ABS 3A’s MENA Ku-band footprint. Photo: ABS

[Via Satellite 11-04-2015] Asia Broadcast Satellite (ABS) and Arab Satellite Communication Organization (Arabsat) have signed an expansion capacity agreement on ABS 3A for a multi-transponder, multi-year deal for Ku-band payload. The additional capacity will be used for different customer networks within the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) regions, in particular Saudi Arabia. Under the agreement, Arabsat will use the new bandwidth on ABS 3A at 3 degrees west, mostly for data services for enterprises, banking and government institutions.

ABS 3A, an all-electric propulsion satellite, entered commercial service on August 31. The satellite features 48 C- and Ku-band transponders (96 x 36MHz equivalent) and is equipped with high performance beams to support rapidly growing markets in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa regions. ABS 3A provides expansion capacity to reach markets servicing high-growth data, video, mobility and government applications.