Hughes JUPITER Satellite System Helps Bridge Digital Divide in Rural Mexico

Latin America - español

Selected by Grupo Pegaso to power high-speed Internet and Wi-Fi access for schools and municipalities

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Mar 17, 2015, 08:00 ET

GERMANTOWN, Md., March 17, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Hughes Network Systems, LLC, (HUGHES), the world's leading provider of broadband satellite networks and services, announced today that it has been selected by Grupo Pegaso to supply its JUPITER^™System to help close the "digital divide" for communities in rural Mexico.

Pegaso Banda Ancha, a Grupo Pegaso company, will deliver services over the Bicentenario satellite owned by Mexico's Secretariat of Communications and Transportation (SCT), operating a Hughes JUPITER Gateway and more than 5,000 remote terminals, helping the government reach its goal of providing Internet access to 100 percent of the country's schools and municipalities. Grupo Pegaso chose JUPITER for its efficient use of bandwidth and ability to support 20 percent more sites than its competitors.

"Internet access is a basic ingredient for economic and social development," said Javier Braun Burillo, Chief Operating Officer of Grupo Pegaso. "The Hughes JUPITER System will enable us to connect remote communities and schools with many of the same economic, governmental and educational resources that are available in urban areas."

Monica Aspe, the Director of Department of Information and Knowledge (CSIC) of the Mexican Ministry of Communication and Transport (SCT) stated that, "The Bicentenario project is an important step in closing the digital gap and providing efficient communications throughout Mexico, to avoid deepening social inequalities in our country."

The Hughes JUPITER System enables network operators to extract maximum performance from their satellites to support even the most demanding government and enterprise applications in a wide range of markets. Employing a novel System on a Chip (SoC) and numerous other technology advancements—including an enhanced air interface and wideband carriers—JUPITER's modular design makes it the ideal, future-proof platform for operators to gain performance and cost advantages on today's conventional Ku- and C-band satellites, and be well positioned for migration to next-generation HTS satellites.

"Hughes is honored to be part of Mexico's efforts to close the gap between communities on the two sides of the digital divide—those with high-speed Internet and Wi-Fi access and those without," said Nick Marzella, vice president, Latin America Region at Hughes. "JUPITER is the leading satellite system of choice for connecting even the most remote communities to the Internet."

About Grupo Pegaso
Grupo Pegaso began operations in 1994, in order to promote projects with a strong social commitment, which over time will be of global importance for Mexico in the most dynamic sectors of the economy.

In 1999, Pegaso Banda Ancha, with extensive experience in network integration for large corporate and government organizations, was created to provide satellite connectivity. It now operates thousands of remote stations nationally, with about a 35 percent share of the Mexican market and is one of the leading satellite connectivity service providers in Mexico.

Pegaso Banda Ancha offers its services not only in Mexico, but also in the U.S., Central America and the Caribbean, using HISPASAT satellites and MEXSAT's Bicentenario satellite.

About SCT
The Ministry of Communications and Transport is an agency of the Federal Executive Power whose mission is to promote secure, efficient and competitive transportation systems and communications, by strengthening the legal framework, the definition of public policies, and the design of strategies that contribute to sustained growth of the economy and balanced social development.

About Hughes Network Systems
Hughes Network Systems, LLC (Hughes) is the world's leading provider of satellite broadband for home and office, delivering innovative network technologies, managed services, and solutions for enterprises and governments globally. HughesNet^® is the #1 high-speed satellite Internet service in the marketplace, with offerings to suit every budget. To date, Hughes has shipped more than 4 million systems to customers in over 100 countries, representing approximately 50 percent market share. Its products employ global standards approved by the TIA, ETSI and ITU organizations, including IPoS/DVB-S2, RSM-A, and GMR-1.

Headquartered outside Washington, D.C., in Germantown, Maryland, USA, Hughes operates sales and support offices worldwide, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS), a premier global provider of satellite operations and digital TV solutions. For additional information about Hughes, please visit www.hughes.com.

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SOURCE Hughes Network Systems, LLC