PARIS — Satellite fleet operator Thaicom of Thailand on May 12 reported higher revenue from its four in-orbit satellites for the first three months of 2010 and said service-revenue increases from its IPStar broadband satellite were partially offset by lower revenue from IPStar terminal sales.
In filings with the Stock Exchange of Thailand, Thaicom said revenue from the Thaicom 1A, Thaicom 2 and Thaicom 5 conventional telecommunications satellites and the IPStar broadband spacecraft for the three months ending March 31 totaled nearly 1.2 billion Thai baht, or $37 million at March 31 exchange rates.
While that represents a 10.8 percent increase in revenue over the same period a year ago, it is just 1.9 percent more than during the three months ending Dec. 31.
Thaicom said its three conventional C- and Ku-band broadcast satellites generated revenue gains from leases of capacity for television programming. The company reported having 293 television channels on its satellites as of March 31.
Thaicom’s IPStar service, which provides Ku-band broadband access to consumers and small businesses in a large swath of East Asia, Australia and New Zealand, increased revenue by 4.5 percent, to 561 million baht, during the period. The increase would have been higher but for the decline in sales of IPStar terminals.
Thaicom said the number of terminals sold increased, but the average selling price dropped, resulting in an 8.2 percent drop in equipment revenue compared to with the last three months of 2009.
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