Ergen Releases Statement on Pending Mexican Legislation

Charlie Ergen, chairman of EchoStar Corporation, has released a statement on the proposed “Must Carry, Must Offer” legislation in Mexico. The legislation will require broadcasters to offer channels to pay-TV carriers while making them carry free-to-air channels. In the statement, Ergen addressed EchoStar’s 2008 investment in Mexico through its ownership of DISH Mexico.

“Such investments were made on the belief that the Mexican government and regulatory authorities would ensure a competitive landscape and framework for subscription television providers operating in Mexico,” said Ergen.

SES to Help Expand Telefonica VIVO Service in Brazil

Vivo headquarters in Sao Paulo. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

SES has reached an agreement with Telefonica Global Solutions to enhance and extend Telefonica’s VIVO mobile voice and data services in the northern regions of Brazil.

Telefonica will use 290 MHz of C-band capacity on NSS 7 to provide VIVO mobile services in underserved cities and rural towns. VIVO voice and data offerings include high-speed broadband 3G, and will be delivered into urban hubs such as Macapá and Boa Vista to serve the region’s largest metropolitan areas.

Satmex 9 Satellite to Host FAA Payload Enhancing Aviation Safety

Satmex, owned by Eutelsat Communications, has signed an agreement with Raytheon and Boeing to enable the Boeing-built all-electric propulsion Satmex 9 satellite to carry a hosted payload that will allow the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to enhance aviation safety. This payload is the first in a series of Wide-Area Augmentation System (WAAS) commercial space missions.

SpaceX is scheduled to launch Satmex 9 in the second half of 2015. The satellite will be co-positioned at 117 degrees west with Satmex 8, which will provide expanded capacity across more than 45 nations and territories in the Americas.

This commissioning of a payload from Boeing follows an agreement with Raytheon for a WAAS payload to enhance the availability and accuracy of Global Positioning System (GPS) signals for the FAA.

The payload will provide coverage to reference stations in the continental United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Alaska, refining GPS signal accuracy from 100 to seven meters.

Hughes and Anditel to Provide Internet access to Remote Regions of Colombia

KVD in Baru, Colombia, one of the remote areas served by the service. Photo: Ministerio TIC Colombia

Hughes Network Systems has teamed with Colombia-based Anditel to deliver high-speed Internet service to schoolchildren in remote areas of the country. This initiative is part of the Ministry of Information Technology and Communication’s (MinTIC) Vive Digital program to help bridge Colombia’s digital divide.

Hughes will provide its HX System and broadband satellite terminals for more than 1,000 Vive Digital kiosks (KVDs) across the country. The Internet service will primarily be for students but, after school hours, the KVDs will also be available for additional service to the local community.