When I look back at 2016 I see many accomplishments throughout the company. The one that sticks out the most to me is our 20th anniversary. It was back in 1996 that we first conceived the idea that communication services were going to be an incredible growth area of the economy. We survived the 2000 “dot bomb” when many high tech companies failed, we survived the 2007 economic meltdown, and we will continue to endeavor.
2016 has been a year of incredible growth for X2nSat. We’ve accomplished great things, from breaking ground on our Las Cruces teleport to our acquisition of Futaris, Inc. Take a look below of just some of the great milestones of the year.
New Partnerships
In 2015 X2nSat partnered with Eutelsat to develop and test their Smart LNB technology at our Petaluma Gateway. After successful tests, a fully redundant production version of the network was launched in 2016. X2nSat was rewarded for our efforts in the development phase by receiving the contract to operate the world’s first Smart LNB network, serving all of North America.
In March, members of X2nSat attended the Satellite 2016 trade show in Washington D.C., where we met with Thuraya to become the first (and still only) distributor/partner for their L-band service in the USA.
In the fourth quarter of 2016, X2nSat purchased the assets of Futaris, Inc. Futaris (formerly AtContact) has a legacy gateway in Sedalia (Denver), Colorado and was most recently managed from Anchorage, Alaska where most of their customer base was located. In addition to gaining some great customers, X2nSat picked up three great team members who joined our ranks.
New Satellite Gateway
A noteworthy achievement in 2016 was the announcement of X2nSat’s third satellite gateway, located in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The New Mexico Economic Development Department contributed $300,000 in Local Economic Development Act funds to be used for the construction of the gateway, operations center, and logistics facility.
In October, members of the X2nSat Leadership Team traveled to Las Cruces, where the Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance (MVEDA) hosted a formal announcement of the partnership. New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez and other figures spoke of the impact our expansion would have on their workforce and economy. We are on track to break ground before the end of the year, and our first services should be transmitting out of the facility in the first quarter of 2017.
New Industry Opportunities
A major company goal for 2016 was to increase our presence in the healthcare industry. After much development work, X2nSat launched SatBlue, its proprietary line of voice and data solutions for hospitals and medical facilities. As a result of our efforts, the X2nSat Sales team is now in discussion with several large hospital systems and numerous other smaller entities.
Further progress was made in the utilities market when we won an expansive substation project in Q1 with a large utility company. Additional opportunity arose when we introduced utilities organizations to our new FlexCom terminals. Having struggled with the cost of their existing BGAN terminals, the companies saw our new equipment as an appealing alternative. Several initial orders have been placed to test the effectiveness of FlexCom over BGAN solutions.
Great People, Great Company
The great people who work here at X2nSat are the lifeblood of our organization and ultimately our success. This year we added two key roles to our management team. In January Karen Siembieda took on the role of Director, Program Management, while Jena Kramer joined us in March to fill the role of Director of Marketing.
This past year we have had much to be thankful for, regarding the vibrancy of our company and the world of opportunities and possibilities that await us as we approach 2017. Our new gateway in Las Cruces reflects the growing nature of the X2nSat family. We look forward to immersing ourselves in the vibrant community there.
Giving back has always been an important element of the culture here at X2nSat. Petaluma, CA and Sonoma County is the place we are proud to call home. Over the years we have been honored to work with the great folks from the local Rotary Club, the Committee on the Shelterless (COTS), 100 Sonoma, as well as the Petaluma PD’s K-9 program. Each of these organizations and many others do great work in our community and contribute significantly to the quality of life we all enjoy.
We love what we do here at X2nSat and are extremely grateful to all of our clients who trust us to provide them with vital communications services.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO KEEPING THE MOMENTUM GOING IN 2017!
SHARE THIS
About the Author
As CEO and founder, Mr. Hill guides the vision and cutting-edge culture of X2nSat, one of the most veteran VSAT providers in North America. In 1996, he founded this forward-thinking satellite communications company with a mission to provide highly reliable, wireless network and communication solutions to a variety of North American industries.