New Satellite for Bank Rakyat Indonesia
Space Systems/Loral (SSL), a leading provider of commercial satellites, today announced that it was selected to provide a satellite to PT. Bank Rakyat Indonesia (Persero) Tbk. (BRI), the oldest and most profitable bank in Indonesia. The SSL-built satellite will make BRI the first bank in the world to launch a communications satellite, and will provide a dedicated platform for banking connection services for the people of Indonesia.
SSL team at BRIsat contract signing ceremony in Jakarta, Indonesia, (credit: sslmda.com)
BRIsat is a C-band and Ku-band satellite that will be positioned at 150.5 degrees East longitude with coverage of Indonesia and South East Asia. It will help BRI provide secure banking communications for its over 9,800 branches, over 100,000 electronic channel outlets, and over 50 million customers across the Indonesian archipelago.
Presiden SBY menyampaikan keterangan seusai penandatanganan perjanjian pengadaan satelit BRI di Gedung BRI I, Jakarta, Senin (28/4) pagi. (foto: intan/presidenri.go.id)
“SSL is pleased to partner with BRI on its first satellite,” said John Celli, president of SSL. “It is an honor to work with this venerable institution that has done so much to serve the people of Indonesia and to strengthen its economy.”
BRIsat is based on the SSL 1300 satellite platform, which has the flexibility to support a broad range of applications and technology advances. Scheduled for launch in 2016, it will provide service for 15 years or longer.
“BRI selected SSL, the leading communications satellite manufacturer in the world, because of their reputation for quality, heritage and reliability,” said BRI President Director Sofyan Basir. “Because over 50 million Indonesian customers count on BRI for their financial needs, the success of the BRIsat satellite project is a very high priority. We look forward to working with SSL on the successful initiation and delivery of our first satellite.”
In addition to the BRIsat satellite, SSL will provide a complete ground system, which includes two satellite control facilities, as well as training, and launch support services.
About BRI
PT. Bank Rakyat Indonesia (Persero) Tbk. (BRI) is one of the largest state-owned banks in Indonesia. BRI went to public through Initial Public Offering in 2003 and became one of the blue chip stock traded in the Indonesia Stock Exchange. The Indonesian Government still keeps the majority share of 56.75%. For more detail, visit www.bri.co.id.
About SSL
SSL has a long history of delivering reliable satellites and spacecraft systems for commercial and government customers around the world. As the world’s leading provider of commercial satellites, the company works closely with satellite operators to provide spacecraft for a broad range of services including television and radio distribution, digital audio radio, broadband Internet, and mobile communications. Billions of people around the world depend on SSL satellites every day.