Asia Broadcast Satellite
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| Private (Majority owned by Permira) | |
| Industry | Satellite communication |
| Founded | 1997 |
| Headquarters | Hamilton, Bermuda |
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Key people
|
Thomas K. Choi (CEO, Chairman) |
| Website | [1] |
ABS, short for Asia Broadcast Satellite, is a Bermuda-based operator of communication satellites. Its services include satellite-to-home and satellite-to-cable TV distribution, cellular services, and internet services. The company established telecommunications networks in Africa, Russia, Asia and the Middle East. The service currently covers 80% of the population in the Americas, Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, Russia, and Commonwealth of Independent States. The company aims to expand their satellite fleet by two, from six communication satellites to eight satellites, in 2015. As of March 2015, one of the two planned satellites has launched, and is currently moving to the target orbit.
ABS was recognized by the Export-Import Bank of the United States for the purchase of two all-electric satellites and one satellite utilizing conventional propellant using the bank's loans, which created "an estimated 3,700 high tech jobs," according to the bank. As of September 2015, all but one of the satellites funded is operational.
ABS was founded in 2005 and acquired its first satellite, a Lockheed Martin 3000 satellite, in 2006, from another satellite operator.
On November 2009, ABS and Eutelsat agreed to cooperate at the 75° East orbital position. In the agreement, the ABS-1 and ABS-1A satellites would remain in their orbital position, while one Eutelsat satellite was maneuvered into a nearby position at the same orbital longitude. The purpose for the agreement was to "greatly benefit the customers of both Eutelsat and ABS who have been seeking expansion capacity in these regions", according to a press release from ABS.
In September 2010, Permira, a global private equity fund, acquired ABS for $200 million.
ABS then found funding from the Export-Import Bank of the United States to build three new satellites for their network.
By January 2015, ABS operated a fleet of six satellites.
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Wikipedia