Following the huge success of Myanmar’s first Satellite Forum, the Myanmar government has outlined plans to launch its own satellite within five years with “an open, fair and transparent tendering process”. The debate will also be continued at next year’s Myanmar Satellite Forum, set to take place on 18 November 2015 alongside Communicast 2015 at Myanmar Event Park, Yangon.
Myanmar’s first Satellite Forum attracted overwhelming support from international satellite operators, manufacturers and launch providers, including: APT Satellite Company, Air Mandalay, Arianespace, AsiaSat, Comsys, Eutelsat, Hughes, MHI Launch Services, Marsh, Newtec, O3B Networks, Optus, SES, Speedcast, Thales Alenia Space and Platinum sponsors of the event were Intelsat, Gilat and ABS.
Keynote speaker at the event and Deputy Minister, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology Myanmar H.E. U Thaung Tin said, “The Myanmar Satellite Forum has been a very successful launch event, providing the opportunity for both the Ministry to have a better understanding of the options available and for the Myanmar business community to associate itself with a key industry sector. While the national priority is for Myanmar to have its own satellite, it is also important that by opening the market the Ministry enhances the development of the broader ICT industry.”
“Although there is no timeline for the launch of a satellite, the selection process will follow that of the international mobile licences, with an open, fair and transparent tendering process, followed by public consultation. We look forward to supporting the second Forum in a year’s time,” he added.
The event featured a diverse range of topics including: “The Role for Satellite Throughout Myanmar,” digital villages and community access points, the opportunity for broadband panels to stimulate “Rapid Advances in Social and Economic Development,” “The Importance of e-Government,” “Distance Learning and e-Health,” plus “Economic & Social Sustainability in Asia,” “Mobile Satellite Backhaul,” “Disaster Recovery and Enterprise Services in sectors such as Oil & Gas, Banking and Mining.”
“The Government had already shown its commitment with the granting of two international mobile licences and this sent a strong message to the world that Myanmar is committed to infrastructure development on a truly massive scale,” said Overseas Exhibition Services Ltd and Event Director, Rupert Owen.
“This year’s forum was a huge success and we are looking forward to building on that success for next year, making Myanmar’s Satellite Forum bigger, better and even more internationally significant,” he added.
With the Ministry aiming to increase the teledensity of Myanmar from around 20% in 2014 to 75% in financial year 2015/2016 the opportunities for suppliers are bright, especially with the opening up of the ISP, broadband, banking and broadcasting markets.
The Myanmar Satellite Forum will return on 18 November 2015 alongside Communicast 2015 at Myanmar Event Park, Yangon. More than 2000 professional vistors attended the first CommuniCast show, with the Satellite Forum attracting 169 delegates.
