Lockheed Martin Intersputnik (LMI) and Rostelecom, Russia’s national long-distance telecommunications operator, have announced an agreement for Rostelecom to use 25 transponders on the LMI-1 satellite which is planned for December 1998 launch. The contract marks the first multiple transponder commitment on LMI-1, making Rostelecom the major anchor customer on the first western-built satellite dedicated to serve Russia and the CIS.
The landmark agreement was announced at “Sviaz-Expocomm-98”, the annual
international telecommunications exhibition and conference in Moscow. Terms
of the agreement were not disclosed.
Rostelecom plans to utilise its LMI-1 transponders to establish a network
of 26-30 earth stations to provide telecommunications services to remote and
undeserved areas of Russia. The stations will be installed at all automatic
switched communication nodes and in towns which do not receive digital flows
via terrestrial facilities.
LMI is a joint venture between Lockheed Martin Corporation and the
Intersputnik International Organization, established in June 1997. LMI-1 is a
Lockheed Martin state-of-the-art A2100 satellite. Featuring 44 high-powered
transponders in C and Ku band frequencies with a designated 15 year service
life, LMI-1 will be the first satellite to provide high performance, long life
capacity to all of the CIS, in addition to Eastern Europe, South Asia and
Africa.
LMI-1 will be the first step in the establishment of custom designed
global satellite network to meet the telecommunications needs of developing
and undeserved countries. The satellite will be launched on a Proton vehicle
by ILS (International Launch Services), a separate Lockheed Martin joint
venture company, and will be located at 75 Degrees East Longitude.
Initially LMI-1 will provide broadcasting and telecommunications capacity,
VSAT and video and data distribution, expanding to a full range of services
including direct-to-home TV, direct radio and mobile communications on a
global scale. LMI will achieve its global coverage through the fifteen
orbital satellite slots provided by Intersputnik. The second satellite launch is planned for 1999, with two subsequent launches following in 2000 and 2001.
About Intersputnik
Intersputnik is an international intergovernmental organisation which
operates a satellite communications system and provides international,
regional and domestic communications worldwide. The organisation was
established more than 25 years ago and has 23 members countries. Intersputnik has built long term relationships with many broadcasters and
telecommunications operators worldwide.
Through its history Intersputnik has been providing its customers in the
Atlantic, Indian and Pacific regions with a wide range of telecommunications
services including voice, data, television and audio broadcasting in
international, domestic and regional public networks as well as the
establishment of video-conferencing and business communications networks.
Because the service area of LMI-1 is oriented toward Intersputnik markets.
Intersputnik is playing a major role in the marketing and customer service
activities of LMI-1, the first LMI satellite.
