New Intelsat satellite to cover 100% of LatAm cable TV market by 4Q16

Luxembourg-based satellite services provider Intelsat expects its new satellite IS34 to be able to reach 100% of the region's cable TV subscribers approximately one year after entering commercial service in 4Q15.

The IS34 vehicle brings Intelsat's Latin American media-orientated fleet to three units, complementing IS21 and IS11, which already have 100% penetration of the region's 32mn cable TV subscribers, Intelsat VP of corporate communications Dianne VanBeber told BNamericas.

Intelsat successfully launched IS34 yesterday, and it will enter service with coverage of some 29mn cable TV subscribers. For full penetration Intelsat will be working with one major client to make sure its antennas are correctly directed at the 304.5ºE orbit position.

The satellite was launched with its capacity almost entirely pre-sold and, while the majority is dedicated to the media industry, there is some capacity being used for mobility services, such as broadband for planes flying over the Atlantic.

Much of the media capacity is currently being delivered through Intelsat's May 2014 agreement to share the 55.5ºW orbit position owned by Hispasat. Once IS34 is active, those clients' antennas should transition seamlessly to the new satellite.