Es'hailSat CEO: Es'hail 2 Meets Country's Needs for TV Broadcasting

Doha, March 20 (QNA) - Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Satellite Company (Es'hailSat) Ali Ahmed Al Kuwari said that the launch of Es'hail 2 satellite would meet along with Es'hail 1 100% of the country's needs for TV broadcasting both for local or regional channels, and 90% of the country's strategic needs which Es'hailSat was established for. He said that working on the collection of the requirements that must be available in Es'hail 3 is underway to cope with the future needs of the state and complete the Qatari Vision in the world of satellites. Speaking to the Qatari daily (Al Sharq), Al Kuwari said that Es'hail 2 has many advantages and advanced technology such as double the size of frequencies, jamming resistance, the possibility of transferring content from 12 Arab capitals other than Doha and re-aired it and advanced techniques of communication and Internet. He explained that Es'hail 2 has entered a consolidation phase, a phase that precedes the satellite testing, and will be subjected to various weather conditions, similar to those it will face in its orbit in the space, adding that it is expected to be launched at the end of this year or the beginning of 2017 in cooperation with the US company "SpaceX" and "Cape Canaveral" base in Florida. About Es'hail 1, Al Kuwari said that there were unexpected requests from channels to broadcast on Es'hail 1, not only from Qatari channels , but also from channels in the region. Unfortunately, he added that they could not meet all the demands and needs due to the limited capacities that were available, referring to the World Cup 2014, where the network "beIN" had the exclusive rights to broadcast and transport in the Middle East and North Africa. He said that there are currently some oil companies that are using Es'hail 1 to connect their wells and platforms through the sea to their headquarters on the ground. He referred to an agreement signed with Ooredoo four months ago, aimed at the integration between the two sides. Regarding the demands of the State of Qatar in the coming years in the field of satellites, he said that now the requirements of Es'hail 3 is being collected and this company has been established for strategic purposes which 90% of them have been achieved. Al Kuwari also referred to a cooperation with the General Authority of Civil Aviation either to launch a meteorological satellite or to be part of a satellite of meteorology, adding that the project is under the study. (QNA)