[Satellite Today 10-10-08] Office des Postes et Telecommunications of French Polynesia (OPT) signed a multi-transponder contract for capacity on Intelsat’s new satellite, IS-18.
    The contract, which spans the 15-year expected life of the satellite, expands the services currently provided to OPT on Intelsat’s IS-701 satellite. OPT is experiencing growing demand for its domestic and international services and expects to use Ku-band capacity on the satellite for its domestic DTH service and to offer VSAT and Internet services to its outer islands in the South Pacific.
    Intelsat designed the Ku-band beam on IS-18 to provide coverage of all of French Polynesia, and the Ku-band beam’s broader footprint also reaches the Cook Islands.
    Following the scheduled launch and deployment of the IS-18 in 2011, the satellite will be located at 180 degrees East, replacing IS-701.