NewSat Updated Jabiru-2 Satellite Communications Contract With MEASAT
The technical specifications for NewSat's satellite capacity deal with MEASAT have been finalized.
Online, February 21, 2012 (Newswire.com) - Satellite service provider NewSat announced on Feb 20, 2012 that it has updated the capacity acquisition deal it signed with MEASAT in 2010. A portion of Jabiru 2 capacity would be provided by several transponders on MEASAT satellite aimed at Asia Pacific regions and major satellite communications markets in Australia. The satellite communications service can support 216 MHz Ku band capacity. Approximately $110 million in sales can be generated from such satellite capacity in 15 years. Just recently, MEASAT closed a separate deal involving the provision of satellite capacity on the upcoming Jabiru-1 satellite.
In November 2010, NewSat and MEASAT entered into a partnership agreement for the provision of satellite transponders on Jabiru. For a while, NewSat did not name its partner, but this month, the independent satellite carrier revealed that the technical and performance specifications pertaining to the MEASAT contract were finalized.
The Jabiru 2 service will cover Australia and nearby territories in the Asia Pacific areas like Papua New Guinea and Timor Lester. The latest satellite communications deal is expected to leverage the local and international service of NewSat. The company is keen on serving Australia's high-demand markets like Kimberly and North West Shelf.
Although the $US180 million value of its Jabiru 1 contract with MEASAT has been publicly disclosed by the company, it refused to reveal the financial terms of the Jabiru 2 contract.
Malaysian satellite operator MEASAT focuses on broadcasting, DHT and wireless telecommunications markets. NewSat transponders on MEASAT-3b satellite, which has a capacity for 48 Ku-band transponders, will deliver state-of-the-art Ku band service.
NewSat CEO and pioneer Adrian Ballintine said the company is meeting its financing goals for Jabiru. Since late 2011, the satellite firm has been winning pre-launch contracts with various telecommunications and satellite companies. Its contracts with MEASAT and 3A Technology Technology of Pakistan alone are enough to enable the company to sign in more financiers for the Jabiru fleet, said Ballintine.
NewSat's stock has been improving thanks to a series of pre-launch Jabiru contracts. NewSat CEO Adrian Ballintine is optimistic that the company can get all the funding it needs to commercialize the Jabiru satellites. Last year, NewSat sold closed a 10-year $134 million satellite capacity contract with 3A Technology of Pakistan.