Astrium Services, SES Extend VSAT Coverage, Service for Maritime Customers

SES and Astrium Services have signed capacity deals to deliver connectivity to vessels around Latin America as well as in the North Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, and Gulf of Aden.

Astrium Services will renew capacity on the SES-4 satellite to provide its customers with managed services for maritime business communications, tracking equipment and engine performance as well as ensuring crew at sea to stay connected. Located at 338 degrees West, SES-4 is among several SES satellites providing capacity to Astrium Services enabling the company to customise services to satisfy specific needs of the maritime industry.

“The comprehensive coverage of the new SES-4 satellite extending from the Arabian Sea to the South Pacific Ocean is ideal for our customers in this region. Combined with SES’ satellite expertise and our dedicated sales and service team, this coverage is key in developing reliable VSAT services for our global customers in these strategic maritime routes,” said Tore Morten Olsen, Head of Maritime within the Business Communications division of Astrium Services.

Under the new agreement Astrium Services is able to meet several specific communication needs, including reliable VSAT coverage for oil & gas activities offshore of Brazil and East Africa. Additionally, the wider footprint of SES-4 extends coverage over the Gulf of Aden to support vital connectivity to customers in piracy risk zones for instance off the coast of Somalia. The coverage also supports fisheries, transportation and recreational maritime customers in Europe.

“On-the-move global communications needs of the maritime industry have to be met constantly even when vessels and crews are at remote regions of the world. The series of new contracts with Astrium Services reinforces our long-standing partnership and is a testament to our leading position in delivering mobility satellite services,” said Norbert Hölzle, Senior Vice President of Europe, Commercial for SES.

SES Makes Deal with European Space Agency
SES has entered into an agreement with the European Space Agency (ESA) to support innovation in satellite broadband communication. As part of the agreement, SES’ 100% owned satellite broadband affiliate, SES Broadband Services, is offering a range of broadband services at special conditions to industrial players participating in the ARTES Applications Projects led by ESA.

The ARTES (Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems) initiative led by ESA seeks to enhance the competitiveness of European industry by promoting the use of satellites in such functions as broadcasting, multimedia and mobile communications, data relay, search and rescue, and aviation services.

With this initiative, SES Broadband Services encourages industrial players to develop new satellite broadband applications and services. Companies participating in the ARTES Applications Programme (ARTES 3-4 and ARTES 20) can benefit from preferential rates for SES Broadband services on the Pan-European and Middle East beams of the ASTRA-3B satellite located at 23.5 degrees East and the Sub-Saharan African beam of the ASTRA-4A satellite located at 5 degrees East.

“We continuously foster product innovation to achieve and sustain market leadership. We are delighted to expand our cooperation with the European Space Agency to support innovation in the European satellite industry,” said Patrick Biewer, Managing Director at SES Broadband Services. “We see this initiative as a catalyst for new ideas, facilitating the design and launch of new applications for satellite broadband in Europe, Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa.”

“ESA is very pleased about the joint initiative with SES Broadband Services to support ARTES Applications projects. The special conditions offered by an operator like SES provide an important asset in the development stages of new space based applications and services. It will help to stimulate good ideas and to build relationships right from the beginning of a project, and prepare for the launch of operational services at the project’s conclusion,” said Amnon Ginati, Head of ESA’s Integrated and Telecom-related Applications Department.

The agreement is valid until September 15, 2014. Interested parties can apply until December 31, 2013 via [email protected].

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