[Satellite News 11-02-10] Europe Media Port (EMP), a global teleport provider, is having a strong 2010 backed by recently signed deals with O3b Networks and Kahkeshan Digisat.
    Dimitrios Papaharalabos, head of sales and marketing for EMP, told Satellite News that these deals were crucial for the company’s expansion efforts in both the video and data markets. “Our strategy is the global delivery of video solutions, provision of new broadband high-speed data services to the broadcasting, Internet and the government communities. We are specifically forecasting future growth in the African and Middle East markets where new satellite capacity propositions are able to satisfy increasing demand with the right mix of teleport uplink and turnaround services.”
    The deal with O3b Networks sees the company become the first provider of gateway teleport services for O3b’s global network. This long-term agreement allows for the provision of a range of services for O3b from the Nemea Teleport in Greece. Through this location, O3b will link its gigabit IP network connectivity and bandwidth services to clients located in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. The deal with Kahkeshan Digisat, an emerging DTH broadcaster for Iran and Iranians living in Europe and the Middle East, sees EMP provide DTH uplink teleport and transmission services to its European and Middle East targeted markets. The new channel is now available on Hotbird satellite at 13 degrees East and on Hellas Sat satellite at 39 degrees East via the Middle East beam.
     The deal with Kahkeshan Digisat will see EMP help the broadcaster target Iranians living in the Middle East and Europe with a new TV channel. Kahkeshan Digisat CEO Jean Marc Sermier told Satellite News how his company chose EMP as a partner “We are convinced that there is a need for such a cultural, artistic, musical channel for Farsi speaking viewers. The Iranians are highly educated people who are very interested in culture and their past. Most of the other commercial Iranian channels do not reflect this need in their content. Some of them are too commercial, others too political, not to mention the fact there are a lot of low quality programs.”
    Papaharalabos said the company is investing in new infrastructure to boost its position in the teleport market. “We are continuing to invest in new infrastructure, in new products and services across the whole market including the video, data, occasional use and governmental market segments. To give you an example, we just finished the installation of three new large dishes ranging from 7.2 – 11 meters and we placed an order of more to be delivered in 2011.”
    Despite tough operating conditions, Papaharalabos believes the satellite market does not correlate with global trends. “In an expanding satellite market there are many opportunities of maintaining growth and with the right strategy there is room expand further in revenues and profitability. Looking today at our draft financial data of 2010 we are very positive. Generally speaking we should also account the value of recent deals as a multiplier effect. EMP is partnering directly with satellite operators and teleport facilities around the world to provide diverse end-to-end solutions to the market.”