[Satellite Today – 4-10-08] Intelsat Ltd. has signed a deal to provide capacity to expand RRSat Global Communications Network Ltd.’s services in North America, Intelsat announced April 10.
    The multi-year contract on the Galaxy 25 satellite will expand RRSat’s capability to distribute regional television programming from Europe and Asia into the United States’ cable market.
     “Globalization of content is one of the biggest trends creating demand for satellite capacity,” said Jean-Philippe Gillet, Intelsat’s regional vice president for Europe and the Middle East in a statement. “Our long-standing relationship with RRSat exemplifies how Intelsat delivers regional programming to the world. Throughout the past years, RRSat has been able to seamlessly provide additional content to its established clientele and forge new customers throughout Africa, Asia and North America, utilizing Intelsat’s industry-leading satellite fleet. Our fleet is supporting the top global direct-to-home and cable neighborhoods in regions where ethnic content is most in demand.”
    Separately, Intelsat’s IS 10-02 satellite has been authorized for the provision of satellite capacity into Brazil. The satellite, which was launched in 2004, has been providing services to Europe, Africa, the Americas and the Middle East.
    “Our plan to add the IS 10-02 to our current Brazilian satellite line-up demonstrates our continued leadership in providing satellite capacity to Brazil,” said Carmen Gonzalez-Sanfeliu, Intelsat’s regional vice president for Latin America and the Caribbean in a statement. “The IS 10-02 provides a specifically optimized transmission channel for our customers seeking to grow their business in Brazil. Brazil is a country of continental proportions with a diverse geography and Intelsat is proud of its continuing role in connecting Brazilian users to world-class communications.”