Kathmandu, October 6
Nepal Telecom Authority has started the process for the installation of its own satellites. On Thursday, NTA invited a global tender from competent international firms to undertake the launching and operating of satellite in the orbital slots that International Telecommunications Union has allocated to Nepal.
In a notice published on its website, NTA said the main objectives of the assignment are to understand the international and domestic legal and regulatory framework (including ground segment) and associate modality in connection with the launching of satellite, launching a dedicated satellite and also for partnering with a satellite operator for usage of Nepal’s orbital rights, operation and maintenance of the satellite launched within the prescribed commercial terms and conditions.
It said the eligible interested applicant can submit the expression of interest with the duly completed information as specified in the Terms of Reference, which can be downloaded at NTA website.
Demand for installation and operation of Nepal’s own communication satellites is not new. But the installation had not been a priority thus far. With NTA inviting the tender for the same, the process for installation of the satellites has begun, NTA spokesperson Min Prasad Aryal said.
Nepal’s assigned orbital slot in Appendix 30 B (Allotment Plan) of the Radio Regulations is at orbital location 123.3° East longitude. This allocation in the FSS Plans includes 500 MHz in ku-band (10.7 – 10.95 GHz, 11.2 -11.45 GHz in space to earth direction and 12.75-13.25 GHz in earth to satellite direction) and 300 MHz in C-band (4.5 – 4.8 GHz in satellite to earth direction, and 6.725 – 7.025 GHz from earth to Satellite direction).
Another orbital slot allocated in the BSS Plan (Appendices 30 and 30A of the Radio Regulations) is located at 50° East longitude. This allocation includes 12 channels in the band 11.7 GHz-to 12.2 GHz in space-to-earth direction and 14.5-14.8 GHz in earth-to-space direction.
