Qatar Funds Turksat Satellite As 50Gbps Capacity Stays At Turkish Orbital Slot
Anadolu Agency reported that Turksat and Qatar's Es'hailSat signed a satellite partnership funded by Qatar, with Turkey keeping the 50 degrees east orbital and frequency rights while the project leaves cost, launch timing and customers undisclosed.
Qatar Funds The Es'hail-3/Turksat-Biruni Project
Turksat and Qatar-based Es'hailSat have signed a strategic partnership for the Es'hail-3/Turksat-Biruni satellite project, according to a written statement from Turkish transport and infrastructure minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu.
The agreement was signed in Doha by Es'hailSat president and chief executive Ali Ahmed Al-Kuwari and Turksat general manager Ahmet Hamdi Atalay.
Uraloglu said Qatar will finance the project, which is meant to add a high-throughput satellite to Turksat's fleet.
He said the agreement covers capacity sharing and long-term commercial growth for the Ka-band satellite.
Turkey Keeps The 50 Degrees East Rights
The minister said the satellite will operate at the 50 degrees east orbital slot and will be registered under Turksat at the International Telecommunication Union.
He also said Turkey's frequency and orbital rights will be maintained and that no transfer of rights will take place.
Uraloglu described the deal as a way to increase Turksat-Biruni's commercial capacity and strengthen Turkey's satellite communications infrastructure.
He said the project would give Turksat capacity of up to 50 gigabits per second.
Broadband, Mobility And Public-Sector Links Are Included
The companies will evaluate satellite assets, ground infrastructure, distribution networks and customer portfolios under the partnership.
Uraloglu said the cooperation is designed to optimize capacity use from the first day of service and share infrastructure investments more efficiently.
The planned service area includes the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, Central Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
The minister said the satellite would support broadband access with high capacity, connectivity for aircraft and ships, public-institution communications and corporate data links.
The disclosed footprint covers multiple data-route and connectivity markets.
Qatar is financing the satellite, Turkey is keeping the orbital and frequency rights, and the two operators are using the agreement to combine network capacity, ground systems, distribution channels and customer portfolios.
The public record still lacks project cost, launch date, named customers, service pricing or the first commercial markets for the Es'hail-3/Turksat-Biruni satellite.
