Marzio Laurenti, CEO Telespazio Brazil

Print PDF

SP: Telespazio is a large international organization focused on many satellite and space-related areas in several countries. Please describe the main areas of focus of Telespazio globally and in Brazil in particular.

Network & Connectivity

Laurenti: Telespazio has 4 business units:

• Network & Connectivity;
• Geo Information;
• Satellite Operations;
• Satellite System and Applications (SSA).

These Business Units are covering all space service  areas, from communications to geo –information, from operations to satellite support (transfer orbit, IOT and TT&C) and Ground engineering. Telespazio Brasil currently has 95% of its revenue share based on Network & Connectivity and 5% on Geo Information. We envisage the GEO Information segment growing in the near future, as well as opportunities in Satellite Operations and SSA.

SP: There is now high throughput (HTS) ka-band capacity in the region over Hispasat´s Amazonas 3 satellite and there are other HTS initiatives (Ka and Ku-band) coming to South America including Intelsat EpicNG and Inmarsat Global Xpress. What are your thoughts and vision with regards to high throughput satellites in South America? 

Geo Information

Laurenti: The Brazilian Markets is waiting to understand what will be the first results with this new frequency. Just one company (Viasat Brasil) bought all the Ka capacity covering Brazil (three spots on Amazonas 3) from Media Networks. Viasat Brasil  is just starting to promote those services having as a targets consumers and SOHO companies. There is a regulatory challenge to be overpassed: internet access being provided outside of Brazil rather than in Brazil.  This concern also applies to Global Xpress.  For some years the impact  of HTS will be no so high in the traditional satellite business as the main target market is residential (now not attended by satellite).

SP: What will be the main applications to benefit from HTS in South America and Brazil? How do you envision that satellite service providers like Telespazio will tend to adapt to the HTS paradigm shift? What threats and opportunities are anticipated for satellite service providers?

Satellite Operations

Laurenti: Internet access for consumers, Digital Divide, last miles for Corporate Networks, Oil & Gas, mobile. With exception of Internet access for consumers, timing to accept the new frequency will probably be slower than expected, as in happens in the past with Ku Vs C. In some cases the customer will be attended combining Ku + Ka or Ka + C and etc.   Telespazio will continue to look at any option including HTS to offer the best solutions for its customer.

SP: Can you share with us the main providers of FSS satellite capacity used by Telespazio in Brazil. What are the main applications served? How much capacity (aggregate MHz) does Telespazio lease for Brazil? 

Systems & Applications

Laurenti: Intelsat, Telesat, SES, Eutelsat and Star One, mainly, but not limited to,  for Broadband last mile (TDMA) and Backhaul (SCPC)

SP: Telespazio Brazil is known for achieving high spectral efficiency on high-speed links. Can you share with us what some “rules of thumb” that your technical team applies for the selection of either SCPC or TDMA systems for your clients? 

Laurenti: Unless expressly specified by customer, Telespazio Brasil strategy is to select the best economic proposal for the specific use of the customer. Normally the main selection criteria between TDMA and SCPC systems is the amount of guaranteed bandwidth required by the Customer / application.