Telesat, together with its project partners IBM and Hughes Network Systems, has been awarded a contract to provide high-speed, satellite-based communications to the Ford Motor Company’s Ford and Lincoln- Mercury Dealers throughout North America.
Telesat and its partners have developed a new broadband solution that will provide an estimated 2,000 Ford Dealers across the United States, Canada and Mexico the ability to transmit large data files using the Internet protocol.
Dealers will also enjoy satellite-based high-speed Internet and secure access to the corporate dealer intranet. The multimillion-dollar contract begins immediately, and the new services are now available to North American dealerships.
“Many large organizations around the world are turning to broadband networks for complex, high-bandwidth communications needs, and satellite technology is emerging as an ideal platform,” said Larry Boisvert, Telesat’s president and CEO.
“Telesat’s unparalleled experience – both in space and on the ground – has earned us the trust of marquee customers such as Ford for both broadcast and broadband services needs. We look forward to increasing our business in this emerging area.”
Telesat’s relationship with Ford Motor Company began almost ten years ago, when the Ottawa-based company designed and implemented Ford’s Canadian VSAT (very small aperture terminal) satellite network.
The network allows Ford to transmit data – efficiently and reliably – to and from its dealers using small, outdoor antennas. In 1999, Telesat in partnership with IBM was contracted to manage the in-dealership maintenance of Ford’s VSAT dealer network in the United States.
