Mitsutoshi Akao, Group President of SKY Perfect JSAT, to Learn More About the Company’S Development and Market Presence, and Plans for the Coming Years
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....Q&A SKY Perfect JSAT HTS JCSAT-18, a condominium satellite shared with Kacific Broadband HTS JCSAT-18, Satellites. High-quality satellite communications SKY Perfect JSAT was founded in Japan to deliver high-quality satellite communications to customers throughout the Asia- Pacific. With its fleet of 17 satellites, the company delivers video distribution, data transfer services and back-up service capabilities in Asia, Russia, Oceania, the Middle East and North America. Amy Saunders spoke with Mitsutoshi Akao, Group President of SKY Perfect JSAT, to learn more about the company’s development and market presence, and plans for the coming years. Group President of SKY Perfect Mitsutoshi Akao, JSAT service has entered an era in which companies must be able to bring an integrated capacity to answer consumer Question: Can you provide an communications and the broadcasting demand for better broadcasting and overview of the development of SKY industries, these three firms have flexible transmission routes (mobile, IP Perfect JSAT, from its founding to experienced cycles of competition and and other). JSAT also focuses on where it stands today? merger and acquisition activities, expanding 4K Ultra-HD channels on our Mitsutoshi Akao: The merger of JSAT ultimately integrating management satellites. In October 2016, JSAT Corporation, SKY Perfect Communic- functions under the banner of a holding commenced the world’s first 4K HDR ations, Inc., and Space Communic- company, and finally becoming SKY (High Dynamic Range) broadcasting ations Corporation in October 2008 has Perfect JSAT (JSAT). Today, the satellite service. resulted in the creation of SKY Perfect communications business has JSAT Corporation, the core operating capitalized on its superior position in the Question: Which regions and vertical company of the SKY Perfect JSAT market to offer services, expand market markets are key to SKY Perfect Group. share, and compete and/or partner with JSAT’s operations, and how have Since the inception of the satellite global powerhouses. The broadcasting they changed over the years? 20 www.satellite-evolution.com | September/October 2017 sky.pmd 20 25/09/2017, 10:48 Q&A SKY Perfect JSAT.... Mitsutoshi Akao: Nowadays, demands world’s first 4K broadcasting service that present satellite communication for wireless communications on ocean and, this year, for the purpose of faces. We look forward to opening many going vessels and in-flight broadband enhancing program production new markets using Kymeta technology are one of the fastest growing segments business, we started to operate SNG in industries like the connected car, of the satellite industry. JSAT is focusing vehicles that enable the uplink of 4K/ disaster recovery and Internet of Things on the Asia-Pacific region where we HDR content. We also regard the future (IoT). believe large growth of such demands increase in the demand for 4K is expected in the near future. JCSAT- broadcasting services as a great Question: In May 2017, SKY Perfect 2B and JCSAT-110A have been opportunity for us to expand satellite JSAT announced plans to invest in successfully launched in 2016. These communications services. LeoSat, which plans to launch a 108 satellites have extensive coverage over constellation of low Earth orbit (LEO) the Asia-Pacific and South Indian Question: In February 2017, SKY satellites starting in 2019. Why has Ocean areas. We are also planning to Perfect JSAT ordered HTS JCSAT-18, SKY Perfect JSAT decided to invest launch our first HTS satellite, Horizons a condominium satellite shared with in LEO, and what synergies are there 3e, in 2018, and another HTS satellite, Kacific Broadband Satellites. Can with your existing operations? JCSAT-18, in 2019. Horizons 3e, the you tell us about this new satellite’s Mitsutoshi Akao: LeoSat has quite third joint venture satellite with Intelsat, capabilities, the timeline for its unique characteristics among the will bring high performance, improved launch, and the company’s plans for planned high capacity LEO economics and simple access to the utilising the capacity? constellation. Its basic concept is ‘Fibre aeronautical and maritime mobility in Mitsutoshi Akao: JCSAT-18 is our in Space,’ having the capability of fibre- the region, and JCSAT-18 will carry a second Ku/Ka-band HTS over Asia- like symmetric connectivity with Gbps Ku and Ka-band HTS mission over Asia- Pacific, after Horizons 3e. Horizons 3e class capacity to cover all parts of the Pacific, including Far East Russia, as is slated to be launched in the second globe, including the polar region. well as a traditional wide-beam mission half of 2018, and JCSAT-18 in the LeoSat system architecture with inter- over East Asia. second half of 2019. satellite links will bring a secured In both mobility and cellular network as well as ultra low latency, Question: Where do you see the most backhaul markets, we are facing solid which is rather faster than fibre for long- market opportunities going growing demand in the region. The two haul links. As some of our customers forwards? satellites are carefully designed to meet using our GEO satellites show interest Mitsutoshi Akao: SKY Perfect JSAT those demands. Many potential in those kind of features, JSAT is looking Group is engaged in business to create customers both in Japan and abroad at a sales opportunity of LeoSat to new revenue sources. For example, have shown strong interest and are complement our GEO services. JSAT signed a strategic alliance already in discussion with us. With these agreement with Kongsberg Satellite two satellites, we are confident that we Question: What do you expect SKY Services, AS (KSAT). The alliance is in could respond to the various needs in Perfect JSAT to achieve in the rest the provision of ground station services the region. JCSAT-18 also has a of 2017 and beyond? in the Asia-Pacific region for low Earth conventional Ku-band mission with Mitsutoshi Akao: For the Space & orbit (LEO) satellite operators as well regional wide beams over Asia, which Satellite business, we are working to as remote sensing services utilizing can supplement the HTS capacity prepare for the launch of Horizons 3e in satellite images. With this alliance, SKY where demand is strong. 2018 and JCSAT-17 and JCSAT-18 in Perfect JSAT Group will accelerate the Collaboration with other satellite 2019. At the same time, we will continue expansion of its ground station network operators has been one of JSAT’s to implement initiatives in the global in the Asia-Pacific region and provide a strengths and core assets in growing mobility market. For the broadcasting wider range of services to LEO satellite our global business, and I trust that it business, we focus on the development operators. will continue to be key for us. In most of competitive services such as video In addition, the group has invested cases, it is very difficult to achieve streaming services, promoting 4K in Axel Space Co., Ltd. and enRoute mutually agreeable conditions, but we broadcasts, and others. Co., Ltd. for new revenue sources of our trust it is worth pursuing, especially in subsidiary. Axel Space Co. is developing a current challenging and dynamic ultra-small satellites for the purpose of market. Earth observation, and enRoute Co. is the largest Japanese developer and Question: In March 2017, SKY Perfect manufacturer of drones. JSAT signed a strategic partnership with Kymeta to provide new mobile Question: Which emerging trends do satellite communications technology you think will have the biggest impact to the Japanese market. What can on SKY Perfect JSAT’s business, and you tell us about this partnership? how will the company respond? Mitsutoshi Akao: We are eager to Mitsutoshi Akao: We believe 4K/UHD eliminate constraints for satellite is the biggest impact on our business. communications and enable new As mentioned, we focus on satellite communication options. JSAT broadcasting 4K channels that are is confident through our long-term difficult to broadcast by terrestrial partnership for their innovative networks. In 2015, we launched the technology to eliminate the constraints Photo courtesy of Shutterstock www.satellite-evolution.com | September/October 2017 21 sky.pmd 21 25/09/2017, 10:48.