EchoStar Communications struck a deal to provide Sprint Nextel with domestic Ku-band fixed-satellite-services capacity, officials said Monday.
Under the long-term contract, EchoStar subsidiary EchoStar Fixed Satellite Services will provide full-time, part-time and on-demand satellite capacity to support the Sprint Nextel Emergency Response Team and Engineering Sales Support programs.
Unique to Sprint Nextel, the ERT works side-by-side with public-safety agencies and other customers to coordinate communications during emergencies and other large-scale events. The Sprint Nextel ERT has provided communications support for more than 700 federal, state and local public-safety and military agencies in more than 300 deployments including 23 presidentially declared disasters and emergencies.
EFSSC will provide transponder-restorable and satellite-restorable FSS bandwidth from EchoStar 9 at 121 degrees west longitude and AMC 2 at 85 degrees west longitude. In addition to the satellite capacity, EFSSC will also provide engineering resources to support these programs.
