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GE Capital Satellites Plans Satellite Control Centre
GIBRALTAR, October 5, 1999
GE Capital Satellites (Gibraltar) Limited has commenced construction of a satellite control centre (SCC) in downtown Gibraltar at 50 Town Range. Expected to be operational in the second half of 2000, the facility will initially support the GE-1A satellite that will provide service throughout Asia. Recruiting efforts are underway; the new technical facility and its staff will accept full SCC responsibility for GE-1A once the team has been fully trained.
John F. Connelly, Managing Director of GE Capital Satellites (Gibraltar) Limited, said "We have been looking forward to the day when ground would be broken and our cooperative relationship would be visible to the people of Gibraltar."
Peter Montegriffo, Gibraltar's Minister of Trade and Industry, followed up with "Our relationship with GE reflects our continuing efforts to position Gibraltar to participate fully in both the scientific and business aspects of telecommunications and space."
GE-1A satellite will be launched and operated by Americom Asia-Pacific, a joint venture of GE American Communications (GE Americom) of Princeton, New Jersey, USA and Lockheed Martin Global Telecommunications (LMGT) of Bethesda, Maryland, USA. The all Ku-band satellite is planned for launch in first quarter 2000; the satellite will be initially supported during its in-orbit testing and first months of operation through GE Americom's South Mountain, California, USA Tracking Telemetry and Control facility. The spacecraft will reside at 108 degrees East Longitude; it features 28 Ku-band transponders and will provide coverage of Chinese, Northeast Asian and Indian regions.
GE Capital Satellites (Gibraltar) Limited was formed to support the global expansion of GE American Communications ("GE Americom"). With over twenty years' experience, GE Americom is recognized as a pioneer and a leading provider of global satellite communications solutions. These solutions primarily provide the distribution of broadcast and cable television programming and digital/Broadband Data Services over satellite. On consummation of the recently announced acquisition of Columbia Communications and integration of Columbia's transoceanic satellite capacity into Ge Americom's global fleet, GE Americom will be able to provide end-to-end telecommunications solutions to any region in the world. GE Americom currently operates twelve satellites providing satellite-based solutions to North America. In Europe, GE-1E provides service for European and Middle Eastern markets. With the late 1999 launch of GE-4 and through NahuelSAt, an Argentine Satellite operator, GE Americom provides satellite-based communications services throughout South and Latin America. And with the launch GE-1A, scheduled for first quarter 2000, GE Americom will be able to deliver communications services to 90% of the world's population. GE Americom's key customers include ABC Radio Networks, AT&T Alascom, the BBC, British Telecom, Deutsche Welle, Discover, Disney, Gannett, ICG, Merlin, NBC, the New York Times, NHK, PaxNet, PBS, SkyCache, TELE Greenland, TV Europa, Viacom and Time Warner/Turner Broadcasting.
GE Capital, with assets of more than US$300 billion, is a global, diversified financial services company with 28 specialized businesses. A wholly-owned subsidiary of General Electric Company, GE Capital, based in Stamford, CT, provides equipment management, mid-market and specialized financing, specialty insurance and a variety of consumer services, such as car leasing, home mortgages and credit cards, to businesses and individuals around the world. GE is a diversified services, technology and manufacturing company with operations worldwide.
Contact: Monica Morgan
609-987-4143
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