Ecuador and Chile gain access to affordable, high-speed satellite Internet service

Building on its success in the U.S. and expansion during the past two years in Brazil, Colombia, and Peru, HughesNet® service was launched recently in Ecuador and Chile, making it far and away the #1 choice in high-speed satellite Internet service for consumers and businesses across the Americas.

Operating over the Hughes 63 West High-Throughput Satellite (HTS) payload, HughesNet coverage reaches more than 90% of homes throughout Ecuador and over 98% throughout Chile, including areas unserved or underserved by terrestrial providers. According to figures from the Ecuador National Institute of Statistics and Census, though Internet penetration is over 50% in urban areas, 61% of people in rural areas do not have access to the Internet. In Chile, the Subsecretería de Telecomunicaciones (SUBTEL) estimates that nearly half of Chilean households either have no broadband Internet access or their service is slower than 5 Mbps.

“We are committed to bringing affordable Internet service to people and businesses everywhere in the world to help promote education, social well-being and economic development,” said Pradman Kaul, president of Hughes. “Following our successful launch of HughesNet service in Brazil, Colombia, and Peru, we take pride in bringing our signature high-speed satellite Internet to Ecuador and Chile to help connect the unconnected and bridge the digital divide.”

To date, more than 1.3 million consumer and business subscribers in the Americas enjoy the many benefits of highspeed Internet access with HughesNet. Service plans offered in Latin America come with built-in Wi-Fi and include speeds of up to 50 Mbps download/5 Mbps upload.

HughesNet is powered by the latest generation of the Hughes JUPITER™ System, the world’s most widely deployed satellite broadband platform, which employs the DVB-S2X standard for highly efficient use of satellite bandwidth. The JUPITER System supports a wide range of applications, from broadband Internet/ Intranet access, to community Wi-Fi hotspots, cellular backhaul, digital signage and mobility, including airborne services.