[Satellite TODAY 11-16-11] Asia Broadcast Satellite (ABS) has signed a deal valued at more than $125 million to lease multiple transponders on its Condosat ABS-2 satellite to GT Satellite Systems S.A. (GTSS), the operator announced Nov. 15.

   The deal is subsequent to similar transponder lease agreements announced by GTSS in 2009. GTSS platform services include TV broadcast contribution, Raduga TV Russia and a CIS DTH business. ABS-2 is designed to support DTH, cable TV distribution, VSAT services, data networks and telecommunications services. ABS said the agreement would enable the operator to augment its existing multi-service capacity on the ABS-2 satellite.

   ABS-2 is currently under construction and is scheduled to launch in 2013. The satellite will carry a mixture of 89 active C-, Ku- and Ka-band transponders across 10 different beams from ABS’ prime orbital location at 75 degrees East. ABS-2’s main mission is to provide expansion capacity to existing ABS-1 customers.

   “Our successful cooperation with ABS for more than five years, the firm’s impressive growth and clear development policy have created a solid ground for our strategic decision to go for a Condosat solution on ABS-2. We believe that the premium quality of ABS-based services will provide the most favorable conditions for our present and future clients in Russia and the CIS countries,” GTSS Director of Strategic Development Anatoly Zyablitskiy said in a statement.