The new, fault-tolerant solution will be rolled out over the next 12 months and will include two Hughes HX central hubs and broadband satellite terminals at 600 sites in the current mecom network. To ensure maximum system stability, the second central hub will provide fully automatic redundancy as a backup. Mecom's decision to select Hughes technology was based on a successful 20-year relationship between the two companies, during which Hughes Europe has provided mecom with a flexible and easy-to-integrate system.
Ulrich Wiehsalla, managing director of mecom, said, "Our very demanding customers expect from mecom not only a highly reliable, highly topical, and simultaneous supply of content, but they also pay particular attention to authenticity. They want to be certain that they receive the content issued, for example, by the German press agency (dpa) with a 100 percent guarantee. Especially in the area of security services, it is essential that mecom continues to function effectively, even in a crisis situation where public networks are not working. We have done this in the past and want to ensure we maintain this in the future."
Providing a closed network for hundreds of receivers on a single central hub allows mecom to realise operational and maintenance benefits on a high-quality network at optimal cost. As part of the new agreement, Hughes will also provide comprehensive hardware support.
Chris O'Dell, vice president of sales and marketing, Hughes Europe, said, "Our teams worked closely together to create a high availability solution tailor-made to mecoms' most demanding requirements—in an environment where a few seconds delay in the transmission of messages may have significant economic implications."
The Hughes HX System will support the transmission of satellite services through a new 'mecomTransmit Server'.