Page 62 - SAMENA Trends - December 2023
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SATELLITE UPDATES  SAMENA TRENDS

        Indonesia’s SATRIA-1 Satellite is Connected and Ready for 2024


        Indonesia’s new internet satellite, SATRIA-1,   to  provide  high-speed  internet  access  to   satellite has a total capacity of 150 Gbps.
        has  reportedly  been  successfully  tested   schools, medical centers  and thousands   PSN’s  Adi  said  he  was  confident  that  the
        and  should  be  ready  to  begin  operations   of public and government facilities across   final  technical  aspects  and  administrative
        in  early  2024.  According  to a  report  in   the  archipelago  via  VSAT  connectivity.   procedures could be completed before the
        Jakarta Post, the Telecommunication and   SATRIA-1 was built by Thales Alenia Space.   end of the year, paving the way for SATRIA-1
        Information Accessibility  Agency (BAKTI)   It  was  launched  via  SpaceX  in  June  and   to begin full operations early next year, the
        announced  last  Friday  that  SATRIA-1  is   reached  its  orbital  slot  last  month.  The   report said.
        now connected to the internet. Connectivity
        trials  were  successfully  conducted  last
        week in Manokwari,  Jayapura, Ambon,
        Batam,  Kupang and  Banjarbaru. BAKTI,
        which operates under the Communication
        and   Information  Ministry  (Kominfo),
        announced the test results on a Zoom call
        that  was  itself  connected  via  SATRIA-1.
        Adi  Rahman  Adiwoso, CEO  of satellite
        operator  Pasifik  Satelit  Nusantara  (PSN),
        said  that  the  Zoom call  made  it  “evident
        that everything is starting to run smoothly,”
        the  Post  reported.  SATRIA-1  is  a  public-
        private  project  between  the  Indonesian
        government and a consortium led by PSN.
        The US$550 million satellite project, which
        has  been  in  the  works  since  2019,  aims



        DISH and EchoStar Secure FCC Approvals for Merger



        FCC  divisions  the  Office  of  Engineering   to  merge  in  August  in  a  move  that  DISH   The  agreement  was amended  in  October
        and Technology, the Space Bureau, and the   said  would  combine  DISH  Network’s   to  make  DISH  a  wholly-owned  subsidiary
        Wireless Telecommunications Bureau have   satellite  technology, streaming services   of EchoStar on completion. Analysts  are
        approved the merger of US pay TV operator   and nationwide 5G network with EchoStar’s   divided on DISH’s prospects as it seeks to
        DISH Network and satellite communications   premier satellite communications solutions,   build a sustainable business while servicing
        outfit EchoStar, a move seen as crucial to   creating  a  global  leader  in  terrestrial  and   a  large  debt  pile  in  the  face of ongoing
        keeping DISH in business over the coming   non-terrestrial   wireless   connectivity.   subscriber  losses.  DISH  saw  its  revenues
        year. Both DISH and EchoStar are controlled   Ergen  described  the  combination  as  “a   slide  to  US$3.7  billion  in  the  quarter  to
        by Charlie Ergen, and were part of the same   strategically  and  financially  compelling   September, down from US$4.1 billion for the
        company – EchoStar – before splitting in   combination  that  is  all  about growth and   same period in 2022. Net income dropped
        2008. The pair announced their agreement   building a long-term sustainable business”.   from US$412 million to a loss of US$139
                                                                                 million.  The  company closed  the  quarter
                                                                                 with  8.84  million  pay  TV subscribers,
                                                                                 including 6.72 million DISH TV subscribers
                                                                                 and 2.12 million Sling TV streaming subs.
                                                                                 Pay TV losses failed to offset a streaming
                                                                                 increase. Sling added 214,000 subscribers,
                                                                                 a low number than for the prior year period,
                                                                                 which the  company  attributed  to strong
                                                                                 competition in the pay video sector. DISH
                                                                                 TV’s rate of loss – 181,000 in the quarter
                                                                                 – was  actually lower than  its  prior  year
                                                                                 rate of loss. Retail wireless net subscribers
                                                                                 decreased by approximately 225,000 in the
                                                                                 third quarter, compared to a net increase of
                                                                                 1,000 in the year-ago quarter.

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