COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY
During 2015, HISPASAT focused on making new sales in emerging markets and consolidating revenue from its main clients. Spain, in particular, experienced significant activity in audiovisual services, as corresponding transfers from public and private Spanish DTT channels to digital dividend were completed.
Likewise, the public administration called for a tender at the beginning of the year to launch new DTT channels, three in high definition and another three in standard definition. The channels were granted at the end of the year and will start being broadcast through the HISPASAT fleet in 2016. In addition, the public entity RTVE has regionalised its high definition signals through the HISPASAT fleet.
In terms of service distribution, the number of Spanish broadcasting channels that distribute their signals to the Americas has been increased. This was possible thanks to winning the contract to broadcast three Atresmedia Group international channels in HD.
Likewise, the number of other TV channels interested in distributing their signals in the system has increased, taking advantage of the wide range of cable operators that are directed towards 30° West in the Americas, which HISPASAT controls.
At the national level, Data services via satellite continue to follow the same trend as the last few years. In this way, HISPASAT has been able to renovate contracts with important operators in Spain and Portugal, and has even launched its first platform in Ka band at 30° West using the space segment of the Hispasat 30W-5 (Hispasat 1E) satellite.
One of the most important milestones during this business year has been the 1st HISPASAT 4K International Festival, organised by the company. It is one of the first contests in the world to exclusively feature short films shot in 4K. More than 70 short films from 12 different countries participated in the festival.
Cutting-edge technology companies, such as Samsung, Dolby, Canon and SGO, as well as RTVE, Callao City Lights cinema in Madrid and Heavents production company, have joined the effort to make this unique contest possible in Spain. The most prestigious film schools in Spain and Latin America have also collaborated in the festival.
The awards ceremony was held at Callao cinema before the audience of 500 people attending the screening of the festival’s short film finalists. This is the first festival in the world that focuses on pieces directed and post-produced in Ultra High Definition.
In Europe, the company continues to facilitate the distribution of audiovisual channels. Agreements with teleports like the one operated by the British company Goonhilly Earth Station have been signed, which have led to the activation of a new broadcast station for the configuration of MUX channel distribution in Europe.
In terms of providing IP services, in the 2015 business year HISPASAT was selected by Telefónica to provide an on-board connectivity service for the fleet of 89 high-speed trains that RENFE currently operates in Spain. This agreement will be in effect for six years and can be extended an additional four years. It can also be extended to other fleets and trains for as long as the agreement is valid. With this contract, HISPASAT has consolidated its international position as a leader in providing connectivity and entertainment services in the high-speed train sector.
In 2015, the new occasional IP services for sporting events and maritime rescue have been consolidated.
The year 2015 has been an eventful year in the rail sector, in which HISPASAT, independent from the system commercially available in European high-speed trains, has been developing and testing a new system with more efficient broadband technologies and smaller antennae that optimise and improve our solution for this type of mobility services that are becoming increasingly sought after.
HISPASAT has been continuing its expansion strategy in North Africa and has come to an agreement with Quantis Global. In this agreement the broadband service provider acquired the entire Ka band payload in Morocco for the future HISPASAT 30W-6 (HISPASAT 1F) satellite until the end of its useful life.
The agreement allows for the parallel acquisition of broadband in the Ku band, which currently allows services to be deployed on board the HISPASAT 30W-4 and HISPASAT 30W-5 (HISPASAT 1D and 1E) satellites.
It also firmly reinforces the presence of HISPASAT in this country and has been the catalyst for breaking the digital divide thanks to the fast deployment of more than 4,000 points during the year’s final quarter.
In terms of Central and North America, government networks in Mexico have grown significantly thanks to the renovation and expansion of the México Conectado network. There are already more than 11,000 VSAT stations throughout Mexico, which are operating on HISPASAT satellites and contribute to bridging the country’s digital divide.
Cellular backhaul networks have also experienced important growth related to the extension of leading mobile operator networks. Corporate networks have grown moderately with respect to previous years. In the audiovisual sector, the digital content distribution network has been consolidated for Mexican cinemas and the service has been extended to several other Latin American countries.
In the United States, HISPASAT has experienced growth in services provided via the Amazonas 2 satellite thanks to opportunities with the Department of Defense, including capacity used for training, UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) and military networks.
In natural disaster scenarios, infrastructure restoration services were delivered through our clients who offer solutions to the government agency FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). At the same time, we have expanded the capacity of corporate networks that use the Amazonas 2 satellite.
In Latin America, HISPASAT Group was awarded the contract for video contribution services by the Brazilian government-owned corporation EBC. This way, the television networks TV Brasil and NBR, operated by Empresa Brasil de Comunicação (EBC), will be able to broadcast from anywhere in the Americas thanks to the Amazonas 3 satellite.
HISPASAT provides connectivity in Colombia through Kioscos Vive Digital to minimise the digital divide. The company, along with NEC Colombia, provides satellite connectivity in seven Colombian provinces through the initiative promoted by the Ministry of Information Technologies and Communication.