Hughes in race for SKumars.com record V-Sat order
Charles Assisi
Mumbai, Nov 23: SKumars.com, a subsidiary of S Kumars group, is on the verge of placing the world's largest order for 50,000 V-Sats. Hughes Network Systems and Gilat are reportedly prime contenders for the contract and are lobbying hard. RN Bhaskar, managing director of Skumars.com said the numbers may possibly be more.
The last such mega order was placed by the US Department of Posts for 34,000V-Sats, but it was staggered over five years.
While the costs involved in the project could not be verified, independent sources claim that the kind of V-Sats Skumars.com is shopping for will cost approximately Rs 1.5-2 lakh per V-Sat because they will be used only for receiving unlike the conventional gadgets which can be used for both receiving and transmitting.
Sources add that with an order of such a size, prices can be driven down further and may be bought down to Rs 1 lakh per V-sat, plus or minus a few thousand rupees.
Bhaskar said, "It is not a simple order. With 50,000 V-Sats, it's the kindof numbers people have not seen. Manufacturing and distribution lines have to be streamlined and we want it all set up in six months. That means 1,000V-Sats every day. So we're still negotiating."
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financialexpress.com |
