Four Hughes group companies, Hughes Software Systems, Hughes Network Systems, Hughes Escorts Communications and Hughes Tele.com India, have come together to offer end-to-end communication solutions in the country.
"Over a period of time, all the four companies will be introducing a number of new services in the domestic market," Arun Kumar, chairman of Hughes Network Systems said at a press conference.
Hughes Software Systems will target the telecom service providers in India with a strategic portfolio of focussed solutions. Hughes Escorts Communications is to launch DirecWay Internet services and DirecWay global education, while Hughes Tele.com will enhance fibre access with wireless broadband Internet to expand its coverage and offerings.
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Hughes Electronics has already announced that it would spend about $1.8 billion for implementing its next generation satellite project called SpaceWay. In the long term, through SpaceWay, Hughes will deliver Internet, education and telephony across the country. It would also focus on DirecWay two way broadband services in a big way, Kumar said here on Thursday.
Major services from the Hughes stable include enterprise and consumer services, DirecWay enterprise service, DirecWay consumer and SOHO services, DirecTV services, broadband and mobile satellite services.
"India is a big market for Hughes since the country has shown tremendous growth in the telecom sector. The demand for bandwidth will continue to grow and satellite can get a good chunk due to pace of deployment and reliability advantages," he added.
As part of its research and development activities, significant investments have already been made into packet technologies. Its comprehensive offerings include voice over packet, broadband wireless data and value-added services including mobile/ wireless applications, voice over Internet protocol applications, intelligent network applications, etc.
According to Prakash Bajpai, president and CEO of Hughes Tele.com India, the basic telephony operator in Maharashtra is expanding its presence in the state. It would achieve basic subscriber-base of around 4 lakh by 2004 from the present 1.25 lakh. It has already connected around 200 business houses with its broadband network.