World Teleport Association’s Certification Program Announces Tier 3 Certification of Speedcast Macaé, Brazil Teleport

(June 28, 2023 – New York City) – The World Teleport Association (WTA) today announced that Speedcast, a leading communications and IT services provider, has achieved Tier 3 certification of its Macaé Teleport outside Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, under WTA’s Teleport Certification Program.

The Macaé certification marks the 52nd issued by WTA since the program was launched at IBC (International Broadcasting Convention) in 2015. Another nine teleports are currently engaged in WTA’s quality evaluation process. The program provides transparent, independently verified standards as a means for teleports to differentiate themselves and for customers to choose the price-performance level suitable for their applications.

The Speedcast Macaé teleport facility is an integral part of the company’s global infrastructure. Strategically located in an area with no earth station and antenna obstructions, the location offers the clearest line of sight for optimal signal. On-site network infrastructure includes access points to four different fiber providers, as well as a fully redundant, physical path to the United States. The facility includes 11 earth stations supporting key energy customer requirements for global exploration and production operations, including oil and gas drillers, operators, offshore supply and service companies.

WTA’s certifications are issued on a provisional basis after completion of a +170-item questionnaire that is evaluated against standards developed by WTA’s Certification Committee. The teleport then has six months to achieve Full Certification. To achieve Full Certification under WTA’s program, an auditor is dispatched to the teleport, provides independent validation of the data submitted in the questionnaire, and identifies additional factors that may affect the score. Full Certification is issued at a Tier number from 1 through 4, of which 4 represents the highest degree of excellence, and remains in effect for three years.

In addition to Speedcast, certifications have been issued to teleports operated by IABG Teleport, A1 Telekom Austria Group, Gomedia Satcom, Globecast, Azercosmos, Servicio Satelital, USEI, AXESS Networks, STN, Eutelsat, du, COMSAT, e&, Optus, Horizon Teleports, RADIOCOM, Talia, Telespazio, Vivacom, Cyta, PlanetCast, Singtel, Hellas Sat, Hispasat, Stellar DBS, Orange, Hawaii Pacific Teleport, Intelsat, SMS, Telstra, Primacom, Santander Teleport and Arqiva.

“We are excited to achieve Tier 3 certification of Speedcast’s Macaé teleport,” said Will Mudge, VP Engineering Operations at Speedcast. “This strategic facility supports the critical operations of key energy customers, ensuring seamless, always-on connection for crews deployed outside the realm of any other communications alternatives for their remote locations at sea. We’re proud to continue securing certifications for our facilities in partnership with WTA, which is an organization holding the highest standards for teleport excellence.”

“The satellite and teleport business is not known for its adoption of industry-wide standards,” said WTA executive director Robert Bell. “WTA contributed its own standards for teleport infrastructure, technology and operation in 2015, thanks to the work of dedicated and experienced volunteers. We are glad to see continued growth in adoption of Teleport Certification based on those standards, especially at a time when standards are becoming crucial to the industry’s future.”

Speedcast is hosting Macaé Teleport Facility tours and technology demonstrations in July. Formal requests to participate can be submitted by completing the online interest form.

For more information about the Teleport Certification Program, visit http://www.worldteleport.org/?page=Certification or email WTA Membership Director Randall Barney at rbarney@worldteleport.org. Click here for a list of certified teleports.

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About World Teleport Association
Since 1985, the World Teleport Association (www.worldteleport.org) has focused on improving the business of satellite communications from the ground up. At the core of its membership are the world’s most innovative operators of teleports, from independents to multinationals, niche service providers to global carriers. WTA is dedicated to advocating for the interests of teleport operators in the global telecommunications market and promoting excellence in teleport business practice, technology and operations.

About Speedcast
Speedcast is a leading communications and IT services provider, delivering critical communications services to the Maritime, Energy, Mining, Media, Telecom, Cruise, NGO, Government, and Enterprise sectors. The company leverages its global network platform to provide fully connected systems that harness technologies and applications to transform what remote operations can achieve. With the world’s most comprehensive network, Speedcast enables faster, seamless pole-to-pole coverage from a global hybrid satellite, fiber, cellular, microwave, MPLS, and IP transport network with direct access to public cloud platforms. The company integrates differentiated technology offerings that provide smarter ways to communicate and distribute content, manage network and remote operations, protect and secure investments, and improve the crew and guest experience. With a passionate customer focus and a strong safety culture, Speedcast serves more than 3,200 customers in over 140 countries. Learn more at www.speedcast.com.