British Telecom opens major broadcast gateway to PanAmSat's PAS-4 satellite; two companies will jointly market services using PAS-4 and BT Earth Station.MARTLESHAM, U.K.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 11, 1995-- PanAmSat Corp. announced today that British Telecom The telephone and communications carrier that provides services in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It used to be a division of the British Post Office, but was privatized in 1984 under Margaret Thatcher's administration. has completed a major European transmissions gateway for broadcasters to access PanAmSat's PAS-4 satellite, which provides coverage of Africa, Asia, Europe, the Indian subcontinent Indian subcontinent, region, S central Asia, comprising the countries of Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh and the Himalayan states of Nepal, and Bhutan. Sri Lanka, an island off the southeastern tip of the Indian peninsula, is often considered a part of the subcontinent. and the Middle East. The two companies have also entered into a marketing arrangement to attract broadcast customers that will tap into the combined resources of PanAmSat satellite capacity and BT earth station facilities. During a ceremony in Martlesham, PanAmSat's Frederick A. Landman and BT's John Swingewood unveiled the 16-meter C-band earth station, which is located about two hours northeast of London. Doordarshan, India's national broadcaster, will be the first customer to use the gateway. Its signals will be relayed via the PAS-4 Indian Ocean Indian Ocean, third largest ocean, c.28,350,000 sq mi (73,427,000 sq km), extending from S Asia to Antarctica and from E Africa to SE Australia; it is c.4,000 mi (6,400 km) wide at the equator. It constitutes about 20% of the world's total ocean area. Region satellite from India to Martlesham and then transmitted via the PAS-1 Atlantic Ocean Atlantic Ocean [Lat.,=of Atlas], second largest ocean (c.31,800,000 sq mi/82,362,000 sq km; c.36,000,000 sq mi/93,240,000 sq km with marginal seas). Physical Geography Extent and Seas Region satellite to the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . "PanAmSat's unbeatable satellite services and BT's superior facilities will fuel a new wave of broadcast traffic between Europe and PAS-4's vast coverage area encompassing over 80 percent of the world's population," said Landman, president and chief executive officer of PanAmSat. "PanAmSat and British Telecom have numerous customers that will benefit from this major cooperative effort." "Having been the first service provider to offer European access to PAS-1,the Martlesham teleport completes the jigsaw with access to PAS-4," said Swingewood, general manager of BT Broadcast Services. "Direct access to PAS-4 allows European and American broadcasters an easy entry to some of the fastest growing TV markets in the world, such as India." British Telecom also plans to operate a Ku-band earth station accessing PAS-4 for Viacom International Viacom International, Inc. is a current subsidiary of Viacom (as was the case with Viacom's predecessor). It is the holding company for copyrights associated with Viacom's corporate website and its cable networks. . It currently operates an 11-meter Ku-band earth station in London accessing PAS-1. London-based BT Broadcast Services is Europe's leading supplier of global broadcast solutions, providing a comprehensive range of terrestrial and satellite services for international television and broadcasters. PanAmSat of Greenwich, is the first private-sector company to provide global satellite services. It has over 300 customers worldwide. PanAmSat currently operates three satellites providing global coverage: PAS-1, PAS-2 over the Pacific Ocean Region and PAS-4. PanAmSat's PAS-4 broadcast customers include China Central Television, Disney, Doordarshan, ESPN ESPN Entertainment and Sports Programming Network , HBO Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) A form of oxygen therapy in which the patient breathes oxygen in a pressurized chamber. Mentioned in: Ozone Therapy , Liberty, M-Net/MultiChoice, NHK NHK Nippon Hoso Kyokai (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) NHK Nihon Hoso Kyokai (Japanese Broadcasting Association) NHK Nihon Hikikomori Kyokai (anime) , SABC/Sentech, Sony, Turner Broadcasting and Viacom International. PanAmSat has three additional satellites that will be launched by early 1997, including the PAS-3 Atlantic Ocean Region satellite in January 1996. Beyond the six-satellite system, PanAmSat plans to launch two more satellites in 1997, which will enable the company to operate at least two satellites in each ocean region worldwide. PanAmSat Common Stock is quoted on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol "SPOT". CONTACT: PanAmSat Kevin Burgoyne, 203/622-6664 |
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