Country’s first-ever Bangabandhu Satellite-1 (BS-1) would start providing its commercial services to international users soon. The news on renting BS-1 services to international market comes following a successful services of the satellite in the domestics markets that opened in late May. According to Bangladesh Communication Satellite Company Limited (BCSCL), within next three months, all the local television channels and islands will be brought under the satellite coverage.
Meanwhile, Nepal, Indonesia, and the Philippine have shown their interests to rent BS-1 transponder internationally. Soon the company will go for commercial agreement with those countries once the rent price is finalized. BCSCL Chairman Dr Shahjahan Mahmood told Bangladesh Post that, as the satellite has 40 transponders, 14 are C-bands while 26 are Ku-band. Of them, 20 transponders will be used in the country and the rest will be rented to foreign countries.
“Already The Philippines and Nepal has shown their interest in in renting transponders. We are now negotiating the rent prices. If we get reasonable rent from them, we will soon sign an agreement with them,” Mahmood added. He continued, “Our priority is to connect all the television channels with the satellite. As it’s a big market for the satellite at home. Basically, through a transponder, we can serve six televisions, within the next three months all television in the country will come under BS-1 shed”.
On the other hand, the country’s 750 unions do not have fiber optic internet connectivity. These unions include haor and hill tracks of the country. BS-1 is there to reach internet connectivity to these islands. In this regard, the chairman said, “Connecting remote areas with internet connectivity is also one of the pledges of the present government. The areas, which cannot be connected with fiber cable, the satellite will reach internet connectivity to those 40 remote areas and islands. Within the next three months, all the islands will be bought under BS-1”.
“In the meantime, experimental internet service has been provided in Hatiya island. With the continuation, if Rohingyas shifted to Vasanchar, BS-1 will provide internet service there too. With this they will be able to watch television and get telemedicine facilities,” he further added.About the commercial agreement, Mahmood said, till now the satellite company signed around 12 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with different public and private organizations.
These organizations include the Ministry of Shipping, Cabinet Ministry, ABS Global Limited, Bexmico Communication Limited, AND Telecom, EUTELSAT SA, Square InformatiX Limited, DNS Satcomm Limited, Buyer Media Limited, DBC News, Somoy Media Limited, Independent Television Limited, Bijoy TV and Bangladesh Television.
