Measat to garner RM437.72 million revenue by year-end

Measat Satellite Systems Sdn Bhd expects to record higher revenue of US$136 million (RM437.72 million) by year-end bolstered by the launch of its latest communications satellite, MEASAT-3b.

Chief Executive Officer Paul Brown-Kenyon said the company has leased out 50 percent of the new satellite's capacity to Measat Broadcast Network Systems and Australia's Newsat, and expects full capacity to be leased out by year-end.

He said last year, the company chalked up US$99 million (RM319.18 million) revenue from its three existing satellites, namely MEASAT-1, MEASAT-3 and MEASAT-3a.

"By end-2015 or early 2016, we will launch another satellite, MEASAT-3c. This brings our 2017 revenue forecast to US$260 million (RM836.82 million)," he told reporters on a media familiarisation trip to the MEASAT Teleport and Broadcast Centre here Monday.

Brown-Kenyon said the MEASAT-3b is the company's largest satellite to date and it will expand Measat's support of broadcasting and telecommunications satellite services in Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia and South Asia.

He said MEASAT-3b, with a lifespan of 15 years, has 48 transponders each providing 36 megahertz (Mhz) of bandwidth, bringing the company's Ku-band satellite capacity to 84 transponders from 36 currently.

The US$350 million (RM1.12 billion) new satellite, which is currently at the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, is scheduled to be launched on May 29.

"The MEASAT-3b and upcoming MEASAT-3c satellites will co-locate with the MEASAT-3 and MEASAT-3a satellites at the company's key orbital hotslot at 91.5 degrees east.

"This will create Asia's most robust and reliable satellite orbital location," he said.

Today, the company operates capacity across five satellites with a network reaching 150 countries, representing 80 percent of the world's population.

Moving forward, Brown-Kenyon said the company is focused on continuous growth through fleet expansion with the launch of one satellite every one or two years.

"Besides MEASAT-3c, we are already planning three new satellites, namely MEASAT-2a, MEASAT-3d and AFRICASAT-1b," he added.