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Eutelsat and ViaSat ink JV to expand satellite broadband in Europe
MUMBAI: Eutelsat Communications and ViaSat Inc have inked a joint venture agreement to expand satellite broadband in Europe.
The JV will see Eutelsat’s current European broadband business combining with ViaSat’s broadband technologies and consumer Internet Service Provider (ISP) business expertise.
Building on a decade-long relationship, Eutelsat and ViaSat are joining forces to create a partnership that will expand Eutelsat’s current wholesale broadband business and launch a new consumer retail service in Europe.
The joint venture will initially leverage KA-SAT, Eutelsat’s high capacity broadband satellite.
Eutelsat chairman and CEO Michel de Rosen said: “With KA-SAT, our unique dedicated High Throughput Satellite, Eutelsat has built an effective, high-quality, broadband platform for Europe in which ViaSat has played a key role as technical partner. Broadband is an important component of our strategy, and we seek to partner with market-leading companies that contribute to enriching our offer. ViaSat is a partner that we both trust and value for its track record in setting industry standards and developing technologies that unlock broadband opportunities. Our joint venture will take our relationship to a new level and give further impetus to affordable, high-quality Internet services in Europe.”
ViaSat chairman and CEO Mark Dankberg added, “Eutelsat is the clear leader in the European broadband market and is an obvious partner in extending our global reach. We have worked together for more than a decade – creating the satellite broadband market and sharing a vision for the future of satellite broadband. We complement each other extremely well. We offer a powerful team to close the digital divide in Europe today and well into the future. The joint venture combines an unprecedented collection of expertise in satellite operations and technology, broadband networks, and wholesale and retail distribution throughout Europe that forms the foundation for next-generation internet services. We’re excited to be working with Eutelsat to bring a proven model to the European and Mediterranean markets.”
Since KA-SAT entered service in 2011, Eutelsat has capitalised on its high capacity satellite platform in Europe and the Mediterranean Basin to reach 190,000 customers. ViaSat has proven success in the consumer residential market.
The joint venture will consist of two businesses coordinating efforts to expand the European broadband market:
Wholesale Services will be focused on providing wholesale broadband services in the European and Mediterranean regions to the newly established retail services business and existing Eutelsat distributors. Eutelsat will contribute its current European broadband business including the KA-SAT satellite. ViaSat will continue to provide selected broadband technologies for KA-SAT gateways and terminals and will acquire a 49 per cent interest in the business for € 132.5 million. For future capacity, the partnership will continue to evaluate over the next few months the ViaSat-3 technology and the extent and the terms under which it would utilise the European capacity on the new ultra-high throughput ViaSat-3 platform, which ViaSat expects to bring into service in 2020. The partnership will also continue to study other options to add growth capacity in the nearer and long term.
Retail Services will be focused on building a direct-to-consumer ISP business in Europe. Enhanced service plans will be introduced in select European countries throughout 2016, setting a foundation for growth in the retail services business with the availability of future satellite capacity. The business will be owned 51 per cent by ViaSat and 49 per cent by Eutelsat.
Completion of the transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions, and is currently expected to close during the second quarter of 2016.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
