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AsiaSatLink Quarterly Newsletter
Issue 54, Summer 2007 |
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AsiaSat Receives 2nd Award in the Year |
Following the award of the 'Best Asian Satellite Carrier' by Telecom Asia magazine in April, AsiaSat received the second award in the year on the 15th of June from global growth consulting company Frost & Sullivan at the 2007 Asia Pacific ICT Awards.
It was announced at the Awards Banquet held in Singapore, where AsiaSat was selected as the 'Satellite Communications Service Provider of the Year in Asia Pacific'. Selection was made by a panel of judges representing senior executives from the Asia Pacific ICT industry, research and media firms who evaluated the satellite operator's performance in 2006 on the basis of revenue growth, market acceptance, adoption of services, service portfolio, service innovation and value added offerings.
Since 1990, AsiaSat has been committed to providing the best satellite services to the broadcast and telecommunications industries. These awards firmly recognise AsiaSat's leading position, outstanding achievement and contribution to the development of the Asia Pacific satellite broadcasting and communications industries, as well as its continued efforts in introducing innovative technologies and comprehensive services to the region.
Peter Jackson, CEO of AsiaSat (left), receiving the Award on stage from Rudi Frey, President and CEO of Siemens Multimedia Malaysia at the Awards Banquet
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AsiaSat 5 Makes Rapid Progress in Spacecraft Unit Manufacture and Testing |
With the completion of the design phase of AsiaSat 5, rapid progress has been achieved in the spacecraft unit manufacture and testing.
After the antenna coverage patterns for the four main reflectors of AsiaSat 5 were refined to provide even better performance, all inputs and outputs had been tuned and have included some silver plated waveguide to improve antenna to payload losses. All antenna moulds have been cut and the "lay down" of the reflectors is underway.
Payload units are completing their manufacture and testing, and following test data review and analysis, the units are being installed on the communications panels. Electrical power units, data handling and C-band RF receivers were also being installed. Travelling wave tubes have been integrated with their power supplies and linearised for optimum performance, and are now being installed ready for initial payload testing.
Preliminary testing of one wing of the solar panels was successfully completed. Solar cells are now being installed onto the panel to become a solar array. The Li Ion batteries cells are in the manufacture stage and, as finished and tested, being assembled into a complete battery.
AsiaSat 5 has a new class of more robust propulsion modules with improved efficiency, extending the life of the satellite and offering more durability. These thrusters are undergoing extensive testing prior to installation on the spacecraft.
The propulsion subsystem, less the thrusters has been installed on the bus module, and has undergone extensive testing including cleaning the system by flushing and leak testing to ensure all the joints are sound. The bus module is now having its units installed and will undergo bus testing.
The Spacecraft testing phase will soon commence and planning of the launch, mission and in-orbit test phase will be moving into full speed in the next few months.
AsiaSat 5 is a Space Systems/Loral 1300 series satellite designed to replace AsiaSat 2 at the 100.5 degrees East orbital location. The satellite will carry 26 C-band and 14 Ku-band transponders and is planned for launch by the powerful Zenit-3SLB rocket on the Land Launch system in 2009. It will provide enhanced performance for regional and international broadcast, wholesales news distribution, occasional services, VSAT networks and broadband services across the Asia Pacific region.
AsiaSat 5's propulsion module under assembly
The AsiaSat Broadcasters' Forum 2007 was held in Hong Kong on the 8th and the 9th of May.
This event gathered representatives of AsiaSat's broadcast users from various parts of the world.
The forum was AsiaSat's first broadcaster-oriented event with programme content designed specifically for broadcasters and catered to their interests, and organised in a format that generated interactive and in depth discussions among the participants.
Speaking at the opening of the forum, Peter Jackson, CEO of AsiaSat, said the objective of the forum was to provide a new platform for AsiaSat's broadcast users, the industry experts and AsiaSat staff to share knowledge and experience, and at the same time to hear from broadcasters their future requirements in view of the rapid development of new broadcast related applications and technologies in the Asian region.
During the forum, AsiaSat staff gave presentations on AsiaSat's recent development, its diversified broadcast products and value-added service offerings. Guest speakers and users were invited to talk about some latest regulatory development of the Asian broadcast markets, IPTV and Mobile TV technologies. AsiaSat also gave an in depth presentation on the BWA interference issue outlining its impact on C-band satellite broadcasting in Asia and some possible solutions to the issue.
AsiaSat staff and delegates at the Broadcasters' Forum in Hong Kong
BroadcastAsia 2007
AsiaSat participated in this year's BroadcastAsia exhibition held in Singapore Expo on the 19th to 22nd of June. It is the largest regional trade show with participation from over 700 exhibiting companies and more than 12,000 trade visitors from over 80 countries and regions, and where the latest broadcast products and technologies were showcased.
Echoing the theme of this year's exhibition "Digital: The Journey Forward", AsiaSat introduced its latest satellite products and technologies at the show highlighting to visitors the comprehensive digital broadcasting services delivered by AsiaSat's satellite fleet, its digital MCPC platform solutions and HD content distribution capability.
At the CommunicAsia Summit, a concurrent conference of CommunicAsia show staged in conjunction with the BroadcastAsia exhibition, AsiaSat's General Manager Engineering, Barry Turner, took part in a panel session on 'Hybrid Wireless: Will Potential Buyers Buy It?' where he shared his views with other panelists and conference delegates on the various wireless technology solutions such as satellite, WiMax, cellular, Wi-Fi, and how these technologies are complementing or competing each other.
Mark Borgas (left) and Paul Krzystoszek of Australian Satellite Services, an AsiaSat 4 user, visited AsiaSat booth at BroadcastAsia 2007
CASBAA Satellite Industry Forum 2007
Over 180 executives from the satellite industry gathered at this forum on the 18th of June in Singapore. It is one of the most important CASBAA annual events organised for participants to exchange industry insights and to address issues facing the Asia Pacific markets.
One of the highlight topics that generated extensive discussion at the forum was on the deployment of wireless broadband technologies and its impact on C-band satellite services in Asia. AsiaSat shared its views on this issue at a presentation given by Barry Turner, AsiaSat's General Manager Engineering and a panel discussion that AsiaSat's CEO Peter Jackson was one of the panelists.
During this one-day forum, other topics such as the provision of 'open skies' with unrestricted access for satellite services to domestic markets, mobile TV, Direct to Home (DTH) and HDTV services as future growth drivers, were also discussed.
Barry Turner of AsiaSat speaking at the Forum on BWA interference issue
2007 Forum on the Development of China VSAT Satellite Communications Markets
The forum was held on the 31st of May in Beijing, China. As one of prime satellite capacity suppliers to China's VSAT markets, AsiaSat gave a presentation on the technical advantages of VSAT communications and the role of AsiaSat in implementing VSAT services to forum attendees from various sectors of the VSAT industry including VSAT service operator, satellite operator, system integrator, equipment manufacturer and officials of related government authorities in China.
AsiaSat representative presenting at the forum on the role of AsiaSat in VSAT services
SpeedCast Limited signed a new C-band lease on AsiaSat 2 to provide its customers with a wide range of satellite services including Internet Access, Enterprise Network Services, Corporate Broadcast Services and Multimedia Content Distribution with in particular, a recently launched satellite-based content delivery solution for a DVB-H Mobile TV network. SpeedCast, 47% owned by AsiaSat, is a leading satellite and multimedia service provider in Asia with customers in over 30 countries.
Reach renewed its C-band lease on AsiaSat 2 to continue to provide voice, data and satellite services for its enterprise and wholesale customers. Reach is the premier provider of international telecommunication services in Asia with headquarters in Hong Kong.
China Meteorological Administration National Satellite Meteorological Centre signed an expansion agreement for additional C-band capacity on AsiaSat 4 to enhance data broadcasting and information services to its users across the region.
Sichuan Fu Tang Shiu Dian Co. Ltd. renewed its lease for Ku-band capacity on AsiaSat 3S to continue to operate a communications network for its hydo-electric power stations across the Sichuan province in China.
SVA Communications Co., Ltd. (SVACOMM) renewed its lease for Ku-band capacity on AsiaSat 4 to continue to operate a nationwide VSAT network platform that supports service providers in distance learning, telemedicine, broadband Internet access applications, as well as network operators serving industries such as postal service and petrol stations. SVACOMM is a high-tech and software enterprise offering its clients a comprehensive portfolio of service applications in a variety of industries.
China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (SINOPEC) renewed its lease for C-band capacity on AsiaSat 4 to continue to operate a VSAT network for its offices and facilities across the country for broadband applications such as video conferencing and corporate Intranet.
AsiaSat signed a collaboration agreement with Indiasign Pvt. Ltd., India's leading broadcast services provider and systems integrator, to jointly launch a C-band MCPC (Multiple Channels per Carrier) platform on AsiaSat 2 to offer Indian broadcasters one-stop transmission solution for programme distribution across cable and satellite networks, terrestrial stations, hotels and individual home viewers in Asia and Australasia.
This new MCPC platform will be established at Indiasign's teleport in New Delhi where it will provide uplink and distribution services to broadcasters through AsiaSat's C-band transponder capacity on AsiaSat 2.
To enable broadcasters to benefit from sharing a MCPC platform delivered by AsiaSat 2's high satellite power and to enjoy excellent audience access across the Asia Pacific, AsiaSat has forged partnerships with other world renowned teleports to provide worldwide connectivity and distribution solutions to customers from Europe and the Middle East. In addition, AsiaSat also operates a MCPC platform through its own uplinking facilities in Tai Po, Hong Kong with an aim to offer international broadcasters world-class turnaround and uplinking solutions from Hong Kong.
Sanjay Maloo, Director of Indiasign (left) and Sabrina Cubbon of AsiaSat signed collaboration agreement at BroadcastAsia 2007
Free to air or encrypted programmes?
Q: How can I receive my favourite channels which are free-to-air on AsiaSat's C-band?
A: If you are living in a single house, you can build your own simple satellite TV system that includes a satellite dish, a feedhorn with LNB(s), a satellite receiver and of course a television set. You may contact your local satellite dish supplier on system set up and installation fee.
If you are living in an apartment within a multi-storey building, you need to check with your building's property office who will look at the feasibility of connecting to a SMATV (Satellite Master Antenna Television) system that allows the distribution of your required free to air television programmes on AsiaSat satellites to your apartment. If there is already a satellite dish pointing to either AsiaSat 2 or AsiaSat 3S at your building, you may want to receive both satellites using the same dish. To find out about dual satellite reception, please visit the 'Technical' section of our website at http://www.asiasat.com/eng/05_technical/reception_23s.html.
You are also reminded to observe the licensing issue of satellite TV reception in your country when you plan to acquire your own satellite TV system. For more information about receiving satellite services from AsiaSat, please visit this webpage http://www.asiasat.com/eng/05_technical/reception.html
Q: How can I receive encrypted channels from AsiaSat?
A: You need a special decoder from the broadcasters or programme providers to receive encrypted channels. Please contact the broadcasters or channel distributors for more details about their service offerings.
Dual feed set up to receive AsiaSat 2 and AsiaSat 3S with one satellite dish
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If you have any comments or questions regarding AsiaSatLink, please write to: Winnie Pang, Corporate Affairs Manager, Asia Satellite Telecommunications co. Ltd., 17/F, The Lee Gardens, 33 Hysan Avenue, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong.
Tel: (852) 2500 0880 Fax: (852) 2500 0895 Email: wpang@asiasat.com
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