Satellites Map in Latin America 2015

Satellites Map in Latin America 2015 - Credit: © 2015 Convergencialatina

The industry is experiencing a transformation period in the satellite capacity marketing model: this has to do with the incorporation of HTS (High Throughput Satellites) satellites and new instances of use of the Ka band. In short, this change is to stop dealing with MHz and move to speak in terms of Gbps.

The model which the satellite segment was used to was that consisting of renting capacity in terms of MHz transponder. What begins to be more and more seen, especially with the addition of multiple spot beams in HTS, is the sale of satellite connectivity services, the delivery of specific capacity of data transmission, measured in Gbps, which allows the operator to share the capability of a spot beam among different clients.

In Latin America, the first operator to put HTS capacity on the market was Hispasat, with the launch in 2013 of its satellite Amazonas 3. This 13th edition of the Latin America Satellite Map incorporates the HTS rating, which currently characterizes 14 operational (Eutelsat 3B, Amazonas 3 and 12 owned by O3B Networks) and 9 projected satellites (Eutelsat 115 West B, Eutelsat 65 West A, Amazonas 5 and Hispasat 1F from Hispasat/Hispamar, Intelsat 29e, SES 14, SES 15, Star One D1 and Telstar 12 Vantage). This design technology reduces the cost per bit delivered on reusing the assigned frequency: its incorporation is observed mostly in Ka band satellites, because it is the best band to concentrate power in specific areas.

Meanwhile, the satellite sector cannot ignore a situation about which it is concerned. The C band is today a conflicting bastion between two industries: the satellite industry-its traditional occupant- and mobile operators-seeking its allocation for mobile broadband services-. Definition time could be in November 2015, at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-15), although competing interests and the defense satellite operators posed for 3- 7 GHz spectrum would delay the decision, or at least agree on an intermediate position.

One of the alternative proposals is the coexistence of IMT and satellite services in the 3.4 GHz - 4.2 GHz portion, which the satellite industry loudly rejects: due to the lack of knowledge about the C-band installed infrastructure, this option would require major efforts by national regulators, and depending on spectrum allocation by country, it could cause serious interference problems.

To purchase Satellites Map in Latin America, contact suscripcioneslatam@convergencia.com.