Indosat, PSN buy satellite from Chinese company

Telecommunications provider PT Indosat, also known as Indosat Ooredoo, and satellite communication service provider PT Pasifik Satelit Nusantara (PSN) signed a satellite purchase agreement with Chinese satellite producer China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC) in Jakarta on Wednesday.

The two Indonesian companies, which purchased the satellite under their joint venture PT Palapa Satelit Nusa Sejahtera (PSNS), signed a US$220 million contract on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Satellite Communications System International Conference (APSAT) 2017.

Indonesia Ooredoo president director Alexander Rusli said the Palapa-N1 satellite would replace the Palapa-D and would be positioned in the orbital slot of 133 degrees east longitude.

"This is the fourth satellite to be launched in the slot. We expect a replacement in 2020 to improve our services to our customers," he said, as reported by news agency Antara.

The new satellite will optimize the existing spectrum resources to provide broadcast and broadband services throughout Indonesia, using the new High Throughput Satellite (HTS) technology.

"Our target is to ensure that all existing customers receive streamlined services, as we use the HTS technology as part of the broadband solution in Indonesia," Rusli stressed. The purchasing contract will cover the cost of construction, insurance and the satellite’s launch, which is scheduled for July 2020.