When Rene Anselmo founded PanAmSat more than 10 years ago the company faced a skeptical market and a government mandated international monopoly. But by targeting emerging markets the company successfully broke down both regulatory and market barriers giving rise to what is now the largest international private satellite network with revenues of $756 million in 1997 and plans to addd eight more satellites to its current fleet of 16 satellites by late 1999.
“When we launched PAS-1, Intelsat was the global monopoly and PanAmSat had no customers, no revenue and few prospects. Pundits scoffed at the viability of private-sector international satellite providers, particularly serving emerging markets such as Latin America,” said Frederick A. Landman, PanAmSat’s president and chief executive officer.
“Today, the global satellite services industry is one of the fastest-growing telecommunications markets in the world with commercial companies and their customers leading the industry’s development.”
The PAS-1 satellite provides coverage of the Americas and Europe.
It is located in geostationary orbit at 43 degrees West Longitude and
is expected to provide service until 2001. Among the firsts marked by
PAS-1 are:
- The first private-sector international satellite;
- The first cable television satellite in Latin America, delivering
a range of international programming that has fostered the
exponential growth of cable television services in the region. - The first commercial satellite to transmit digital television
channels, which were introduced in 1991; - The first and only commercial communications satellite ever owned
and bankrolled by an individual (Rene Anselmo, PanAmSat’s late
founder); and - The first satellite launched on an Ariane 4 rocket, which now has
conducted more than 75 missions.
When PAS-1 was launched in 1988, PanAmSat had no customers and
had regulatory approval only to provide international service between
the United States and Peru. The company faced substantial obstacles
at home and abroad, including a boycott against private satellite
operators instituted by Intelsat and its member countries. CNN became
PanAmSat’s first PAS-1 customer for program distribution to Latin
America. PAS-1 attracted additional full-time programmers from such
countries as Argentina, Chile, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Peru and the
United States. With the addition of telecommunications traffic from
emerging carriers in the region, the satellite was effectively sold
out by 1992.
