BTRC starts groundwork to launch broadcast satellite

BTRC starts groundwork to launch broadcast satellite
Staff Correspondent

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission has started a process to appoint a consulting firm aimed at launching the country’s first artificial satellite in three years at an estimated cost of $200-$300 million.

The commission requested experienced firms on Saturday to apply by December 8 for the consultancy services to prepare detailed business and technical plans for the entire process of the launch of Bangabandhu 1 Satellite.

‘We have taken initiative to appoint a consulting firm aimed at the launch of a communications and broadcast satellite for VSAT, digital television and internet services in three years,’ the communication’s director general Rezaul Quader told New Age.

The selected consulting firm will help the commission in the entire process of the satellite launch, organise and manage arrangement with the International Telecommunication Union for frequency coordination, business plan preparation, identification of financing options, market study, tender document preparation, formulation of a domestic operating organisation and the procurement and launch of the satellite.

Commission officials said the consultant would negotiate with the ITU for frequency allotment and with countries over which the satellite will be orbiting the earth.

‘A lot of negotiations need to be completed before we can go for the satellite launch. If everything goes in keeping with the plan, we may launch the satellite in three years,’ an official said.

‘Around $300 million is needed to launch such a satellite. The funding issue is yet to be decided. The consultant will recommend to us funding sources. The government may fund the project or can go for public-private partnership,’ he said.

He said Bangladesh would first decide how much bandwidth the country would need from the satellite. ‘We will sell the remaining bandwidth to other countries and companies once we launch the satellite,’ he said.

The country’s television channels and some internet providers take rent of satellites of other countries for broadcast purposes.

The country is also linked to an international submarine cable which meets the major demand of the internet and data services

source:http://www.newagebd.com/2010/nov/14/busi.html#3