MUMBAI: Panamsat has announced that it has acquired Sonic Telecom a provider of international high-definition multimedia transmission services and business applications. The transaction will extend and enhance the reach of Panamsat’s 24-satellite global fleet and its extensive fiber network throughout the US, Europe and Asia.
 

As a result, the integration of Sonic Telecom to the Panamsat infrastructure will provide customers with a seamless satellite/fiber network. This will deliver video content virtually to or from anywhere in the world in a cost-efficient, secure manner with robust redundancy.

The two companies already share a number of common customers including CNN, ABC, Reuters and the National Football League. These customers and many others will now enjoy access to a broader array of services as well as a single point of contact for all their video distribution content needs, whether in the air or on the ground.

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Panamsat president, CEO Joe Wright was quoted in an official release saying, “To effectively compete and deliver the high volume of rich content in today’s marketplace, the Fixed Satellite Services (FSS) sector needs to evolve from only selling satellite services to providing Global Communications Services on the ground as well as in the air. The addition of Sonic Telecom to Panamsat broadens the portfolio of services we offer customers and extends our reach.”

“Now, customers can use the Panamsat network to conduct point-to-point transfer of backhaul video traffic, connectivity to a global network as well as videoconferencing, bridging and video event management. This hybrid approach of uniting delivery systems is not only the future for our industry, it is the present.”

The release adds that Sonic Telecom brings to PanAmSat its customer base of multi-national broadcasters and corporate videoconferencing users, related network management capabilities, a usage-based billing platform and access to an established international fiber network. In addition, Panamsat gains access to an additional 20 points of presence (PoPs) around the world that are complementary to its existing network. Situated across the US, Europe and Asia, these co-location sites provide Panamsat with an immediate expanded presence in key markets.

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The release also adds that the Sonic Telecom acquisition is the second phase of Panamsat’s hybrid satellite/fiber strategy. Earlier this year Panamsat had entered into an agreement with Level 3 Communications to utilise its 20,000-mile broadband fiber optic network and create a virtual teleport. By connecting Panamsat’s satellite uplink facilities to one of the world’s most advanced terrestrial networks, customers are now able to access the fleet from any Level 3 network location.