[Satellite TODAY Insider 06-10-11] Quatar’s Supreme Council for Information and Communication Technology (ictQatar) and SES will explore potential cooperative opportunities to establish and provide joint satellite platforms, networks and services in the Middle East and surrounding regions after the two organizations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), SES announced June 9.
The framework of the MOU, signed during an official visit of the Prime Minister of Qatar to Luxembourg, also provides an opportunity for SES to provide ictQatar with satellite capacity for the joint development of space assets and orbital positions as well as the associated ground segment.
The cooperation agreement received the endorsement of both the Qatari and Luxembourg governments and was signed by ictQatat Secretary General Hessa Al-Jaber and SES CEO Romain Bausch.
In May 2010, ictQatar signed a deal with SES’ rival operator Eutelsat to invest in and operate a high-capacity satellite that will be launched in 2012 to Eutelsat’s 25.5 degrees East slot. Al-Jaber spoke with Satellite TODAY Insider following the deal and hinted that ictQatar could look to partner with other satellite operators in the future.
“Eutelsat is providing ictQatar the ability to fulfill a regional gap and addresses the need for secured and guaranteed bandwidth for Qatar enterprises and government and can be a component in Qatar’s international connectivity resilience. The fact that we have done this deal with Eutelsat does not mean we are not going to explore relationships with other satellite operators,” said Al-Jaber.
The Qatari government has long expected its broadcast landscape transition from analog to digital to accelerate in the next couple of years. According to Al-Jaber, the country’s current Ku-band demand as of last year was 25 standard-definition channels and five high-definition channels, and the estimated demand is 8.6 transponders.
“It is expected that transponder supply over MENA would not meet demand starting from 2012, and this demand can only be met by launching additional satellites. Demand in the region is fueled by DTH TV success and the presence of strong regional broadcasters,” he said.
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