Nera sign broadband satellite contract with Shin Satellite

Nera ASA, through its wholly owned subsidiary Nera Broadband Satellite, has entered into an agreement with Shin Satellite to deliver gateways for use in the iPSTAR system, offering broadband communications via satellite.
     The contract has a value of approximately NOK 125 million (USD 16.6 million). The agreement was signed in December 2002 and was registered as order intake in 2002.
     Through the iPSTAR system, Shin Sat will supply low cost broadband services in the Asia-Pacific region. Nera has for several years cooperated with Shin Satellite on development of this system. With the present contract, Nera is confirming its position as one of the leading players in the market for next generation broadband via satellite.
      “This agreement is another milestone for Nera. The iPSTAR project is innovative and the agreement that has been reached clearly states that Nera has a leading technological position within this market. We have faith in a broadband structure based upon satellite communications as an important and integral part of the total broadband communications market. It is also important for Nera, with the present situation in the telecom market, that the company can participate in projects of this magnitude,” said CEO of Nera Bjorn Ove Skjeie.
     Nera has already delivered many gateways that are now in operation for Shin Satellite. These gateways are serving broadband customers throughout the region, including those in Thailand, Malaysia and India.
     The new contract Nera has signed with Shin Satellite covers 18 gateways. This year the iPSTAR deployment plan calls for them to be installed in anticipation of the start of commercial operations by the iPSTAR-1 satellite in early 2004, in target countries throughout Asia, including Thailand, Vietnam, India, China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Cambodia.
     “iPSTAR technology is considered the world’s most efficient and cost effective — with low cost, high bandwidth user terminals, and many times bandwidth improvement over other current technologies,” said Dr Dumrong Kasemset, Executive Chairman of Shin Satellite.
     The iPSTAR system will deliver high speed internet services via satellite, at speeds of 10 Mb/s and 4 Mb/s respectively to and from the user. The system is unique when compared with similar systems. The second generation of this system will consist of 92 Ku-spot beams, exclusive of video beams. With a data capacity of more than 35 Gb/s, millions of users in the area are able to use the system with low priced terminals. Asia is the part of the world where the number of Internet users is increasing the most, and satellites will be crucial in the development of this service as ground-based technologies have yet to make much headway.
     The system that Nera is supplying will switch IP based traffic between low priced satellite terminals and international and national broadband networks. Delivery of gateways is scheduled for 2003, with the system becoming operational in 2004.
     Shin Satellite Plc is a satellite operator offering C-band and Ku-band services for clients in Asia, Africa, Europe and Australia. The company owns and operates Thaicom 1A, 2 and 3. Thaicom satellites offer broadcasting services largely in Indo-China and India, but with customers extending from Europe to Australia.
     Nera Broadband Satellite is a fully owned subsidiary of Nera ASA, a world-leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of fixed wireless and satellite communication equipment and systems. The Norwegian company also designs, develops, manufactures and markets point-to-point and point-to-multipoint radio link equipment, satellite terminals and gateways for mobile and fixed satellite communications.

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