Telkom to launch new satellite by end of 2004<\/p>\n
Tony Hotland, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom) plans to launch a new
\nsatellite with broader coverage in December to capitalize on the
\nincreasing use of satellites in Asia.<\/p>\n
The new satellite, to be known as Telkom-2, will replace
\nTelkom's Palapa B4 satellite. It has a total of 24 transponders
\nand a useful life of 15 years.<\/p>\n
\"The total investment is around US$170 million, and has been
\ntaken from our internal reserves. Unlike the Palapa B4 satellite,
\nwhose footprint only covers the Southeast Asia region, the
\nTelkom-2 footprint goes all the way to India and China,\" Telkom
\npresident Kristiono said on Thursday in Cibinong, West Java,
\nafter a ceremony to mark the anniversary of the launching of
\nTelkom's first satellite, Palapa A1, 28 years ago.<\/p>\n
Telkom-2 will be launched into orbit by European commercial
\nlaunch service provider Arianespace from Guyana, South America,
\nand will be in full operation by February 2005.<\/p>\n
Besides running Palapa B4 with 24 transponders, Telkom also
\noperates Telkom-1, which was launched in 1999 and has 36
\ntransponders and a useful life of 15 years.<\/p>\n
Forty-six transponders on both satellites are occupied by
\nTelkom, while the rest are leased to 12 operators of very small
\naperture terminals (VSAT), nine national television stations,
\nthree local television stations, and foreign leaseholders such as
\nReuters and NHK.<\/p>\n
\"Eventually, we'll occupy less transponders as for long
\ndistance services, Telkom will gradually switch to undersea cable
\nand fiber optic infrastructure. So, more transponders will be
\navailable for lease by foreign customers,\" said Kristiono.<\/p>\n
Currently, Telkom leases out one transponder for around $1.1
\nmillion per year. However, Kristiono said that it would be
\ndifficult to maintain this price due to increasing competition
\namong satellite service operators in the region.<\/p>\n
Kristiono added that Telkom would still use Jasindo as the
\ninsurance provider for the new satellite, although Jasindo would
\nlikely have to form a consortium to insure an asset of such
\nvalue.<\/p>\n
At present, Telkom is the second biggest satellite provider
\nafter AsiaSat in the Southeast Asia region, with a market share
\nof 17 percent in 2003.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/telkom-to-launch-new-satellite-by-end-of-2004-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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