To: JGoren who wrote (5749 ) 4/15/1999 2:46:00 AM From: SafetyAgentMan Read Replies (1) | Respond to
EUTELSAT TO EXPAND ATLANTIC GATE
(Interspace; 04/14/99)
Apr. 14, 1999 (INTERSPACE, No. 665 via COMTEX) -- Atlantic Gate, Eutelsat's
name for its 12.5 degrees West position, will grow from its current four
transponders to nearer 16 within the next year. "I am planning to put a spare
Eutelsat II to that position, as soon as I have one available and assuming the
upcoming launches go well," said Giuliano Berretta, director general of
Eutelsat, speaking exclusively to Interspace. Current transponder traffic is
used by German-based Internet SkyWay which has leased a 72 MHz transponder via
KPN, Eutelsat's Dutch signatory, largely for West to East traffic.
Berretta said: "It is a superb position, and we intend building security of
continuity so we will place another inclined orbit craft very soon, probably a
newer craft and then very soon a stabilised satellite as soon as the market
shows energy. Inclined orbit gives an attractive price but other clients need
stabilised orbits."
However, a possible dispute may be looming with **Loral** Orion, which plans
to place a satellite at the 12 degrees West position. **Loral** said in its
annual report that it could encounter frequency co- ordination difficulties:
"If Eutelsat launches a replacement satellite into the 12.5 degrees West
orbital location, it would interfere with the Orion 2 satellite at 12 degrees
West We have entered into discussions with Eutelsat to resolve the issues
relating to this orbital location; however, we cannot guarantee a successful
resolution."
Eutelsat's filing for 12.5 degrees pre-dates **Loral** Orion. Eutelsat
confirmed that a preliminary co-ordination discussion has taken place between
the two companies and a Eutelsat source agreed the issue was "sensitive".
Meanwhile Eutelsat's Cardiff 'Assembly of Parties' meeting slated for the week
of May 17 is the next step on the organisation's road to privatisation.
Berretta said he is optimistic about the outcome. "This is not a time for
triumphalism but a time for hard work," he said. "But I do sense a consensus of
support. Certainly, the Cardiff meeting might decide, as Inmarsat did, to move
quickly but it does depend on the consensus of the member countries. This is
now in the hands of the countries themselves, deciding dates and the structure
that will be adopted. Then we can make a notification to the European
Commission."
Eutelsat's Assembly of Parties is a notch or two higher in the pecking order
than Eutelsat's signatories, consisting of the government officials themselves
(the Cardiff meeting is hosted by the UK's Department of Trade & Industry). If
all goes according to plan, they will in effect devolve their Eutelsat Treaty
obligations back to Eutelsat. Berretta said: "Eutelsat's recommendation is that
of our signatories, but I imagine that all could be in place by the end of
next year, with us ready to operate in our new form from January 1 2001. That
is my goal. But I must stress that all this is in the hands of the Cardiff
meeting and it would be arrogant to pre-judge that decision."
Meanwhile, Berretta said Eutelsat now has more requests for its Skyplex on-
board multiplexing service than it can handle. "Our clients are using Skyplex
for TV and also multimedia," he said. "TV use is by people like MC Sat, coming
up from Monte Carlo. Maltese TV will also be using Skyplex shortly. Some
Italian TV stations were using Skyplex experimentally and are now ready for a
more permanent solution. Internet and multimedia usage is growing. Indeed, the
Kosovan problem has slowed down potential usage, and once the war is over we
expect interest to build again in that region."
He said Skyplex would be extended to future craft: "Skyplex will again be on
the next satellite we order. We will have it in the same number, around two or
three transponders per craft with the bulk of the transponders for normal,
transparent use. I can assure you that Skyplex is also being actively studied,
to squeeze a few improvements out of the product and make it suitable for other
applications. These improvements are mostly in hardware, but we have a few
other ideas to improve Skyplex to compensate for any differences in the
bandwidth between uplink and downlink."
A SkyPlex unit will be used to cover the Cardiff meeting, but Berretta also
has other ideas for the Cardiff installation. "I want to give Wales television
space on Skyplex for a certain period around that event so that viewers can see
an experiment with local TV," he said. "That's what Skyplex is perfect for,
perhaps taking Welsh television to the rest of the world. A country like Wales
could easily afford a Skyplex uplink unit to take its culture overseas."
Berretta forecasts expanding use of SkyPlex and digital television. "I do
believe that there is space for a new breed of broadcaster, using television
for lifestyle material. It shouldn't be just a long promo, like the usual tele-
shopping channels, but using TV as entertainment for, say, young people."
Berretta said a company such as Benetton, the fashion company, might create a
United Colours channel which might include fashion, music, lifestyle. "A
lifestyle channel like United Colours would mix advertising in a subtle way, as
part of the programming stream" he said.
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