Bangabandhu-1: Earth stations not necessary for local TV channels

Local television channels would not require establishment of their own earth stations to get service from country’s first geostationary communication satellite, Bangabandhu-1.

Bangladesh Communication Satellite Company Limited (BCSCL) Chairman Dr Shahjahan Mahmood gave the information while talking to BSS on Saturday.

“We would introduce alternative service for the TV channels to minimise their cost,” he said.

Mentioning that installation of earth station requires a big cost for the TV channels, he said: “They would connect the TV channels with their ground station through optical fibre for transmission.”

Dr Mahmood said they would do a trial run without earth station by using “fibre optic based service” to the state-owned Bangladesh Television within 4/5 days.

“We would replicate this service gradually to the private TV stations,” he said.

On Friday, the French manufacturer Thales Alenia Space handed over the controlling authority of Bangabandhu-1 to BCSCL.

The satellite was launched by the SpaceX last May 12 from Florida to the orbit.

Besides, the trial broadcast of Bangabandhu-I was successfully done through airing the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship 2018.

Talking about the preparation to start commercial service, the BCSCL Chairman said, “Consultancy firm Thaicom would submit a market study shortly and then we would go for next course of action.”

BCSCL has hired international consultancy firm Thaicom for two years to run marketing and sale of the connectivity of Bangabandhu-1 in six countries, including four neighbours.

The Thai firm is currently active in around 20 countries.

Mentioning that BCSCL mobilised a good and efficient marketing team, Dr Mahmood earlier said, “Our agency will mainly concentrate on the international business rather than being engaged in local market”.

Thales launched the Bangabandhu-I in May 12 from Florida of America at a cost of Taka 27.65 billion and according to the plan, it will reach break-even within seven years of starting its commercial service.

Located at the 119.1 east geostationary slot, Bangabandhu-1 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.