 |
|
VP,
China GWIC, Mr. He Xing, MD NIGCOMSAT, Timasaniyu Ahmed-Rufai,
DG, NBC,
Mr. Yomi Bolarinwa, Chief of Defence, Communication,
AVM Osmond Amu at the event.
|
The managing director and chief executive officer, Nigerian
Communication Satellite (NigComSAT) Limited, Mr. Timasaniyu Ahmed-Rufai has
said that all is set for the launch for the replacement of Nigeria’s
communication satellite, NigComSAT-1R, on December 19, 2011, just as he assures
on availability of bandwidth.
Mr. Timasaniyu Ahmed-Rufai gave this insight in Lagos at the
stakeholders’ conference on NigComSAT-1R by his firm, saying that it’s an
improvement on NigComSAT-1.
According to him, the launch of NigComSat-1R is symbolic on
different levels.
For his team at NIGCOMSAT Ltd, it is the end-result of many
years of hard work and sacrifice, and another step towards the fulfillment of
the company’s vision to be the leading satellite operator on the continent of
Africa.
And for the Federal Government of Nigeria, he said, the
launch of NigComSAT is a prerequisite for a knowledge-based economy.
To the Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
industry, he said, NigComSat-1R will serve as a critical infrastructure for
development.
He expressed the hope that with the cooperation of the
government and the ICT industry, the average Nigerian will reap the benefits of
the launch of NigComSat-1R.
Based on the foregoing, he said that they brought this
conference to Lagos, the Center of Excellence, which they consider to be the
hub of ICT enterprise, and home to the drivers of this critical sector.
Though he decried the deorbiting of NigComSat-1, describing
it as disappointing, Mr. Ahmed-Rufai noted that it paved the way for growth and
improvement.
“The NigComSat-1R is an improvement on the de-orbited
NigComSat-1,” he declared.
He said that
the ECOWAS 1 now carries PEAK EIRP: 55dBW, ECOWAS II coverage of East Africa is
now PEAK EIRP: 52dBW, while the coverage of West and Central Africa is PEAK
EIRP: 46dBW.
The spot beam covering Europe, Nigeria and South Africa, he
said, is also PEAK EIRP: 58dBW, and the global coverage for Space Based
Augmentation System meant for Navigation has also change to (L1) =33.5dBW and
PEAK EIRP (L5)=31.5dBW respectively.
These improved features, he said, would enable NigComSAT-1R
meet its core mandate in covering the entire Africa continent, and parts of
Europe and Asia with clear, clean and high-resolution signals on our
footprints.
Further, he said, the NigComSat-1R satellite will bring the
expected availability of bandwidth, not just to Nigeria, but the entire
continent.
“Our footprints shall also cover parts of Europe and Asia.
We shall ensure that bandwidth is available for customers at competitive
prices,” he assured.
Additionally, he expressed the home that those in broadcast
industry will take advantage of this glowing opportunity to meet the challenges
of global migration in the industry.
He explained that the three-day conference which ends today
is intended to provide an opportunity for NigComSAT to showcase the features of
the satellite and the services and applications that will be derived from it.
“We have knowledgeable speakers who will dwell on topical
issues such as broadcasting, direct-to-home (DTH), satellite applications,
national security and much more,” he asserted.
He commended the engineers and marketers at NIGCOMSAT Ltd
for active participation and endurance for seeing NigComSAT-1R to this stage.
Remmy Nweke
ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D
No comments:
Post a Comment