Photo: HughesON

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) issued a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) contract to Hughes Network Systems for a fully managed, global satellite network to support distance learning programs for the Government Education and Training Network (GETN). The contract award is estimated at $15 million in total funding for up to five years.

Under the contract, GETN will utilize HughesON managed broadband service at select sites, including wireline, wireless and satellite connectivity. As part of a managed service, the network solution will also enable agencies to utilize idle bandwidth from other GETN users.
GETN distributes its training content to a consortium of multiple agencies via HD interactive television (ITV: 1-way video, 2way audio) with audio interaction achieved through a secure terrestrial audio conferencing system. Hughes will expand the GETN turnkey satellite broadcast network to encompass more than 1,030 downlink sites with 1 or more classrooms, five uplink sites, 21 broadcast studios, and 44 international sites.

Hughes’ team on the contract will include longtime subcontractor Convergent Media Systems to support installation, maintenance and content scheduling for the network.