21 ตุลาคม 2542
Satellite System to Debut Soon
Srisamorn Phoosuphanusorn
Asia's first satellite-based cellular phone project worth US$750 million is now closer to a debut, with a satellite to be launched tomorrow after almost three years of preparation.
According to Jasmine International Overseas - the Thai partner and the national service provider for the Asia Cellular Satellite System (ACeS) - the Garuda satellite worth $400 million will be put into orbit by a Chinese Proton-D1e rocket from a launch pad in Kazakhstan.
Jasmine said commercial service was scheduled to begin in 23 countries in Asia and the Middle East I the second quarter of next year.
Supot Krijpipudh, president of Jasmine International Overseas, said the satellite had a 12-15-year service life, and was capable of handing 11,000 simultaneous traffic channels to support up to two million subscribers.
He said the ground station or gateway in Thailand would be operated by ACeS Regional Services Co., Ltd. Jasmine invested $25 million to build the facility.
ACeS is a joint venture involving parties in Indonesia, Thailand and the Phillippines.
Mr. Supot said ACeS Regional Services had estimated earlier that it would break even by the third year of operation. But now it would need longer as the economic situation had changed, he said.
ACeS has ordered 250,000 Ericsson handsets to distribute in 23 countries. The handsets will be priced around 40,000 baht, and airtime charges will be below $1 a minute.
Jasmine would be allocated around 1,000 handsets in the second quarter of next year, he said.
The lower cost of the new system, designed to complement the GSM mobile phone system, would attract more Thai customers than global operations such as Iridium, Mr. Supot said.
Target customers include travellers and people involved in industries such as maritime fisheries, mining, oil and gas, private companies and government staff in remote areas. Applications are also expected in rural telephone service.
Mr. Supot said ACeS planned to launch an additional geosynchronous satellite worth more than $400 million once subscriber numbers exceeded two million.
The company has already placed a $60-million deposit for the second satellite.
He also said Jasmine was talking with the Telephone Organisation of Thailand (TOT) and the Communications Authority of Thailand (CAT) to participate in the venture. The two state telecom agencies had agreed in principle on a plan to hold 15% each, he said.
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