ARIZONA: Frost & Sullivan has awarded Hughes Global Services (HGS) their "Innovative Satellite Service of the Year Award" for 2002.
HGS' exceptional innovation in its approach to serving customers, particularly in the use of offering high quality satellite service on a combination of traditional leased capacity and salvaged space assets fetched it the award, states an official release.
A team of Frost & Sullivan analysts found that HGS excelled when measured on the following criteria against competitors -
* Demonstrable technological, management, strategy, sales innovation and leadership
* Increased share and recognition with the market due to a unique innovation
* Development of new applications for existing products
* Establishment of a "first mover" status with a new aspect of an existing market or opening a niche in an original market
An example of HGS' innovation has been their establishment of a fleet of satellites on orbit by taking satellites no longer useful for their intended purpose and creating a satellite service business with it.
For instance, HGS-1, was rescued from an unusable orbit by sending the satellite around the Moon and using the Moon's gravity to assist putting the satellite into a revenue producing orbit in the world's first commercial lunar mission. More recently, HGS relocated another satellite, the former Palapa C1, into an orbital slot for Pakistan, providing that nation with their first geosynchronous communications satellite.
HGS has also pioneered commercial satellite communications use by the US government, says the release. Working with the General Services Administration, HGS set up a highly flexible contract which allows government agencies to quickly and easily acquire needed commercial satellite products and services.
So far, HGS has provided services in over 88 countries worldwide to over 130 customers.