NewSat scores $134m Jabiru satellite deal

Satellite provider NewSat has signed a 10-year US$134 million contract to provide satellite capacity to Pakistani telco 3A Technology, hot on the heels of a similar US$105 million deal earlier this month.

NewSat is planning to launch the satellite, dubbed Jabiru-1, in 2012. It will be a hybrid Ku- and Ka-band satellite, which will provide coverage over South-East Asia, the Middle East and North Africa.

3A Technology president Ali Ather will use the capacity to provide services to companies such as Mobilink, Pak Datacom and the government of Pakistan in areas of the Middle East with previously poor coverage, including Pakistan and Afghanistan.

"Pakistan and Afghanistan have poor terrestrial connectivity and rapidly growing consumer, business and government markets for internet, voice and secure data. Our large banking customers, along with mobile and broadband operators, rely on our satellite communications to support their network expansions and future business growth," he said in a statement.

NewSat said that the capacity will also be used for cellular backhaul in Pakistan and Afghanistan, as well as to support the roll-out of 3G and 4G networks.