Chief executive Dumrong Kasemseth said yesterday only 40 per cent of the transponders on the new satellite were for new customers, as clients currently using Thaicom 3 would take up 60 per cent.

The US$101-million (Bt3.85 billion) satellite was successfully launched on Saturday and the company is preparing, as planned, to capture the high-definition TV market in the region. Despite the success, ShinSat's share price closed unchanged yesterday at Bt12.40, although it rose briefly to Bt12.70 during the day.

Arianespace launched Thaicom 5 from French Guiana. It followed eight months after the launch of the $400-million Thaicom 4, or iPSTAR, which headed into space last August 11.

Dumrong described Thaicom 5 as a conventional satellite focusing on television broadcasting, direct-to-home and high-definition television (HDTV).

"We are targeting new customers in the region with new technology HDTV, which provides more than four times clearer and brighter pictures," he said.

With 14 Ku band transponders and 24 C band transponders, Thaicom 5 was launched to assist Thaicom 3, which is due to expire in two years. The old satellite has been plagued by glitches in the power supplies of certain Ku-band transponders since 2003. The company had to rush to invest in Thaicom 5, to support Thaicom 3's customers.

Until its expiry date, Shin Satellite will shift the orbit of Thaicom 3 to serve potential clients in the Middle East and Africa.

Both Thaicom 3 and Thaicom 5 are of the same Spacebus 3000A model built by Alcatel Alenia Space of France.

Dumrong said Thaicom 5 contained more advanced technology and was more reliable than Thaicom 3, so the company did not expect the problems experienced by the old satellite. "We expect Thaicom 5 to be in operation for at least 14 years," he said.

The new satellite is different from iPSTAR (Thaicom 4), which is for Internet and broadband customers.

ShinSat recently reached agreement with the China Satellite Communications Corporation to cooperate in the launching of iPSTAR broadband services in China. The first iPSTAR gateway is in Beijing and others are being built in Shanghai and Guangzhou.

Usanee Mongkolporn

The Nation