SATELLITE OPERATORS IBC2014 International Aff airs of a Russian Operator Interview with Dmitriy Sevastiyanov, Director General, Gazprom Space Systems

Gazprom Space Systems (GSS), a Mediterranean Sea. Among our service Russian satellite operator, was rec- providers there are Globecomm Europe, ognized at the international market ICCES (Saudi Arabia) and Cobbett Hill 10 years ago when Yamal-202 satel- (England). lite started operating. How is the The most popular direction is channels company’s international business from Europe to Africa. The most popular going now? service here is the internet access for re- That is right that our company mote regions of Africa. entered an international orbit together The Southern (African) beam is in great with Yamal-202. The satellite had a demand. Telemedia (Johannesburg, RSA) semi-global beam in C-band which is has placed two platforms of African TV able to cover Europe, Middle East and channels on Yamal-402 satellite. Besides, Southeast Asia. In ten years GSS learnt this satellite’s capacity is used for satellite new markets, won respect and formed news gathering from sport contests. its customer base. Until recently it was Recently GSS and ISAT Africa signed Yamal-202 which generated the main a contract. According to it the African revenue of GSS at the international company will use capacity in the Southern market. In the end of 2012 we launched beam of Yamal-402 to provide a com- Yamal-402, the most powerful satellite; munication network in The Democratic 40% of its capacity are concentrated in Republic of the Congo and other countries the beams of Ku-band covering vast of Central Africa. territories beyond Russia. For example, Sat Space Africa (Namibia) is a well- Africa is an additional region among known provider of reliable and economi- them. The company made it clear that cally sound Internet access services. For it was interested in all territories of the the last year it doubled the capacity which Eastern hemisphere. it used on Yamal-402.

What is your business strategy at What new will GSS be able to off er new markets? the international market in the nearest Both Middle East and Africa are proposals and contacts as well. GSS is trying future? very competitive markets where there is a to build supporting environment for its con- After Yamal-401 satellite launch to the plenty of satellites of global and regional sumers and is ready to share business risks 90°E orbital position Yamal-300K satellite operators. For example, eighteen satellite with them. will be moved to a different orbital posi- operators provide their capacity in Western Besides, at the international markets GSS tion further to the east. Yamal-401 will be Asia. The region is still demonstrating high provides capacity of high quality. Yamal-402 is forwarded the services of Yamal-300K and growth. Satellite services are demanded by a modern and reliable satellite manufactured from its new position the latter will be able to pay TV operators, corporate sector (oil and by Thales Alenia Space. It covers African cover the Far East of Russia, the northern part gas sector fi rst of all) and the government. continent, Middle East and Europe; it has of Chine, Korea, Japan and northern part of Mobile operators need satellite backbone interbeam connection between Europe and the Pacifi c ocean to Alaska. A steerable beam channels. Broadband internet access is get- Africa. There is also a steerable beam which of Yamal-300K will be directed to Australia or ting more popular. covers African and Southeast Asia and can be to another region of Southeastern Asia. The African market is more complex. When connected to Europe. northern part of the Pacifi c Ocean is a heavy entering markets with capital shortage, low traffi c region, so companies providing tele- paying capacity and a lack of qualifi ed staff , it Could you please give any examples of communication services for ocean carriers is more effi cient to provide complex and cost GSS successful results at the international are interested in Yamal-300K. eff ective turn-key solutions instead of satellite market? Gazprom – our major shareholder – is capacity. A satellite operator is able to do it After a year and half of operation Ya- paying its attention to the East. China and together with professional service providers mal-402 has doubled our customer base. other countries of Asia-Pacific Region are and system integrators who have operation Providers who are operating in the Eu- its priority area. Our interests of going east experience at these markets. ropean beam provide their services to big coincide. That is why we count on our loyal part- oil and gas companies in Middle East and ners and clients and we are opened to new provide communication with sea crafts in the Interview was taken by Vsevolod Kolyubakin

«Tele-Sputnik» | september | 2014 19