Shin Satellite Plc.(SATTEL), Asia’s leading satellite operator, announced its sales and service revenues of Baht 1,643 million in the third quarter of 2006, a rise of 16.9% compared to the same period last year due to a significant growth in IPSTAR User Terminal (UT) sales as well as a continuous growth in the number of telephone subscribers in Cambodia and Laos.
The Company sold 9,806 IPSTAR User Terminals in Q3/2006, an increase of 4,593 User Terminals, or 88.1%, compared to the same period of last year. Total revenue from IPSTAR in Q3/2006 was Baht 365 million, a rise of 58%, or Baht 134 million, compared to Q3/2005.
On October 2nd 2006, the Thaicom 3 satellite was deorbited since it experienced a power loss to such an extent that it could not provide further service. The Company’s net loss was baht 747 million mainly due to the write-off costs of Baht 686 million of the Thaicom 3 satellite. However, if the write-off costs of Thaicom 3 were not taken into account, the Company’s Q3/2006 net loss would be Baht 60 million.
Service income from the Company’s telephone businesses in Laos and Cambodia was Baht 601 million which rose 17.6% or Baht 90 million over the same quarter last year. In addition, due to the continuous growth of telephone subscribers in both countries, there were increases in subscriber bases in both subsidiaries, especially for mobile prepaid subscribers. As of the end of Q3/ 2006, Lao Telecommunications and Camshin have 590,117 and 290,155 subscribers respectively, an increase of 39.5% and 27% over the same period in 2005.
Shin Satellite:
Ms Piyanuch Sujpluem, International Public Relations, Shin Satellite Plc. 41/103 Rattanathibet Rd., Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand.
Tel. (66 2) 591-0736 to 49 Ext. 8494; Fax. (66 2) 591-0705, email:
[email protected]