Mon 10.30 Update: Working in close collaboration with clients, Eutelsat Communications has confirmed that all services affected by the technical anomaly which occurred in the evening of Wednesday, January 27 on the W2 satellite are now fully restored at 16 degrees East.
Services are running normally using capacity on three satellites collocated at 16 degrees East: Eurobird 16 which has been operating at this position since April 2009, W2M which was deployed at the beginning of January to 16 degrees East in order to enter commercial service, and Sesat 1 which arrived on January 28 following the completion of its commercial mission at 36 degrees East after the entry into service of W7.
However, one operator expressed concern that while the replacement satellites had restored services within a relatively short space of time, reception had been made more difficult towards the edge of the satellite footprint, or for those subscribers with poorly aligned dishes.
In parallel to the manoeuvres, W2 has been placed in secure standby mode in order for Eutelsat and the satellite’s manufacturer, Thales Alenia Space, to carry out a full investigation into the technical anomaly.
