SingTel to Extend Satellite Coverage in Emerging Markets with new ABS-2
Singapore, 22 June 2009 - Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SingTel) today announced that it has signed a transponder purchase agreement with satellite operator Asia Broadcast Satellite Limited (ABS).
With this agreement, SingTel will own multiple C-band transponders on the new ABS-2 satellite at a cost of approximately S$80 million over the next two years. SingTel will market these transponders to corporate customers under the brand ST-3/ABS-2.
The ABS-2 satellite will be launched in late 2011 or early 2012. It will extend SingTel’s satellite coverage in Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia.
Mr Bill Chang, Executive Vice President of SingTel’s Business Group, said: “With the new ST-3/ABS-2 transponders, SingTel will enable businesses to grasp opportunities in emerging markets where communications infrastructure is often limited. The satellite will cater to increasing customer demand for fixed and mobile satellite services, IP-based solutions, Maritime VSAT, as well as broadcast and Direct-to-Home (DTH) services.”
The transponders will further strengthen SingTel’s growing satellite capabilities. In September 2008, SingTel announced a joint venture with Chunghwa Telecom to launch the ST-2 satellite in early 2011. Demand for ST-2’s services has been strong, with more than half of its capacity signed-up by customers before its launch. Most of this capacity will be used for the media industry in Asia Pacific.
SingTel, together with its wholly owned subsidiary Optus, is Asia’s leading satellite operator outside of Japan, with over 35 years experience. It is an award-winning provider of fixed and mobile satellite services with its fleet of six satellites and access to another 30 satellites worldwide. This includes the ST-1 satellite, which is co-owned by SingTel and Chunghwa Telecom. In Singapore, SingTel has three satellite earth stations providing direct transmissions to over 80 countries.
-End-
About Asia Broadcast Satellite
Asia Broadcast Satellite (ABS) is one of Asia’s most valued and premium satellite operators. Located at 75°E, ABS-1 connects 4/5th of the world’s population covering all of Asia, the CIS region, the Middle East, most of Africa and Eastern Europe.
Leveraging its extensive coverage and operating state of the art, redundant teleport facilities in both Hong Kong and Germany, ABS is able to strategically and effectively offer a broad range of End-to-End solutions including CATV distribution, Direct to Home, Cellular Backhaul, VSAT and Internet Backbone services with diverse IP transit through its European and Asian internet gateways. ABS currently host over 100 channels on ABS-1, making it as one of the fastest growing and top satellite distribution platform for CATV distribution in the Indian Ocean Region.
ABS will expand its presence with the launch of its second satellite (ABS-2) in 2011 and will continue to expand its coverage and business worldwide.
For more information, please visit the Company’s website at www.absatellite.net