In 2025, Es’hailSat is focusing on leveraging advanced satellite technology to drive innovation and meet the evolving connectivity needs of various sectors. In an exclusive interview with Telecom Review, Hamad Al-Mannai, Vice President Commercial at Es'hailSat, elaborated on the company’s strategy to achieve market success.
Es’hailSat has consistently focused on expanding its partnerships and service offerings. Can you share your broader strategy for collaboration and growth, particularly in the broadcasting and connectivity sectors?
In the past, Es’hailSat has strategically positioned itself as a key player in the broadcasting and connectivity sectors. Our company's broader strategy for collaboration and growth centers around enhancing our service offerings and expanding our partnerships to meet the evolving demands of the market.
Es’hailSat operates the Es’hail-1 and Es’hail-2 satellites, providing high-quality, direct-to-home (DTH) television, broadcast, and telecommunication services across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The company’s commitment to innovation and excellence is evident in our continuous efforts to expand our capacity and coverage capabilities, ensuring seamless connectivity for our customers.
A significant aspect of Es’hailSat’s strategy is our focus on forming strategic partnerships.
We have recently collaborated with key players such as Viasat for energy VSAT (very small aperture terminal) networks, Inmarsat for mobile satellite services, and Nilesat for satellite broadcasting. These partnerships not only broaden Es’hailSat’s service portfolio but also strengthen our market presence through shared expertise and resources.
Es’hailSat is also at an advanced stage of planning our next phase of expansion, which aims to extend the company’s coverage beyond our current footprint and offer new products and services tailored to existing and new customers in verticals such as energy and maritime. This includes a combination of organic growth via our new satellite, Es’hail-3, and partnerships with NGSO (non-geostationary satellite orbit) constellations to broaden our services. This expansion is part of Es’hailSat's strategy to support Qatar's National Vision 2030 by contributing to the growth of a knowledge-based economy.
Furthermore, Es’hailSat’s Tier 4-certified Teleport facility complements our satellite fleet, strategically positioned at the 25.5° East and 26° East hotspot locations, with both Ku-band and Ka-band capacity. By leveraging our geographical advantage and state-of-the-art facilities, Es’hailSat continues to innovate and adapt to the evolving satellite industry landscape, ensuring we remain a leader in the MENA region and beyond.
Content diversification seems to be a growing trend across satellite operators. How is Es’hailSat addressing this, and what role do new channels or services play in engaging with your target audience?
Es’hailSat is actively addressing the trend of content diversification by expanding our range of channels and services to better engage with our target audience. Recognizing the importance of offering varied and high-quality content, Es’hailSat has incorporated new channels that cater to different viewer preferences and demographics. For instance, the addition of Roya Media Group's channels, including Roya TV, Roya News, and Roya Kids, to our video distribution lineup demonstrates Es’hailSat’s commitment to providing diverse programming. These channels offer a mix of entertainment, news, and educational content, ensuring that there is something for everyone in the family.
The introduction of new channels plays a crucial role in engaging with Es’hailSat’s target audience by enhancing the viewing experience and meeting the diverse needs of viewers across the MENA region.
Other important additions to our channel lineup include SNRT from Morocco, Algeria TV’s bouquet and Syria’s Al Ekhbariya channel, all of which indicate the trust that public broadcasters and governments across MENA have in Es’hailSat’s ability to provide comprehensive broadcast solutions.
In addition to new channels, Es’hailSat has also added playout and media services using hybrid cloud technology to our portfolio of offerings. These initiatives aim to diversify the company’s revenue streams and position it as a leader in the satellite industry. By leveraging advanced technologies and forming strategic partnerships, Es’hailSat is well-equipped to meet the growing demand for diverse and high-quality content, thereby enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty.
With increasing emphasis on operational excellence, what measures is Es’hailSat taking to enhance service reliability and maintain industry-leading standards?
Es’hailSat is committed to operational excellence and has implemented several measures to enhance service reliability and maintain industry-leading standards. One of the key strategies is the adoption of internationally recognized certifications that validate the company's commitment to quality and continuous improvement.
At the beginning of 2025, Es’hailSat’s 50,000-sqm Teleport facility in Doha was awarded the prestigious Tier-4 certification from the World Teleport Association (WTA). We are the 69th teleport in the world to have achieved this certification and one of the few in the Middle East region.
Furthermore, Es’hailSat recently obtained the ISO/IEC 45001:2018 certification for our Occupational Health and Safety Management system in addition to the ISO/IEC 20000:2018 certification, which is an international standard for IT service management.
These certifications demonstrate Es’hailSat’s best-in-class approach to delivering valuable services to our customers efficiently and effectively.
By adhering to the stringent requirements of this certification, Es’hailSat ensures that our processes are robust, reliable, and align with global best practices.
What is Es’hailSat’s outlook for 2025 in terms of leveraging satellite technology to drive innovation and meet the evolving connectivity needs of sectors?
Es’hailSat’s outlook for 2025 is focused on leveraging advanced satellite technology to drive innovation and meet the evolving connectivity needs of various sectors. The company aims to enhance our service offerings by maximizing the potential of our existing fleet, which includes the Es’hail-1 and Es’hail-2 satellites. This includes the integration of cloud services, SD-WAN (software-defined wide area network), and other technologies that will bring the latest technology to our customers.
A key aspect of Es’hailSat’s strategy is the deployment of multi-orbit solutions, combining GEO and NGSO satellite services. This approach allows Es’hailSat to offer high-bandwidth satellite data connectivity applications across a wider footprint, catering to the increasing demand for reliable and efficient communication solutions.
By adopting multi-orbit technology, Es’hailSat can provide seamless connectivity for a wide range of applications in the maritime, telecommunications, energy, and mobility sectors.
Additionally, Es’hailSat is exploring the introduction of services like Earth observation (EO) data analytics and services, which will further diversify our revenue streams and enhance our market position. By continuously investing in cutting-edge technology and forming strategic partnerships, Es’hailSat is well-positioned to drive connectivity and innovation.
More Es’hailSat Exclusives:
Es’hailSat: Enhancing Future Capabilities as a Satellite Operator
Es’hailSat’s Journey to Becoming a World-Class Satellite Operator and Service Provider