Commercial operation of Bangladesh's first communication satellite Bangabandhu-I (BS-I) will begin today (Sunday) on the occasion of launching anniversary ceremony following the successful trial run, reports BSS.
Bangladesh Communication Satellite Company Limited (BCSCL), the assigned entity to manage the BS-I, will sign agreements with the local television (TV) channels and other firms to rent the transponders of the satellite, said officials.
BCSCL Chairman Dr Shahjahan Mahmood said commercial journey of BS-I will start completing successful trial run for couple of months.
"We will sign agreements and hand over documents with the TV channels and others," he revealed.
TVs are not needed to install any earth station to get the service from BS-I.
Installation of earth station requires a big cost for the TVs and that is why the BCSCL is providing connection to the TV channels with its ground station through the optical
fibre for transmission.
The BS-I, launched to the orbit on May 12 last year, went to the trial transmission on September 4 last year through the broadcasting of South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship with the state-owned Bangladesh Television (BTV). Then it has been
gradually connected with other local TV channels and provided feed on trial run basis.
Although the launching anniversary was May 12 but the BCSCL is celebrating it today (Sunday) at a city hotel. In the ceremony, a commemorative postage stamp would be unveiled along with the display of road show (BS-I's different services), audio visual and others to mark the historic day as the 57th nation of satellite owners' club.
In addition, commercial service of country's first local Direct-To-Home (DTH) television will also begin today (Sunday). Beximco Communications Limited (BCL) has
introduced the DTH brand "Akash".
Moreover, the BS-I is working to connect automated teller machines (ATM) of different banks to offer uninterrupted and secure banking services.
Dr Shahjahan Mahmood said, "Initially, Dutch-Bangla Bank Limited (DBBL) would launch the trial run of ATM using the bandwidth of BS-I and we have a plan to bring the maximum ATMs under its coverage gradually."
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