ABS and Arabsat have signed a strategic commercial agreement for a multi-transponder lifetime Ku-band payload on the new ABS-3A satellite planned for launch in late 2014 / early 2015. This Ku-band payload deal will provide Arabsat with additional growth opportunities to serve their customers over the Middle East and North Africa regions.
The ABS-3A satellite will be one of the world’s first all-electric propulsion satellites (a Boeing 702SP platform satellite) with nearly 8-kilowatts of EOL payload power and up to a total of 48 C and Ku-band transponders. It will be located at 3° West and will offer expanded capacity connecting the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa regions. Its wide C and Ku-band coverage will serve both sides of the Atlantic for trans-Atlantic as well as regional connectivity and services.
Khalid Balkheyour, President and CEO of Arabsat said “We are very pleased with this payload agreement with ABS, and we hope it is the beginning of a long term successful partnership. Arabsat has put in the market a request for proposals for four new satellites at different orbital locations, and yet, we continue to see rapid increase in customers’ demand on telecommunication and broadcasting services across the region, this agreement leverages Arabsat capabilities to harness more growth opportunities over the coming three years.”
“ABS is very excited to collaborate with Arabsat on this strategic transaction. The MENA beam of ABS-3A is the first time ABS has been able to provide a complete coverage of all of Middle East and North Africa. We are proud to announce Arabsat as our strategic partner on this capacity which will serve the growing needs of their MENA customer base,” said Tom Choi, CEO of ABS.
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