NewSat launches latest "dish" for Middle East

The new C band antenna, 4.5 metres in diameter, was officially launched by NewSat Chairman, Mr John Walker.

"This latest NewSat antenna facilitates communication with the Apstar IIR satellite which is strategically located in the Indian Ocean region 34,000 kilometres above the equator," said Mr Walker.

"It means that NewSat can now provide big business, NGO's and governments with new opportunities to deliver two way broadband internet connection to a wide area of the earth's surface including the Middle East, Australia and particularly Africa.

"In this respect, it will be of great benefit specifically to major corporations and mining and resource companies," he said.

NewSat already has a nest of antennas communicating with eleven satellites in its Perth and Adelaide teleports, but this new connection offers communication to particularly sought-after and in-demand sectors of the globe," said Mr Paul Seaton, NewSat General Manager - Middle East and Africa.

"Already NewSat has secured five new contracts for the service provided by the antenna to Apstar IIR. Core client ITC Global, a telco offering global telecommunication solutions to mid-size multinationals, was NewSat's first client to take advantage of the new dish.

"In fact, ITC sought out NewSat to complete their offer in their satellite delivery to Africa. I'm pleased to say that we met the challenge and invested in the new infrastructure to deliver on their requirements.

"NewSat expects many other companies and organisations, both end users as well mid- range telcos, seeking to manage and track their internet telecommunications into Africa to use this new facility, too," Mr Seaton said.

"Because NewSat is a leader in this region in technology and service we partnered up with them to obtain the best fit to deliver the most effective satellite communications for our customers," said Mr Joe Spytek, ITC Global, Vice President of Sales.

"They responded by investing in the new "dish" and plugged it into their outstanding Perth telemetry infrastructure.

"ITC has now installed its own iDirect hub at NewSat's Perth facility and as a result we can communicate with not only Apstar IIR, but also satellites NSS6 and NSS703," he said. "NewSat really is the satellite communications company of choice in this region."

"NewSat has recently transformed itself into a pure satellite business and this new development and investment in our latest antenna, to work with satellite Apstar IIR and client ITC Global, is further evidence of our commitment to our clients in both government and business.

"This is especially true for the resource sector which relies on critical communications for the lives of their workers as well as their corporate livelihoods wherever they may be exploring the most hostile environments, whether they are in the Middle East, outback Australia or remote and extremely difficult terrain in Africa," said Mr Walker.