The National Broadband Network Company (NBN Co), the Australian PPP tasked with providing universal broadband services across the country, has selected manufacturer Space Systems Loral (SS/L) to build two next-generation Ka-band satellites.
“The…
The National Broadband Network Company (NBN Co), the Australian PPP tasked with providing universal broadband services across the country, has selected manufacturer Space Systems Loral (SS/L) to build two next-generation Ka-band satellites.
“The contract, valued at approximately A$620m [US$670m], follows a comprehensive, two-year procurement process undertaken by NBN Co. The contract is part of a total investment of approximately A$2bn [US$2.1bn] that is required to deliver the NBN Long Term Satellite Service. Other agreements will cover the ground systems, end-user equipment and the space launch,” NBN Co wrote in a statement.
NBN Co plans to invest A$36bn (US$37bn) in a fibre network expected to provide up to 100 Mbps to 93% of homes and businesses. The remaining premises are to be serviced by wireless and satellite technologies providing a minimum speed of at least 12 Mbps.
The satellites, scheduled to be launched in 2015, will provide high-speed broadband coverage to approximately 3% of premises outside of the reach of the NBN’s fibre optic and wireless services.
In the meantime, an interim satellite service has been put up in place. The PPP said in June last year that it signed contracts with both Optus and IPstar for satellite services and satellite capacity to provide download speeds of up to 6Mbps until 2015.
NBN Co said that as part of the contract with SS/L, the manufacturer will also supply associated telemetry, tracking and command systems.
But SS/L has denied partnering with US satellite operator ViaSat on the NBN Co bid, as suggested by some media reports.
The two companies are currently embroiled in a legal dispute after ViaSat filed a complaint against SS/L over alleged infringed patents and breached non-disclosure obligations.
In an email to SatelliteFinance, the manufacturer said it does not expect the dispute to have an impact on its relationship with NBN Co.
In late April last year, Marsh won the broker tender to place launch plus one insurance for the two satellites and to advise the company on its order process.
NBN Co said that it is still evaluating supplier submissions for the construction of satellite ground systems and that, in the next few months, it will release a tender for the launch of the satellites into orbit.
