LUXEMBOURG--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar. 16, 2015--
Intelsat S.A., the world’s leading provider of satellite services, today
announced the completion of a series of tests demonstrating the
compatibility of the Intelsat EpicNG digital payload with
existing ground equipment platforms. The digital payload is one of many
unique design features on the company’s Intelsat EpicNG
satellites, the first of which, Intelsat 29e, is scheduled to launch in
the first quarter of 2016.
As part of the tests, Intelsat General Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary
of Intelsat S.A., successfully validated protected tactical waveform
(PTW) modem performance on the Intelsat EpicNG digital
payload, demonstrating our commitment to providing commercial capacity
optimized for secure tactical communications. The PTW test was done to
further the joint services effort, led by the United States Air Force,
to develop a new PTW modem standard and hardware that will provide cost
effective, protected communications over government and commercial
satellites in multiple frequency bands.
Intelsat EpicNG’s digital payload represents the latest
generation of high performance technology initially developed by Boeing
Co. (NYSE: BA) for use on the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Wideband
Global SATCOM (“WGS”) satellites. This technology is also provided
exclusively for commercial use on the Intelsat EpicNG
satellite platform. The all-digital design is a first for fixed
satellite service, commercial high throughput satellites (“HTS”),
setting Intelsat EpicNG apart from other HTS satellites
in-orbit or launching in the near future.
Intelsat EpicNG’s all-digital payload allows connectivities
in any bandwidth increment from any beam to any beam. This attribute
enables independent frequency selection of the uplink and downlink.
Combined, these features provide unprecedented adaptability for a
customer’s network configuration and topology, allowing customers to
leverage installed hardware and to operate mixed spectrum networks. As
technology continues to change rapidly, this level of improved
performance, efficiency and flexibility of the Intelsat EpicNG
platform will better enable customers to rapidly adapt and meet changing
market demands.
Stephen Spengler, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Intelsat, commented,
“When we conceptualized the Intelsat EpicNG platform design,
we wanted to build in technology that would increase performance while
also solving operational issues within our customers’ networks. This
feature of completely flexible beam connectivity is an important early
differentiator of the Intelsat EpicNG fleet. The digital
payload will be instrumental in allowing flexible and efficient use of
spectrum, resulting in a dramatic increase in the amount of throughput
we can deliver on the satellites. In addition to efficiency, the
technology also increases our ability to mitigate interference and
purposeful jamming, which is a very important feature for customers,
including those with media and government applications.”
Advanced hardware prototypes have been developed over the past 2 years
and tested on the DoD’s WGS satellites. The successful demonstration of
the compatibility and effectiveness of PTW modems on commercial
satellites paves the way for the U.S. Government to consider and procure
commercial satellite capacity for PTW-based networks.
The tests were conducted in cooperation with Boeing Co. who is
manufacturing the new Intelsat EpicNG satellites and has
participated in PTW development efforts. Testing included transmitting a
PTW signal through the Intelsat EpicNG digital payload and
measuring performance quality of high-data throughput.
“The creation of a COMSATCOM resilient tactical service is critical for
the future operations of our military and government customers,” said
Kay Sears, President of Intelsat General Corp. “The Boeing PTW modem
test was the first of its kind to measure signal integrity with our new
Intelsat EpicNG satellites, so we’re quite pleased with the
results.”
Prior to the successful Intelsat EpicNG digital payload
tests, Intelsat conducted tests on existing Intelsat satellites, using
the same protected tactical waveform, also with a successful outcome.
These latest tests prove that the modems will also work on the upcoming
high-throughput Intelsat EpicNG satellites. Intelsat General
plans to conduct further tests prior to launch to validate other
performance characteristics of the PTW modem with the Intelsat EpicNG
digital payload.
Supporting Resources
About Intelsat
Intelsat S.A. (NYSE: I) is the world’s leading provider of satellite
services, delivering high performance connectivity solutions for media,
fixed and mobile broadband infrastructure, enterprise and government and
military applications. Intelsat’s satellite, teleport and fiber
infrastructure is unmatched in the industry, setting the standard for
transmissions of video and broadband services. From the globalization of
content and the proliferation of HD, to the expansion of cellular
networks and mobile broadband access, with Intelsat, envision your
future network, connect using our leading satellite technology and
transform your opportunities. Envision…Connect…Transform…with Intelsat.
For more information, visit www.intelsat.com.
Intelsat Safe Harbor Statement:
Statements in this news release and certain oral statements from time to
time by representatives of the company constitute "forward-looking
statements" that do not directly or exclusively relate to historical
facts. When used in this earnings release, the words “may,” “will,”
“might,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “project,” “believe,”
“estimate,” “predict,” “intend,” “potential,” “outlook,” and “continue,”
and the negative of these terms, and other similar expressions are
intended to identify forward-looking statements and information.
Forward-looking statements include: our expectation that our media
business will benefit in the near to mid-term from the launch of three
satellites which serve our video neighborhoods; our plans for satellite
launches in the near to mid-term; our guidance regarding our
expectations for our revenue performance, including in our different
customer sets, and Adjusted EBITDA performance in 2015; our capital
expenditure and customer prepayment guidance for 2015 and the next
several years; our expectations as to the increased number of
transponder equivalents on our fleet over the next several years; our
expectations as to the level of our cash tax expenses over the next
several years; our debt repayment guidance for 2015; and our belief that
as we execute on our initiatives, we will build the inventory and
service capabilities to allow us to capture future growth, including in
emerging opportunities that we believe represent larger and more
sustainable markets for our services.
The forward-looking statements reflect Intelsat's intentions, plans,
expectations, assumptions and beliefs about future events and are
subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are
outside of Intelsat's control. Important factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially from the expectations expressed or implied
in the forward-looking statements include known and unknown risks. Some
of the factors that could cause actual results to differ from historical
results or those anticipated or predicted by these forward-looking
statements include: risks associated with operating our in-orbit
satellites; satellite launch failures, satellite launch and construction
delays and in-orbit failures or reduced performance; potential changes
in the number of companies offering commercial satellite launch services
and the number of commercial satellite launch opportunities available in
any given time period that could impact our ability to timely schedule
future launches and the prices we pay for such launches; our ability to
obtain new satellite insurance policies with financially viable
insurance carriers on commercially reasonable terms or at all, as well
as the ability of our insurance carriers to fulfill their obligations;
possible future losses on satellites that are not adequately covered by
insurance; U.S. and other government regulation; changes in our
contracted backlog or expected contracted backlog for future services;
pricing pressure and overcapacity in the markets in which we compete;
our ability to access capital markets for debt or equity; the
competitive environment in which we operate; customer defaults on their
obligations to us; our international operations and other uncertainties
associated with doing business internationally; and litigation. Known
risks include, among others, the risks described in Intelsat’s annual
report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2014, and its other
filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the political,
economic and legal conditions in the markets we are targeting for
communications services or in which we operate and other risks and
uncertainties inherent in the telecommunications business in general and
the satellite communications business in particular.
Because actual results could differ materially from Intelsat's
intentions, plans, expectations, assumptions and beliefs about the
future, you are urged to view all forward-looking statements with
caution. Intelsat does not undertake any obligation to update or revise
any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise.
Source: Intelsat
Intelsat
Dianne VanBeber
Vice President, Investor Relations
and Communications
+1 703-559-7406
dianne.vanbeber@intelsat.com
