Pay-TV pirates of the Asia-Pacific: piracy in various forms is costing the Asian pay-TV industry—from channel operators to last-mile operators—at least $970 million a year. It's also impacting foreign investment and tax revenues, and funding crime syndicates and terrorist groups. The good news: regulators may finally be starting to take pay-TV piracy seriously

Telecom Asia, Dec, 2004 by John C. Tanner

ON THE LAUNCH PAD

AUSTRALIA

Optus

Optus D1

Capacity: 24 Ku-band 8 back-up channels

Status: scheduled for launch at the end of 2005

Optus D1

Capacity: 24 Ku-band 8 back-up channels

Status: scheduled for launch in 2007

CHINA

Sino Satellite Communications Sinosat 2

Capacity: 24 Ku-band

Status: to be launched in the fourth quarter of 2005

HONG KONG

APT Satellite Apstar VI

Capacity: 38 C-band and 16-Ku band

Status: to be launched in 2005 to replace Apstar IA

JAPAN

JSAT Corporation JCSAT 9

Capacity: C-band and Ku-band transponders (specifics not disclosed)

Status: to be launched at the end of 2005 to replace NSTARa

JCSAT10

Capacity: C-band and Ku-band transponders (specifics not disclosed)

Status: scheduled for launch in 2006

MALAYSIA

Binariang Satellite Systems Measat 3

Capacity: 24 C-band and 24 Ku-band

Status: to be launched in mid-2005

THAILAND

Shin Satellite

iPSTAR-1

Capacity: 87 Ku-band spot beams, 3 Ku-band shaped beams, 10 Ka-band

Status: to be launched in February or March 2005

VIETNAM

Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (VNPT)

Vietnam Communication Satellite (VINASAT)

Capacity: up to 28 transponders

Status: plans for a 2005 launch have been shelved "indefinitely", pending slot coordination with Tonga and Japan

INTERNATIONAL

Worldsat Worldsat 3

Capacity: 18 C-band and 20 Ku-band

Status: launch scheduled for late 2005