DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Satellite fleet operator Arabsat has entered the competition to purchase the satellite assets of Malaysia’s Measat, whose owner has long indicated its intention to divest itself of Measat to focus on direct-broadcast television, according to an industry official.
The official said Arabsat has been trying for years to break out of confinement from its current three principal orbital slots, which are mainly filled.
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia-based Arabsat is not alone in courting Measat. SES of Luxembourg has indicated a possible interest, and Measat would make a good fit for Eutelsat of Paris and Intelsat of Washington and Luxembourg.
Measat has been expanding westward from its home territory — and its profitable satellite-television business — and has several orbital slots at its disposition. “The orbital slots are what is most attractive” to Arabsat, the official said.
