ITV

Tag: Thaicom

  • Avia’s Satellite Industry Forum demystifies trends and the future

    Avia’s Satellite Industry Forum demystifies trends and the future

    Mumbai: Industry lobby group the Asian Video Industry Association’s (Avia’s) Satellite Industry Forum held in Singapore took a deep dive into the world of satellites for video, data and mobility with executives from Asia and overseas voicing their opinions around current trends and the future on 28 May.

    The consensus was that while the market for the satellite ecosystem has been tough with some launch failures, hard macroeconomic forces, and caution amongst financiers and insurers about this segment, there is optimism on the horizon.

    The bright star on the horizon has been the success of Elon Musk-owned Space Link’s direct-to-consumer StarLink low earth orbit (Leo) or non-geosynchronous orbit (NGSO) constellation which has notched up $1.4 billion in revenues by signing up millions of users. This, and Amazon’s Project Kuiper, led to a frenzy of consolidation amongst the geosynchronous orbit (GSOs) players, following questioning by financiers and board members on what play they have in the multi-orbital business.

    Intelsat acquired Go-Go and followed up with an announcement that it itself was being acquired by big boy SES for a cash consideration of $3.1 billion. The marriage would create a giant with over 120 satellites in both the MEO and GEO legs of the business. Viasat meanwhile merged with Inmarsat, while Eutelsat fused with OneWeb.

    Speakers expected the wave of digestion and consolidation of the industry to continue, and possibly intensify, even as players such as Rivada Space Networks, promising the outernet through Leos get ready to provide their services. Also, HummingSat, which is Swiss company SWISSto12 small GEO satellite has thrown its hat into the ring.  Speakers at SIF  opined that video will continue to be delivered increasingly via IP, thanks to streaming services, through fibre, terrestrially as well as through high throughput satellites.

    SIF featured speakers such as Thaicom CEO Patompob (Nile) Suwansiri, ABS CEO Mark Rigolle, Asiasat chief commercial officer Raymond Chow, Measat Satellite Systems COO  Yau Chyong Lim, Sky Perfect Jsat GM Asia regional headquarters &  Singapore branch regional director  Kenichi Shimotsuma, Milbank partner Dara Panahy, Global Satellite Operators Association VP policy & regulatory Peng Zhao, Amazon Web Services head of global satcom (A&S), APT Satellite EVP  Huang Baozhong, Encompass VP, engineering & operations Mark Wardle, Lynk Global VP, Asia Pacific James Alderdice, Northern Telecom CTIO  Mahdi Nazari Mehrabi,  Wireless Nation operations adviser  Martin Arias,  GapSat CEO Gregg Daffner, Hughes Network Systems India president Pranav Roach, Curvalux & Saturn executive chairman Thomas Choi, Gilat Satellite VP regional sales  Yossi Gal, VP Regional Sales, Hughes VP International Operations Kartik Sheshadri,  Integrasys CEO Alvaro Sanchez, ST Engineering iDirect VP market development & strategy  Jo De Loor, Acesat Satellite VP business development & engineering Adrian Potter, Baker & McKenzie Wong & Leow principal Ken Chia, Bird & Bird partner  Thomas Jones, Partner,  Marsh Speciality managing director Stephen Monks Office for Space Technology & Industry, Singapore (OSTIn) deputy director  Jacinth Lau, Comsys partner Jeremy Rose,  Arianespace Asia Pacific managing director Vivian Quenet,  Boeing Satellite Systems VP business development Joe Bogosian, Space Machines chief commercial officer  Mark Ramsey,  HummingSat, SWISSto12 CTO Michael Kaliski, SpaceIntelReport co-founder & chief editor  Peter de Selding, Eutelsat OneWeb regional VP-APAC  Neha Idnani,  Kacific Broadband Satellites Group EVP corporate development Jacques-Samuel Prolon, Planetcast CEO Sanjay Duda,  Rivada Space VP of sales APAC Donald Chew, Rivers Advisers CEO Katherine Gizinski &  chief consulting officer Alexis Martin and  Avia CEO Louis Boswell.

  • Nxtdigital, Thaicom ink strategic partnership to deploy satellite broadband services in India

    Nxtdigital, Thaicom ink strategic partnership to deploy satellite broadband services in India

    Mumbai: Nxtdigital and Thaicom have signed a deal to form a strategic partnership to enter broadband-over-satellite (BoS) market and related services in India.

    The two companies have signed a binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

    The partnership includes deployment of BoS systems on India-focused capacity, which could be enhanced to provide future additional capacity on a state-of-art software define high throughput satellite; augmenting the existing IPSTAR-1 which is the first broadband satellite in the world and operational over India for several years.

    Thaicom and Nxtdigital will look to provide BoS services immediately in IPSTAR-1 focusing mainly on the rural footprint in India, comprising 60 per cent of Nxtdigital customers through the only HITS (headend-in-the-sky) platform in India.

    “The BoS service will focus on providing cost-effective and quality broadband and will give a tremendous boost to delivering education, information, entertainment, health and other services to these markets,” said the statement.

    The details of partnership elements are being discussed and will be documented in definitive agreements between Thaicom and Nxtdigital.

    “We are delighted to ink this MoU with Nxtdigital, which is easily one of the best digital platforms groups in India,” said Thaicom Public Company chief executive officer Patompob Suwansiri. “With our global satellite experience spanning nearly three decades and Nxtdigital’s distribution expertise, vast footprint and broadband penetration – we believe that together, we are best suited to delivering broadband over satellite and related services to India, not just at a high level of quality of service, but also cost-effectively. Our engagement and investments reflect our commitment to India, where we have had a presence since 2002, offering broadband over satellite since then.”

    “We have always taken our commitment to the government’s digital India mission very seriously,” said Nxtdigital managing director and CEO Vynsley Fernandes. “With HITS, we now cover over 4,500 pin codes across India with a significant presence in not just rural India but also areas where terrain poses challenges to connectivity. Through this engagement with Thaicom, a global leader in satellite technology, we will look to facilitate digital inclusion across education, healthcare, information & entertainment – by extending satellite-based broadband connectivity and services to our customers there and also to the underserved and other poorly connected markets.”

    The two companies will also develop and offer digital solutions for the government that Thaicom has already developed and deployed elsewhere in the world including satellite artificial intelligence solutions comprising space-based data technologies for agriculture, disaster relief & natural resource management public WIFI systems and drones for augmenting rural digital solutions.

    “With India’s significant dependence on agriculture and the incumbent challenges of crop management – the satellite-based AI will help by providing mission-critical data on tap,” said the statement.

    Both companies will also set up a Centre for Excellence to develop new satellite and related digital-based technologies through artificial intelligence and analytics – leveraging deep-tech research and development.

  • Thaicom promotes Paiboon Panuwattanawong as CEO

    Thaicom promotes Paiboon Panuwattanawong as CEO

    MUMBAI: Asian satellite operator Thaicom Plc has appointed Paiboon Panuwattanawong as the new CEO and authorised director of Thaicom, effective from October 1. 

     

    Panuwattanawong has been serving Thaicom for 23 years now with the last six years in the role of chief technical officer (CTO).

     

    The previous CEO, Suphajee Suthumpun, will serve as an adviser to support the new CEO during the leadership transition period from 1 October – 31 December.  

     

    During her four years at Thaicom, Suthumpun created sustainable growth and success for Thaicom and the Intouch Group. 

     

    Suthumpun’s efforts and accomplishments have been widely recognised and honoured by many reputable customers, Thai and international institutions alike.

     

    Over the past few years, the company has been implementing a succession plan in order to ensure business continuity. Panuwattanawong was identified as the natural successor to Suthumpun as CEO. 

     

    Bachelor of Engineering (Electronics) from Yale University, Panuwattanawong has also attended the Directors Certification Program at Thai Institute of Directors Association in 2009.