Kazakhstan’s Astel Leases SES World Skies Capacity

By Peter B. de Selding

PARIS — Kazakhstan’s Astel  telecommunications company is leasing the equivalent of three transponders on SES World Skies’ NSS-6 satellite to provide telephone and Internet links to rail passengers in addition to government telecommunications services, Astel and SES World Skies announced Nov. 26.

Under the contract, Astel will use its long-term lease of more than 100 megahertz of Ku-band capacity on SES World Skies’ NSS-6 satellite, located at 95 degrees east, to provide passenger telephone and Internet service on the 1,300-kilometer rail link between the Kazakh capital of Astana and the former capital and largest city, Almaty.

The Internet links of up to 2 megabits per second will be offered free of charge and will be extended to other destinations, the companies said.