Today, additional NOCs in Rio de Janeiro, Chennai, Johannesburg, and Japan, including a classified NOC for government customers, interoperating as part of an integrated global operations model, with seamless handoffs across regions and time zones. Structured globally but with the ability to deliver support on a regional and service-specific basis, the NOCs are staffed with skilled engineers that support all technologies, extending Intelsat’s presence and ensuring that users around the world can access an expert in their time zone with the ability to answer questions and resolve issues in the local language. 

The results of Intelsat’s service-focused commitment and investment in operational excellence are evident. Whereas once, network monitoring meant keeping tabs solely on the status of the company’s satellite and ground operations, Intelsat now has greater visibility into user terminals and applications and the ability to troubleshoot in real time. In the past, Intelsat depended on its customers to flag issues. Now, the company has tools and technologies to identify and resolve network deficiencies, in some cases before a user ever notices an issue.

A Service-driven Future Supported by Partnerships and Skilled Staff

Finally, Intelsat is investing in a service-driven future. Working in partnership with academic institutions, Intelsat has created internship programs that provide technical training and a pathway to employment, ensuring that the Network Operations Centers are staffed with the most knowledgeable, trained and skilled individuals.  

Amid a highly competitive space environment where startups and legacy industry leaders compete fiercely for customers, superior technical and customer support are sure to play an outsized role in driving growth and success. Intelsat has invested billions in new satellite and ground technologies, as well as their highly skilled staff.  Its depth of investment in service and support are further establishing the company as the leading managed services provider in the satellite industry.