Space Systems/Loral Selected to Provide Nimiq 6 Satellite for Telesat Fleet

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OTTAWA, CANADA, December 30, 2009 – Telesat, the world’s fourth largest fixed satellite services operator, announced today its decision to procure a new direct broadcast satellite called Nimiq 6 from Space Systems/Loral (SS/L). As announced by Telesat September 17, 2009, Bell TV has agreed to fully lease this new satellite for its lifetime to serve the fast-growing number of Bell TV subscribers across Canada.

“I’m very pleased that Telesat has ordered a new, state-of-the-art satellite for our largest customer, Bell TV, enhancing Bell’s ability to deliver advanced High Definition TV and other video services for their subscribers throughout Canada,” said Dan Goldberg, Telesat’s President and CEO. “SS/L was selected to build Nimiq 6 following a competitive procurement process as they offered the best combination of technology, cost and schedule. Nimiq 6 will result in meaningful incremental revenue and EBITDA for Telesat and, given that Bell TV has leased all of the satellite’s capacity for its expected lifetime, it significantly increases Telesat’s already industry leading contractual backlog to revenue ratio.”

SS/L is the leading provider of commercial satellites and will be the prime contractor for Nimiq 6, designing and building the satellite and supplying its payload of 32 high powered Ku-band transponders. Nimiq 6 will utilize the proven SS/L1300 platform and has a planned 15 year mission life.


-Mike
 
Could the existing satellite run with 4PSK and the new one with 8PSK? This could allow for 64 transponders at the 91 slot? Is this possible?
 
I take it this would just be a replacement for Nimiq 1/2 at 91 degrees, not the rumored BSS satellite which would actually add more transponder capacity?

-Mike

I hope they don't give this one to Dish too!
 
I guess, once the paperwork is completed, we'll have more details on the following page:

http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf05343.html
 
nope, xPSK is just a compression on how many bits and bytes you can cram up in one space,, in this case a transponder,, problem is,, correct me if i'm wrong,, all receivers except; 3100, 4100, 5x00, and HD receivers can't decode 8psk. Having multiple transponders in one orbital location would be with the use of different frequencies,, hence 17 Ghz,, which i do belive works with all reveivers that are in comission.
 
Thanks, that's an interesting chart. I was thinking of one of those proposed 17 Ghz satellites, but it looks like Ciel 3 may be going to the 91 slot. This must just be a replacement then. I suppose it will be needed by 2012.

-Mike
 
Only the current HD receivers can decode 8PSK. The 6000 sold by bell could not which is why they swaped them out with subscribers for 6131`s.



If Bell were to use the 72 orbital for its customers they would have to change the equipment out regardless, so dp plus would be the way to go, they can do it on a as needed basis, I still see lots of homes with only a 18 on them, if they only need 91 that`s fine. The dish 1000 would work with both setups (dp plus and legacy), but it would still be better to go with dp plus for the easier installation, which will reduce costs in materials and installation time.
 
*YAWN* Bell replaces ku bird with new ku bird in same old slot. No more bandwidth than before. Whoopteedoo. The only way there will a major increase in bandwidth is if the new birds in the same old slots add Ka band and subs get replacement LNBs like DTV. Until Bell adds new frequencies or new orbital slots all we will ever get is more compression.
 
I wonder why they wrote "where it will provide HDTV and advanced video services". As far as I know there is no more capacity on the satellites at 91 W to provide HD channels? Unless they take advantage on the Nimiq 6 power to switch SD transponders to 8PSK, which would free some space?
 
Not really, it should not matter where the HD channels are coming from, 99.99% of Bell Customers get signals from 91 anyway.
 
MPEG4 will effectively provide more bandwidth, once the older HD receivers are swapped out. They still have to maintain their fleet of satellites. Nimiq 1 was launched in 1999 and Nimiq 2 in 2002 (which is only capable of powering 26 transponders). So by 2012, Nimiq 6 will be needed as a replacement regardless of what else happens.

-Mike
 
So if I understand correctly, none of Bell TV's standard definition IRDs are capable of 8PSK compression. Then why is Bell TV still offering the 4100 to new customers? With the current promotion on right now this renders the 4100 uncompetitive.
 
really hd from 91! are sd channels supposed to be there at 91? that is something i don't get it. i am new with those things. sometime it is a bit confusing but i am learning.
 
At the moment 91 carries SD Channels only while 82 carries all Bells HD and some SD.

When you have a Dish with 2 x LNBF's and the correct Switch installed, it does not matter where the signal comes from, 91 or 82, you will still see it and the receiver will deal with it accordingly.

I was hoping to see Nimiq 6 go into a different orbital slot and then hopefully we can start using SW64's and/or Dish 1000's.

I guess that when Nimiq 6 goes to 91, the birds that were there, might move somewhere else.
 
With the DPP44 you could just get 18 inch dish and single dp lnb point it at 72 and run the line to the third port on the switch. Run check switch and done.
 
You are correct, no SD receiver can handle 8PSK. The reason the 4100 is still available is in my opinion because Bell TV will almost certainly never go for 8PSK on its' SD Channels.

Just as an FYI, Bell TV are still selling 6100 & 9200 HD models that can not handle MPEG4, so I cannot even see a switch to that format in at least the next 2 years or so.
 
Firstly you would have to change thousands of Legacy LNBF's on the 20" (51cm) Dish's to DPP ones, then get a DP Dual for the 18" Dsih, which you would still have to get, oh and don't forget, Bell TV do NOT officially support DP or DPP, at this time.

Cost wise, it would be way cheaper to continue to use Legacy equipment, from Bell's point of view, for all existing Customers who have HD now, and just replace the SW44 with an SW64, and add another Dish with a Legacy LNBF.
 
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