Satellite operator Telesat signed a long-term contract with Panasonic Avionics to provide additional aeronautical broadband service over Latin America.
This agreement represents a pre-launch sale for Telesat’s new Anik G1 satellite and comes on the heels of the contract Panasonic signed for Telstar 11N capacity over the North Atlantic announced in June. Panasonic will transition from Anik F1 to Telesat’s new Anik G1 satellite when it begins commercial service. The launch of Anik G1 is presently scheduled for early 2013.
“Bringing aeronautical broadband to a vast new market like Latin America requires significant investment to capitalize on the region’s growth potential,” said David Bruner, vice president, global communications services at Panasonic. “Telesat offered a highly efficient solution for Panasonic’s Latin American expansion that will enable us to deliver unmatched service quality to our customers while managing implementation costs. The combination of Telstar 11N and Anik F1/G1 capacity over Latin America is a winning one for Panasonic that helps position us for success in this region.”