Thaicom, AsiaSat to team up on planned satellite
Satellite operator Thaicom will partner with Hong Kong satellite operator Asia Satellite Telecommunications (AsiaSat) to provide services on a satellite planned to orbit in the 120-degrees East Longitude slot.
The move follows the Information and Communications Technology Ministry's approving Thaicom to help maintain the country's rights to the 120-degrees and 50.5-degrees East Longitude slots, which expire this November and in the middle of next year, respectively.
According to ICT Minister Gp Captain Anudith Nakornthap, the country is no danger of losing any benefits, but will be able to keep the two orbital slots by having Thaicom help maintain the rights to them.
An ICT Ministry source said Thaicom has reached a preliminary agreement on the partnership with AsiaSat to offer a joint service on the planned satellite in the 120-degrees slot. But the deal is awaiting Cabinet consideration on Tuesday of the ICT Ministry's two proposed options for maintaining the slot.
The proposal suggests that the most viable option is for Thaicom to talk with AsiaSat to coordinate their search for a satellite to position in the slot.
Once the Cabinet makes its decision, Thaicom will conduct a feasibility study on the cost and service demand, and on providing the service with AsiaSat on this satellite.
Thaicom also reportedly proposed to the ministry that it would operate this satellite under a licence from the upcoming National Broadcasting and Telecommunica-tions Commission (NBTC).
The NBTC satellite licence fee is expected to be lower than Thaicom's existing concession fee. Thaicom also faces risk of legal complications if it operates this new satellite under its concession.
But it remains to be seen when the NBTC will get off the ground to grant the licence to Thaicom.
However, Thaicom might cancel the plan to seek a satellite for the 120-degrees slot if in the end it is not deemed commercially viable.
Thaicom will have to hold discussions with AsiaSat regarding the 120-degrees East slot.
The story goes back to 1993, when Thaicom launched the Thaicom 1 satellite in the 120-degrees East slot, while AsiaSat was about to launch its satellite in the adjacent 122-degrees East slot.
Fearing a possible satellite signal jam, Thailand and Hong Kong held talks to seek a solution, which resulted in an agreement that Thailand could use the 120-degrees slot, but would have to coordinate with Hong Kong whenever it launched a new satellite in the slot.
Thaicom plans to launch its Thaicom 6 satellite in the 78.5-degrees East slot by 2013. The satellite, costing US$160 million (Bt4.8 billion), is expected to reach the break-even point within four years.
