Hispasat to Offer Satellite-based Wi-Fi Hotspots in Brazil in Partnership with Facebook
Madrid, Spain, May 3, 2019 — Hispasat , the Spanish satellite communications operator, is partnering with Facebook to offer satellite-based Wi-Fi connectivity in Brazil, supported by the Facebook Express Wi-Fi platform. In collaboration with local Internet Service Providers (ISPs), the satellite-based Wi-Fi hotspots will provide Internet access in areas of Brazil with limited connectivity.
Today, connectivity is a basic requirement for economic and social development, and satellites are a key infrastructure to bring communications to regions that are not reachable by high speed terrestrial networks.
Facebook’s Express Wi-Fi is a software platform that helps service providers and mobile network operators build, operate, grow, and monetize their Wi-Fi business in a sustainable and scalable way. Facebook partners with service providers and operators such as Hispasat who expand the provision of fast, affordable, and reliable access to the Internet over Wi-Fi using Express Wi-Fi.
Partnering with Facebook, Hispasat will offer satellite-based Wi-Fi hotspots in different towns in Brazil. Hispasat will also provide its satellite capacity and its managed service platforms to help reduce the time to market for its local partners and ISPs responsible for the commercialization and support to the end users.
This partnership highlights both companies' commitment to reach underserved areas and help overcome the challenges resulting from poor or non-existent connectivity in many regions of the world. The objective of the project is for Brazilians to be able to enjoy the Internet to access and the benefits that the digital world offers through a simple, easy-to-deploy solution.
The solution can be adapted to the needs and economic resources of the end users through a prepaid data pack system. Users of this service can choose between different product and price options. After acquiring the data pack for the selected data package and entering an access code, users will only have to connect their device to the Express Wi-Fi network to connect to the Internet via high-speed satellite service.
The Wi-Fi hotspots will bring easy-to-use satellite connectivity to Internet users, who do not need to worry about installing any terminal or filling out any paperwork aside from purchasing pre-paid data packs. This system also allows users to tailor their use to their needs and budgets, without having to commit to a fixed monthly payment. This helps provide access to the digital world so that everyone can have the opportunity to take advantage of the benefits that the Information Society offers.
The Ka band of the Amazonas 5 satellite
The Amazonas 5 satellite, which will provide satellite capacity in this project, features the new HTS (High-Throughput) technology that allows massive deployment of satellite connectivity services at a lower price in Latin America. In Brazil, Amazonas 5 provides coverage in the Ka HTS band to more than 75% of the country's population. Hispasat's subsidiary HISPAMAR operates the satellite from its teleport in Caxias do Sul (in the State of Rio Grande do Sul).
Hispasat is comprised of companies that have a presence in Spain as well as in Latin America, where its Brazilian affiliate HISPAMAR is based.
Hispasat is a leader in content distribution in Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries and its satellite fleet is used by important direct-to-home television (DTH) and high-definition television (HDTV) digital platforms. Hispasat also provides satellite broadband and connectivity services, which include broadband access, mobility and the backhaul networks, in addition to other added value solutions for governments, companies and telecommunication operators in America, Europe and North Africa. Hispasat is one of the world's largest companies in its sector in terms of revenue, and the main communications bridge between Europe and the Americas.
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