[Satellite Today Web Exclusive – 6-10-08] The launch of the VinaSat-1 satellite marked a key moment for Vietnam’s space aspirations. The satellite enables Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications (VNPT), to provide a greater range of services to people throughout Vietnam.
Vietnam began providing satellite services to its population in the 1980s via the Intersputnik satellite system, and in 1987 moved to Intelsat. Vinasat-1, manufactured by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems and placed in orbit in April, is Vietnam's first telecommunications satellite.
Lam Hoang Vinh, vice president of VNPT, spoke with Mark Holmes, associate editor of Satellite News, about how the satellite will benefit Vietnam and the company’s satellite plans.
Via Satellite: How important is ViinaSat-1 for Vietnam’s overall communications infrastructure?
Vinh: The VinaSat-1 project brings very important and significant meaning from an economic as well as social point of view. From a social point of view, two-thirds of Vietnam’s area is highlands and mountains. Only 70 percent of people in Vietnam can watch TV. Only 57 percent of the population can use a telephone. What the VinaSat-1 satellite enables us to do is to provide telecommunications as well as media services throughout the country to try and bring the people in remote areas to have the same services as the people have in urban areas. This is important from a social point of view. We can now enable people throughout the country to have the same benefits of modern telecommunications and media services.
From an economic point of view, an improved telecoms infrastructure will lead to an improved economy. With VinaSat, we complete our telecoms infrastructure. We can provide services even when normal transmissions cannot be reached, like cable for example. When you develop the telecoms infrastructure, the investment in those areas will come after. This will [aid] the economic development conditions in the remote areas and this is very important for Vietnam.
Via Satellite: How will satellite technology work with terrestrial and other wireless technologies in Vietnam?
Vinh: We view the satellite to provide services to rural areas and provide media services. This strategy is different from previously, where we had more of an international focus. We are now looking at the domestic market. Besides that, the satellite strategy for remote areas [is to] provide services like GPS, a service that is very normal in the [United Kingdom]. We are also looking to improve the way we monitor the weather and also we provide satellites as a transmission link for the communications in airlines. We are now providing domestic communications, media services now with satellite communications. This is different to before.
Our satellite can do services like broadcasting, telephony and even services like printing newspapers from different places. Also, in the cellular arena, satellites help with the trunking. They help complete our transmission network where we cannot link by cable or other means of transmission. Satellites can provide transmission links to complete our telecoms infrastructure and provide the trunking for the base stations in terms of mobile services. The base stations needs to connect to other stations. This helps provide mobile services in rural areas. In mountains and remote areas, we cannot deal with microwave or cable. We have to connect base stations with satellite. Satellite technology can help the cable and wireless transmission networks.
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