Hughes Network Systems
Hughes Network Systems, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar.[2] It is headquartered in Germantown, Maryland and provides a high-speed satellite internet service,[3] HughesNet, which is the largest service of its kind with more than 1.3 million subscribers in the Americas.[4][5]
Type | Subsidiary |
---|---|
Industry | Satellite networks and services |
Founded | 1971 | (Digital Communications Corp)
Headquarters | Germantown, Maryland, U.S. |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Pradman Kaul (Chairman, President and CEO) |
Services | Global communications |
Revenue | $1.39 billion (2016)[1] |
Number of employees | 4,000 (2016)[1] |
Parent | EchoStar |
Website | www.Hughes.com |
History
Hughes Communications was founded in 1971 under the name Digital Communication Corporation (DCC)[6] by a group of seven engineers and a lawyer lead by John Puente and Dr. Burton Edelson,[7] who all previously worked together at Comsat Laboratories.[8] With $40,000 in startup capital,[8][9] the company operated from a garage in Rockville, Maryland, designing circuit boards for telecom related products.[8][10]
By 1977, Digital Communications Corp. had 250 employees and $10.6 million in revenue.[11] In 1978, Digital Communications Corp. was acquired by Microwave Associates for an undisclosed sum,[11][lower-alpha 1] becoming MA/COM-DCC and began developing satellite related products.[12] The company invented the very small aperture (VSAT) in 1985.[13] That year, the company sold its first VSAT network to Wal-Mart, which used the “technology to connect retail stores in rural areas.”[14] According to SatMagazine, “the global VSAT market is estimated to reach $10 billion by 2021.”[15]In 1987, MA/COM-DCC was acquired by Hughes Aircraft Corporation for $105 million and renamed Hughes Communications.[16]
In 2004, News Corp acquired a controlling interest in Hughes through a $6.5 billion purchase intended primarily for its DirecTV unit.[6] DirecTV also began selling off its ownership interests, culminating in a $100 million sale to a private equity firm.[6] As a result, Hughes became a wholly owned subsidiary of SkyTerra Communications Inc., which was controlled by the investment firm.[6] Hughes Communications was spun-off as an independent public company in 2007 and was acquired by EchoStar for about $2 billion in 2011.[17][lower-alpha 2]
Technology and services
HughesNet is Hughes Network Systems' satellite-based broadband internet service. As of 2017, Hughes controls 60 percent of the market for residential satellite-based internet connections, which are mostly used by rural customers out-of-reach of wired infrastructure.[19] Hughes also markets its services to government, business, and military.[20]
Satellite systems
In 2012, Hughes launched the Jupiter (stylized as JUPITER) System, Hughes' VSAT ground system that provides high-performance terminals, increased gateway architecture, and advanced air interface[21] for both high-throughput and conventional satellites. The Jupiter System supports applications such as broadband Internet and Intranet access, community Wi-Fi hotspots, cellular backhaul, digital signage and mobility, including airborne services.[22]
Through its Jupiter Aero System, an integrated system of airborne and ground equipment and software, Hughes provides broadband access to aircraft.[23] As of 2018, about 1,000 aircraft carry Hughes technology on board.[24]
In March 2018, Hughes announced improvements to the Jupiter system, doubling the throughput of HT2xxx terminals to more than 200 Mbit/s and increasing capacity.[25]
Hughes HX and HT satellite broadband platforms are used for broadband IP services, high speed internet, VoIP, and video by telecom providers around the world and the military.[23][26][27][28][29]
Hughes has deployed more nearly 6 million VSAT terminals of all types in more than 100 countries, representing approximately 50 percent market share.[30][31]
Satellite services
Hughes satellite backhaul of cellular service extends 4G/LTE service to remote and rural areas around the world, specifically where conventional backhaul is difficult or costly due to geography and terrain.[32][33][34][35]
Hughes cellular backhaul applications include a 4G/LTE optimization capability that yields up to 60 percent bandwidth savings.[35]
HughesNet
In 1996, Hughes introduced a satellite Internet service for consumers and small businesses. The service was originally known as DirecPC[36] and was renamed Direcway in May 2002.[37] In 2012, with Hughes' first offering of broadband satellite Internet, it was renamed HughesNet.[38] In March 2017, Hughes became the first satellite-based internet provider to meet the Federal Communications Commission's definition of "broadband" with HughesNet Gen5 after launching the EchoStar XVII and XIX high-throughput satellites. As of October 2018, Hughes is the largest satellite internet provider in the U.S., with 1.3 million subscribers.[35] The FCC Measuring Broadband America report ranked HughesNet number one among all internet service providers for meeting or exceeding advertised download speeds for four years in a row from 2014 through 2017. For three out of four years (2014, 2015 and 2017), HughesNet ranked number one for meeting or exceeding both download and upload advertised speeds.[39]
In 2016, Hughes expanded HughesNet into Brazil, marking its first international expansion of the service.[40] It expanded into Colombia in September 2017,[41] into Peru in October 2018,[42] and into Ecuador in December 2018.[43]
References
- "EchoStar Corporation 2016 Annual Report" (PDF). EchoStar. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
- "EchoStar acquires Hughes Communications - IHS Technology". technology.ihs.com. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
- Knapp, Alex. "Hughes Network Systems Is Launching High-Speed Satellite Internet For North America". Forbes. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
- de Selding, Peter B. (9 November 2015). "EchoStar Sees HughesNet Revenue Gain Despite Subscriber Volatility". SpaceNews.com. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
- Baumgartner, Jeff. "Hughes: Satellite Broadband Has 1M 'Active Users'". Multichannel. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
- McCarthy, Ellen (November 11, 2005). "DirecTV to Sell Hughes Investment". Washington Post. Retrieved January 31, 2018.
- https://www.hughes.com/about
- Mills, Mike (August 25, 1997). "The Sky's the Limit for Hughes". The Washington Post.
- Shay, Kevin James (January 20, 2011). "EchoStar closes on $2B purchase of Hughes Communications of Germantown". The Gazette. Retrieved January 1, 2018.
- Belson, Ken (November 14, 2006). "With a Dish, Broadband Goes Rural". The New York Times. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
- "Digital Firm Purchased". The Washington Post. February 23, 1978.
- Rosenberg, Ronald (November 18, 1990). "Motivating M/A Com". Boston Globe.
- Sachdev, D.K. Recent Successful Satellite Systems: Visions of the Future. American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronatuics, Inc.
- Berlocher, Greg (1 September 2010). "Advances Keep VSATs Relevant in Changing Market - Via Satellite -". Via Satellite. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
- Good, Steve. "SatMagazine". www.satmagazine.com. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
- "Hughes to Buy IBM Satellite Leasing Operation". The Los Angeles Times. July 8, 1989. Retrieved January 1, 2018.
- "EchoStar To Buy Hughes Communications For $2 Billion". Forbes. February 14, 2011. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
- Merced, Michael J. de la (February 15, 2011). "EchoStar in $1.3 Billion Deal for Hughes Communications". DealBook. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
- Gallagher, Sean (15 August 2017). "Hughes signs deal to launch 100Mbps satellite Internet service in 2021". Ars Technica. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- Holmes, Mark (10 November 2011). "Hughes Collaborates with TCS in Military/Government Market - Via Satellite -". Via Satellite. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- Batambuze III, Ephraim (9 May 2016). "Eutelsat and Facebook Choose Hughes JUPITER™ System For Africa Broadband Initiative". PC Tech Magazine. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- Nyirady, Annamarie (10 December 2018). "Hughes Brings Satellite Internet Service to Ecuador - Via Satellite -". Via Satellite. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- Nichols, Steve (8 May 2018). "Hughes Jupiter infrastructure in place for Thales FlytLive". Get Connected. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- Kirby, Mary (26 June 2018). "EchoStar's Hughes eyes growth within aero sector". Runway Girl. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- Baumgartner, Jeff. "Hughes Beefs Up Throughput on 'Jupiter' Satellite Platform". Multichannel. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- Henry, Caleb (14 October 2014). "Hughes Begins Marketing Rotary-Specialized Waveform - Via Satellite -". Via Satellite. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- Henry, Caleb (3 June 2015). "Hughes Awarded Broadband Satellite System Contract by IPSAT - Via Satellite -". Via Satellite. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- "Hughes opens new satellite hub in India targeting enterprise and SMBs". TelecomLead. 12 October 2017. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- Sachdev, D.K. Recent Successful Satellite Systems: Visions of the Future. American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. p. 306.
- "VSAT Statistics from COMSYS". www.comsys.co.uk. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- Sachdev, D.K. Recent Successful Satellite Systems: Visions of the Future. American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. p. 301.
- Team, BS Web (11 September 2018). "RJio mulls to use satellites to provide 4G LTE connectivity in remote areas". Business Standard India. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
- "Reliance Jio to use ISRO's satellite to provide 4G services in rural, remote areas". Business Today. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
- Mann, Colin. "Yahsat, Hughes finalise broadband satellite JV". advanced-television.com. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
- "African telecom operators select Hughes Jupiter system to enable satellite connectivity". BroadcastPro ME. 13 November 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
- "Hughes Hasn't Been This Sexy Since... Thanks to DirecTV, its satellite broadcast service, Hughes Electronics morphed from a defense giant into a white-hot media property. Will Rupert Murdoch get his wish to buy it? - February 5, 2001". archive.fortune.com. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
- Wireless Satellite & Broadcasting. Information Gatekeepers Inc.
- "Hughes updates its HughesNet satellite broadband with Gen4 service". Engadget. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
- "Satnews Publishers: Daily Satellite News". Sat News. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
- Henry, Caleb (29 June 2016). "HughesNet Satellite Internet Makes Debut in Brazil - Via Satellite -". Via Satellite. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
- Russell, Kendall (3 October 2017). "Hughes Introduces Satellite Internet Service in Colombia - Via Satellite -". Via Satellite. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
- Riofrío, Marcela Mendoza (30 October 2018). "Osiptel: se intensifica competencia en Internet al hogar en Perú con HughesNet". El Comercio (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 March 2019.
- Nyirady, Annamarie (10 December 2018). "Hughes Brings Satellite Internet Service to Ecuador - Via Satellite -". Via Satellite. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
- "HughesOn Managed Network Services | Secure Managed Broadband". government.hughes.com. Retrieved 6 March 2019.