Hughes Communications India Ltd Receives Flight and Maritime Connectivity (FMC) License
HCIL becomes first company to receive the FMC license, valid for 10 years, authorizing high-quality broadband connectivity services to ships and airplanes.
New Delhi, Friday, 28 February 2019: Hughes Communications India Ltd (HCIL), a majority-owned subsidiary of Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES), the world’s leading provider of broadband networks and services, today announced that it has received a Flight and Maritime Connectivity (FMC) license from the Department of Telecommunications, Government of India. The first company to be granted the FMC license in India, HCIL is now authorized to provide inflight connectivity and high-quality broadband services to Indian and foreign airlines and shipping companies operating within Indian territory. HCIL has already set up a base mobility platform and is in discussion to enhance the services in India.
“HCIL is proud to be the first company to receive the Flight and Maritime Connectivity license in India, which is a natural extension of having been at the forefront of offering breakthrough technologies and services over the past two decades”, said Partho Banerjee, President & Managing Director at Hughes Communications India Ltd. “We stand ready operationally to initiate high quality broadband services for both airlines and maritime operators, including having the availability of ubiquitous satellite coverage across Indian airspace and territorial waters. We would also like to compliment the regulatory authorities for a speedy grant of license and a positive intent towards the entire policy framework, which promises to herald a new era of communications for India.”
Since the policy was first published by regulatory authorities in mid-December 2018, it has generated a lot of interest from India’s maritime and airline industries. HCIL looks forward to supporting them in the rapidly growing opportunity for inflight and maritime connectivity services, which Hughes is powering globally with its advanced aero and maritime broadband solutions.
The FMC license has been granted for a period of 10 years, and HCIL will pay spectrum charges based on revenue earned from providing these services, which can be delivered using both satellites and telecom networks on the ground. HCIL will provide FMC services in India operating over domestic and foreign satellites permitted by the Department of Space.
Growth in the Aviation Sector
According to Euroconsult, over 23,000 commercial aircraft will offer connectivity to their passengers by 2027, up from 7,400 aircraft in 2017. Northern Sky Research’s Aeronautical SatCom Market’s 2017 report forecasts that by the end of 2019, broadband VSAT connectivity will be installed on one out of every three commercial passenger aircraft and will rise to two out of every three commercial passenger aircraft by the end of 2026. Driven by higher demand for broadband connectivity, this installed base will generate over US $32 billion in revenue over the next decade, as air travel continues its rise around the world.
Growth in the Maritime Industry
Not long ago, when a vessel would disembark from port, it would also unplug from the global communications network. Today, an increasing number stay connected with VSAT – providing their crew and passengers with high-speed Internet access, monitoring weather patterns to cut fuel costs, filing regulatory documents, ordering supplies from sea to save time in port, enhancing crew welfare and generating business intelligence through a growing range of software applications. Others are using VSAT to improve safety and operational intelligence. According to Comsys, over 44,242 ships are equipped with VSAT terminals in 2018, double the last recorded number in 2013.
About Hughes Communications India
HCIL is a majority owned subsidiary of Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES), the leading global provider of broadband satellite networks and services. HCIL is the largest satellite service operator in India providing a comprehensive range of broadband networking technologies, solutions, and services for businesses and governments, including Managed Services to meet every communications challenge. More information is available at www.hughes.in.
About Hughes Network Systems
Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES) is the global leader in broadband satellite technology and services for home and office. Its flagship high-speed satellite Internet service is HughesNet®, the world’s largest satellite network with over 1.3 million residential and business customers across the Americas. For large enterprises and governments, the company’s HughesON® managed network services provide complete connectivity solutions employing an optimized mix of satellite and terrestrial technologies. The JUPITER™ System is the world’s most widely deployed High-Throughput Satellite (HTS) platform, operating on more than 20 satellites by leading service providers, delivering a wide range of broadband enterprise, mobility and cellular backhaul applications. To date, Hughes has shipped more than 7 million terminals of all types to customers in over 100 countries, representing approximately 50 percent market share, and its technology is powering broadband services to aircraft around the world.
Headquartered outside Washington, D.C., in Germantown, Maryland, USA, Hughes operates sales and support offices worldwide, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS), a premier global provider of satellite operations. For additional information about Hughes, please visit www.hughes.com and follow @HughesConnects on Twitter.
About EchoStar
EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS) is a premier global provider of satellite communication solutions. Headquartered in Englewood, Colo., and conducting business around the globe, EchoStar is a pioneer in secure communications technologies through its Hughes Network Systems and EchoStar Satellite Services business segments. For more information, visit echostar.com. Follow @EchoStar on Twitter.