BS-I commercial services to be opened on Oct 2

The commercial services of country’s first communication satellite Bangabandhu-I (BS-I) will be inaugurated on October 2.

After the inauguration, all local 34 television channels would start their full-fledged transmission using the feed of BS-I.

“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to open formally the BS-I commercial services to all 34 TV channels on October 2,” according to a source at the Bangladesh Communication Satellite Company Limited (BCSCL).

Currently, most of the local TV channels have been running successfully their transmission through BS-I, the source said.

40 percent capacity of BS-I has already been sold, it added.

Earlier on May 19, BCSCL signed formal agreement with six local TVs –Somoy TV, Jamuna TV, Deepto TV, Bijoy TV, Bangla TV and MY TV for the use of BS-I. In addition, four channels of the state-owned BTV has been running operation through the feed of BS-I.

BCSCL officials said the draft of the agreement between TVs and BCSCL has been finalized.

All the TVs for their transmission would require the capacities of five transponders of the BS-I. Besides, the local D2H Akash of BEXIMCO has rented six transponders.

Besides, the BCSCL has connected all TV channels through fiber optic cable with its ground station instead of installing earth station to minimize the cost of TV channels’ owner.

French manufacturer Thales Alenia Space in November last year handed over the controlling authority of BS-I to BCSCL, which was launched by the SpaceX on May 12, 2018 from Florida to the orbit.

The first trial broadcast of BS-I has been successfully done through airing the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship 2018.

In addition, BCSCL has hired international consultancy firm Thaicom for two years to run marketing and sale of the connectivity of BS-I in six countries, including four neighbours. The Thai firm is currently active in around 20 countries.

Thales launched the BS-I at a cost of Taka 2,765 crore and according to the plan, it will reach break-even point within seven years of starting its commercial service.

Located at the 119.1 east geostationary slot, BS-I would cover the SAARC countries and Indonesia, the Philippines, Myanmar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkestan and a part of Kazakhstan.

The coverage is the strongest in Indonesia, the Philippines, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan, for which these six countries have initially been chosen for business.

The satellite’s operations include “direct-to-home” service for TV channels, VSAT (very small aperture terminal), backhaul and network restoration, disaster preparedness and relief and many others.

 

Dhaka/Hasan/AI