New Zealand Ltd. (IPNZ), a subsidiary of Shin Satellite Plc. ("SATTEL") announced today the Company has signed
an exclusive contract with BayCity Communications Limited as the exclusive National Service Operator (NSO) for IPSTAR services throughout New Zealand.
Within the scope of the NSO contract, BayCity Communications will be responsible for the wholesale supply of all IPSTAR products and services, including broadband internet access, bandwidth, user terminals and other valued added services such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), VDO, IPTV etc. IPSTAR New Zealand will continue to operate the IPSTAR gateway in Auckland.
Based on the NSO deal, BayCity Communications is committed to a minimum purchase, over a 12-year contract, of IPSTAR bandwidth and User Terminals valued at over NZD $100 million. BayCity Communications is a new addition to the BayCity Group, a long-standing communications provider to the New Zealand rural sector. BayCity's rural services arm Farmside Limited has been deploying IPSTAR services since 2004, initially using the IPSTAR first generation system (which used conventional satellites), and subsequently migrating to the THAICOM 4 (IPSTAR) satellite. Farmside is the leading
provider of IPSTAR satellite broadband services in New Zealand and has received both national and international attention for its success in bringing broadband access to rural communities.
Dr. Dumrong Kasemset, the Executive Chairman of Shin Satellite PLC and IPSTAR New Zealand Ltd. said, "We are delighted to enter into this NSO agreement for New Zealand with BayCity Communications Ltd. The New Zealand market for IPSTAR includes over 125,000 households, of which 70,000 are business and farming potential users who require broadband for managing their day-to-day businesses. The NSO deal is packaged around a 60,000 User Terminal deployment commitment within five years and to reach full capacity of IPSTAR bandwidth over New Zealand within four years. BayCity
has been working with us very closely since 2004 as a service provider and has extensive experience in marketing and deploying IPSTAR services to rural New Zealand.
We are confident that BayCity Communications Ltd will be able to significantly grow the broadband satellite market using IPSTAR in the coming years."
Founding Director of the BayCity Group, Barry Payne, said the NSO deal would result in significant economic benefits for the rural and other sectors in New Zealand.
"IPSTAR is a proven broadband technology that we have successfully deployed throughout rural New Zealand. With IPSTAR, thousands of New Zealand rural dwellers are now connected, using applications daily such as online banking and shopping, email, internet-based farm productivity services and distance learning, for the benefit of both farm and family," he said.
Mr.Teerasak Sawekpun, General Manager and Director of IPSTAR New Zealand Limited added, "With BayCity Communications taking responsibility of wholesale services for all New Zealand IPSTAR retail providers, IPNZ's new role will be to concentrate on the operations of the IPSTAR system, the delivery of quality services and supporting new applications. We are confident that this partnership will be beneficial to the New Zealand market as a whole, because it will allow us to focus our resources on the areas we know best, such as satellite communications technology."
About The BayCity Group
The BayCity Group leads New Zealand in the innovation and supply of rural productivity and access solutions. Winner of the "Most Exciting Telecommunications Company" 2006, NBR Survey, the BayCity Group now comprises the following companies: BayCity Communications Ltd, BayCity Technologies, and Farmside Limited.
BayCity Communications Ltd
Integrating satellite telecommunications solutions, BayCity Communications offers a range of internet connectivity and content products and services to Retail Service Providers dealing in specialised satellite-based internet communications throughout New Zealand. Through a strong partnership with IPSTAR of Thailand, BayCity Communications continues to develop new products and makes these available to IPSTAR accredited Retail Service Providers for release to market.
Ms. Piyanuch Sujpluem
Corporation Communications Department
Shin Satellite Public Company Limited
41/103 Rattanathibet Road,
Nonthaburi, 11000, Thailand
Phone: (+662) 591-0736 to 49 Ext. 8494
Fax: (+662) 591 0705
Mobile: (+668) 1 807-7822 E-mail:
[email protected]