[SatNews] HISPASAT, the Spanish satellite telecommunications operator, has announced that is has completed an agreement with Intelsat (NYSE: I) to jointly provide satellite services at the 55.5 degrees West orbital position.

Artistic rendition of the Amazonas-1 satellite.

The agreement will allow both companies to further enhance their positions in Latin America. Under the agreement, HISPASAT’s Amazonas 1 satellite will provide both operators immediate growth capacity within Latin America for the next two years. HISPASAT will use the Amazonas 1 from this new position to provide part of the audiovisual services for the Football World Cup. HISPASAT and Intelsat will cooperate at the orbital location, sharing orbital resources to expand services available for media and other customers in the region.

According to Stephen Spengler, president and chief commercial officer of Intelsat, “We welcome Hispasat as a partner at the 55.5ºW location. Intelsat has a strong and rich history of providing critical connectivity and content distribution in Latin America. We look forward to working with HISPASAT on future opportunities in the region that will further strengthen our combined presence”.

Carlos Espinós, CEO of HISPASAT, stated that “The agreement struck with Intelsat is in keeping with the company's strategic plan, a cornerstone of which is to target growth through alliances with third parties. This deal also enables HISPASAT to fully exploit the capability and service life of Amazonas 1 and to operate at a new orbital position, thereby further strengthening the Group's position in Latin America. This agreement, unprecedented in the history of our company, exemplifies HISPASAT's endeavors to optimize resources in orbit under its new growth plan.”

The HISPASAT infosite is accessible via http://www.hispasat.es/