Intelsat, the world’s largest provider of commercial satellite services, closed a deal to purchase 10 transponders on Telenor Satellite Broadcasting’s THOR 6 satellite, which is due to launch the second quarter 2009.
Under the contract, Intelsat will gain additional capacity to expand its growing direct-to-home business within Central and Eastern Europe. For both Telenor and Intelsat, it paves the way to continuing combined efforts to further develop 1°W as a leading broadcasting position in this region.
“Central and Eastern Europe is fast becoming a highly competitive market, placing ever-increasing demands for quality DTH capacity,” Intelsat CEO David McGlade said. “This agreement represents a new phase in growing our long-standing relationship with Telenor Satellite Broadcasting and enables us to provide our customers with the capacity required to support their future expansion plans in this region.”
THOR 6 will be based on a Thales Alenia Space Spacebus 4000B2 platform, fitted with 36 Ku-band transponders. Twenty transponders will be positioned to serve the growing business demands in Central and Eastern Europe and the satellite will be launched on either an Ariane 5 or a Soyuz launcher from the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana.
