HISPASAT orders extra Gilat SkyEdge II VSAT hub for Avanza national broadband network

An announcement by Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. revealed that it will be providing another SkyEdge II VSAT hub platform to Spanish satellite operator HISPASAT. The additional Gilat VSAT system will expand the existing broadband network and support thousands of new consumers who dwell in areas unreached or under-served by terrestrial broadband.

SkyEdge II will maximize space segment efficiency on the network through a combination of 32APSK Adaptive Coding and Modulation transmissions and the beam capabilities of HISPASAT-operated 1E satellite. This enables each 36 MHz transponder to reach speeds of up to 100 Mbps, allowing the Gilat VSAT hub system to ensure its high-speed Internet on satellite services are of high quality while also being affordable enough as an alternative to terrestrial networks.

Gilat and HISPASAT have been collaborating on the Spanish national broadband initiative Avanza. Spain is currently embarked on the third segment of its project to provide both terrestrial and satellite broadband connectivity to the entire country.

Gilat deploying SkyAbis backhaul solution for MNO operator in Southeast Asia

Gilat Satellite Networks announced that it will be providing its SkyAbis cellular backhaul solution to an anonymous Mobile Network Operator (MNO) in Southeast Asia as part of a new VSAT deal with Huawei.

The Company will supply a SkyEdge 2 hub and SkyEdge 2 Pro VSAT systems to replace aging SCPC modems used in the MNO's current network. Gilat will also perform remote site installation and other similar services.

Gilat designed its SkyAbis cellular backhaul solution with an eye to supporting 2G and 3G BTS/Node B sites. The VSAT solution will boost the bandwidth efficiency and throughputs of the nationwide cellular infrastructure operated by the Southeast Asian mobile network operator. In particular, SkyAbis Dynamic Allocation Multiple Access (DAMA) will save satellite capacity by allocate bandwidth to a site as and when it is required.

Gilat adds disaster recovery functionality to SkyEdge II VSAT platform

In light of the growing number and severity of disasters worldwide, Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. took the precaution of adding advanced Dual IPsec disaster recovery functionality to its SkyEdge II VSAT product.

An ‘embedded Dual IPsec’ functionality -unique to Gilat systems- enables simultaneous processing over two ‘end-to-end’ IPsec tunnels. Dual IPsec-capable VSAT platforms will automatically switch transaction data to disaster recovery sites without needing to purchase and install external equipment.

The timely arrival of critical information is important to many thousands of networked terminals, ATM banks, retailers, and other distributed enterprises. High service availability ensures the accuracy and responsiveness of the flow of information in today's online and real time computing environments. It is important to ensure that a communications network can quickly recover and resume operations after a failure in communications caused by anything up to a natural disaster.

Gilat's IPsec functionality gives its SkyEdge II VSAT product an affordable and effective disaster recovery option that takes full advantage of the strengths of satellite communications systems.

Gilat VP proposes WiMAX network with VSAT backhaul for remote sites

A paper recently posted by Gilat Satellite Networks postulates the combination of WiMAX wireless technology and VSAT satellite communications to create a cost-efficient network for remote sites akin to those often encountered in the oil and gas industry.

Penned by Yair M. Sakov, Vice President and General Manager for Gilat's Wireless Business Unit, the paper focused on how the oil and gas industry possesses "unique communication needs" that constantly strain the limits of cutting-edge technology. VP Sakov cited a need to provide "remote and desolated sites" with both "narrowband SCADA applications" and "full broadband connectivity."

The traditional solution has been satellite communications, such as the now-widespread VSAT maritime systems. But this solution was described as lacking "cost-sensitivity" with regards to location and distance.

VP Sakov's paper postulates that WiMAX wireless technology -WiFi's bigger brother- can provide an affordable and efficient solution to providing multiple connection points to a widely-scattered group of sites. He suggests that WiMAX  be used to provide cost-effective broadband connectivity to a multitude of end points, and that VSAT technology be used to backhaul WiMAX sites.

In his proposal, VP Sakov suggested that a WiMAX base station link together a number of end-points scattered throughout a large area by way of a WiMAX Customer Premise Equipment connected to a LAN. The WiMAX Hub location will also act as a bridge to the IP core network and to the PSTN telephony network. The VSAT will then connect this WiMAX base station with other remote sites.

A network management system in the WiMAX hub is key to the entire operation. According to VP Sakov, a powerful network management system will allow the network operator to remotely manage both the VSATs and all the CPEs in the remote sites.

This elegantly simple new paradigm results in a "relatively simple network" that "combines the best of both worlds." WiMAX networks with VSAT backhauls can reach significant distances, cover large areas, and serve numerous connections all at the same time.

According to VP Sakov, such a network will provide numerous advantages. For one thing, Local Call Forwarding for calls within the same rig will no longer need satellite backhaul. This will help cut back on satellite OPEX and speed up traffic running between remotes sites served by the same WiMAX base station. 


In addition, all network elements and services can now be remotely managed. This includes the multi-service networks capable of handling voice, data, and video. And the system will remain independent from terrestrial infrastructure.

VP Sakov takes time to warn that in-depth understanding of WiMAX and VSAT technologies should be undertaken before deploying such a network. The two wireless technologies possess different strengths and weaknesses. Efforts to integrate them into the new network concept must take into consideration the need to maintain their advantages while also tending to their unique needs.

Gilat to upgrade Panama VSAT broadband network

Cable and Wireless Panama intends to expand its existing VSAT broadband network with the help of satellite service provider Gilat Satellite Networks.

The two partner companies will install a Gilat Sky-Edge II satellite broadband network to provide broadband Internet and telephony connectivity to all of Panama. Panamanians will be able to access Internet applications and telephony services through this new network.

Under the current network expansion,  Cable and Wireless Panama will deploy solar-powered Sky Edge II VSATs across the country. Gilat will install, maintain, and operate the hub equipment and VoIP gateways. Telesat's TelStar 11N satellite will provide the  Cable and Wireless Panama-Gilat broadband solution with new outbound capacity.

SkyEdge II is a Gilat multi-service platform that uses DVB-S2 and DVB-RCS to deliver high-quality voice, broadband data, and video services for many types of environments. Cellular backhaul, enterprises, government network applications, and rural networks will all benefit from the planned upgraded speed and quality.

Cable and Wireless Panama has been using Gilat's SkyEdge and SkyEdge II products to provide satellite-based services since 2005. The two companies jointly operate over 1,300 sites in Panama, which make the Latin American country's satellite network very robust.