Thaicom Plc, Thailand’s sole satellite service provider, has set an aggressive three-year expansion plan with the planned launch of two new commercial satellites, Thaicom 8 and Thaicom 9.
“We‘re positioning Thaicom as a wholesale satellite operator, no longer a retail provider,” said Suphajee Suthumpun, CEO, Thaicom Plc.
Thaicom 9 will be positioned at 50.5 degrees east to reserve the country’s orbital slot, due to expire in November 2011. It will be a broadcast satellite and the company aims to expand its footprint in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.
Suthumpun said the Thaicom 8 broadband satellite, to be positioned in the orbital slot at 119.5 degrees, will cost no more than US$200 million. The satellite will serve the anticipated increase in broadband demand.
Thaicom underwent a reorganisation and business restructuring under Suphajee’s leadership. It switched its focus on bandwidth rental from iPSTAR to corporate users, big telecom operators and disaster recovery service instead of the retail segment.
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