PlanetSky Cyprus, ProtoStar in joint use of Asian DTH satellite capacity

ProtoStar Ltd., a Bermuda corporation, and PlanetSky Ltd. of Limassol have announced a strategically important anchor customer lease agreement for PlanetSky to secure C band capacity on ProtoStar’s first satellite to be launched in May 2008.

The agreement provides PlanetSky with five 36MHz equivalent transponders for its rapidly-expanding global satellite systems that support GPRS and GSM broadband services, wireless, VoIP, broadcasting and radio transmissions.

Philip Father, President and CEO of ProtoStar Ltd., and Gerasimos Bonanos, Chief Executive Officer of PlanetSky Ltd. jointly emphasized how the agreement allows PlanetSky to extend the reach of its media and entertainment services for its customer base further into Asia from Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

For ProtoStar, the agreement extends its customer base into Europe and the Middle East from its Asian base in Singapore.

“ProtoStar believes that PlanetSky offers a unique opportunity for us to work with an innovative, entrepreneurial organization that shares our objective of bringing new satellite-based value-added services into newly expanding geographic markets”, Father said.

PlanetSky’s Bonanos added that, “ProtoStar and its first satellite will allow us to become a significant anchor and strategic partner for future development in Asia and the Middle East while also meeting our expanding customer requirements”.

ProtoStar I is currently being manufactured at Space Systems/Loral in Palo Alto, CA, for a May 2008 launch on an Arianespace launch vehicle. ProtoStar is developing a satellite constellation of high-powered geostationary satellites that will provide a satellite network enabling robust DTH services in Asia.