Client Engineering
HISPASAT has carried out intensive engineering work in 2017 to enable it to provide its clients with innovative, state-of-the-art solutions in the field of satellite communications, tailoring them to sector challenges and opportunities. As a result of this effort, this year over 1,500 network designs were created, over 600 transmission plans designed and over 50 new professional ground stations and over 1,300 VSAT user-type terminals approved that operate with HISPASAT fleet satellites.
NEW SERVICES AND ADVANCED SOLUTIONS
The client engineering area has created customised solutions, tailor-made for adaptation on a case-by-case basis, in such a way as to configure the most efficient and greatest added-value solutions for HISPASAT clients. The design of these solutions takes into account the marketing of space capacity (in MHz), including both the latter as well as the associated terrestrial segment, in addition to connectivity services by means of using the capacity generated in Mbps on the most suitable broadband via satellite platforms for each case.
Throughout 2017, HISPASAT contributed to the development of all types of advanced satellite solutions for their clients, a few particularly noteworthy examples being the coverage extension systems for cellular telephone networks (cellular backhaul), internet access via satellite for residential users and trunk network connections (IP Trunking), among others. Advanced solutions for the Internet of Things (IoT) were also particularly noteworthy, which encompass all sensors and objects connected to the network, and communications for emergency situations such as natural disasters, an area in which satellites have become particularly relevant in recent years.
MOBILITY SERVICES
One of the company’s main markets for expansion throughout 2017 has been the mobility market, in which it seeks to boost the development of advanced solutions for clients in the railway, air and maritime markets as well as new pilots for buses and cars, among others.
HIGH-SPEED TRAINS
HISPASAT continues to be the world leader in satellite solutions for the railway market, its “PlayRenfe” service on AVE high-speed trains being particularly noteworthy, which has continued to develop in 2017 with the opening of new corridors by way of the addition of Madrid-Seville and Madrid-Valencia lines. As a result of this service, AVE high-speed train passengers have internet connectivity by means of broadband WiFi throughout their journey, not to mention a wide range of on-board entertainment services with direct TV via satellite.
Apart from securing this successful business project, numerous analyses have been conducted and technical proposals made to export this railway solution abroad.
SHIPS
Connectivity services in maritime environments based on the excellent cover provided by HISPASAT satellites in the Mediterranean, the Peninsula-Canary Island corridor, the North Sea and the Caribbean, among others, have become another important focus to develop new series. Accordingly, in 2017 the client engineering team created numerous optimised network designs to enable maximum efficiency and throughput levels, while at the same time optimising the service areas required for new maritime services in space capacity (MHz). HISPASAT has grown in this sector, thus securing its position as a maritime services operator by making important additions to its client portfolio and the number of active ships.
BUSES
Once again the area involved in developing connectivity services via satellite for buses was a hive of activity. The bus is a very popular means of transport in Latin America, where there are big nationwide bus lines, albeit lacking in communications infrastructure on most of the journey. Throughout 2017, HISPASAT has worked with several partners on developing and validating connectivity solutions for buses, using a variety of technologies and low profile antennas.
AIRCRAFT
Another of the most important 2017 milestones was the agreement entered into with a leading operator in the aeronautical segment to provide connectivity services on commercial flights in the US. The client engineering team dedicated great efforts to show the feasibility of the service and the excellent features provided by HISPASAT satellites.
The upwards trend in the capacity demand for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) held good throughout 2017. Indeed, HISPASAT managed to showcase its satellite solution and to increase the contracted capacity for this type of service.
CELLULAR BACKHAUL
Defined as a means of connection between mobile phone stations and mobile operator switching centres, cellular backhaul via satellite has grown as a communication need both in developed and developing countries. Satellites are proving in a lot of cases to be the only connectivity solution for these remote stations.
HISPASAT has driven its presence in these types of services in South American countries like Peru and Brazil where the capacity that is dedicated to these uses has been increased, as it has been in other more developed countries with greater terrestrial deployment, such as the United Kingdom and the US, where the increasing demand and the rapid growth of 4G traffic networks have come up against the difficulty of extending coverage to remote areas. Improved efficiency and cost savings in solutions via satellite, as well as the advantages of its global coverage, high capacity and scalability have all been key factors in this development.
Client engineering team involvement, both by way of defining and sizing the services, as well as by seeking technology improvements and more appropriate fleet capacity, has been a particularly noteworthy feature in all of these projects.
NEW SATELLITES FOR THE FLEET AND OPTIMISATION OF CURRENT CAPACITY
Throughout 2017, client engineering, in addition to having dedicated great efforts to analysing, planning and deploying new services and consolidating existing services in current satellites, has done important work in supporting the commissioning and marketing of new fleet satellites: both the two launched in 2017, namely the Amazonas 5 and the Hispasat 36W-1, and the one scheduled for launching in 2018, the Hispasat 30W-6.
Another positive effort was made in drawing up plans for optimising capacity for all HISPASAT fleet satellites, which have enabled the company to increase and adapt the available offer to client demands, both in terms of space capacity, as well as regards broadband services.
To accompany these plans and the arrival of the new satellites, several HISPASAT client services were scheduled and planned to optimise capacities and improve the technical conditions of the aforementioned services (more advanced technologies, coverage improvement, etc.), with a view to ensuring client satisfaction.
NEW KA BAND COVER
Throughout 2017, the client engineering team has actively supported the commissioning, implementing and marketing process of new Ka band capacities.
With respect to Hispasat 36W-1 and Hispasat 30W-6 satellites with Ka cover in Spain and in North Africa, 2017 saw the following-up of purchase, installation and commissioning processes related to the corresponding Gateway (GW) stations, with the Hispasat 36W-1 satellite GW having come into service this year. A lot of capacity sizing analyses have been conducted as well as optimising actions for the different services and applications of these capacities, all of which were brought to a satisfactory conclusion with the signing of a business agreement that covers most of the Ka band of these satellites.
As far as Amazonas 5 Ka band at 61º West is concerned, the client engineering team worked hard on defining and optimising the operating parameters for the different beams, both user and GW ones, considering a standard and optimised use, along with Amazonas 3 Ka band capacities.
Numerous specific sizing analyses were also conducted in accordance with particular client needs, as well as to define the products and services to implement services’ models managed in some coverage areas, such as those of Mexico and Brazil, in collaboration with the Marketing area.
Likewise, it was necessary to monitor installation processes, verification tests and the commissioning of the main Amazonas 5 GWs, with the Lima (Peru) GW having entered into service in 2017.
R&D&I AND CUSTOMER SUPPORT
The Canary Island client engineering team has managed to consolidate itself as a benchmark for coordinating company R&D&I activities in 2017.
Moreover, a new client engineering team was set up in Mexico this year. The setting-up of this new team, along with those in Brazil and Spain, attest to HISPASAT’s commitment to going that extra mile in client proximity and support with respect to all those factors that affect the design and commissioning of our new services, as well as regards updates and support for already existing networks.
Several of the aforementioned projects required a visit by HISPASAT’s client engineering team to client facilities for teleport technical audits, demonstrations of new products and services, feasibility tests and compatibility tests on equipment and technical workshops, among others.
