Argentina. The Argentine telecommunications company successfully operates its ARSAT-1 and ARSAT-2 satellites, with an occupancy rate of more than 90%. Particularly in the case of the second satellite that has coverage over the northern hemisphere of the American continent and a hemispheric one, it is also exporting value-added services to other countries.
As for the latter, the two satellites invoice 40 million dollars a year and 30% are export services that are provided in the United States and other countries of the continent, generating foreign exchange on national space technology. The C-band capacity on ARSAT-2 was completed in May 2020.
Meanwhile, with the resumption of the ARSAT satellite plan announced months ago at the Benavídez Earth Station by the President of the Nation, Alberto Fernández, it is expected to increase the services that the company offers abroad. In this way, the revenue in dollars generated by the sale of satellite capacity in other countries will increase.
It is that the ARSAT-SG1, third satellite of the geostationary fleet of ARSAT, will have a traffic capacity of 70 Gbps to provide satellite internet, of which 50 Gbps will be destined to cover the entire territory of the Argentine Republic and the other 20 Gbps will offer services in various regions of neighboring countries such as Chile, Bolivia and Paraguay. This will generate a greater income of foreign currency to the economy since the currency in which it is traded internationally is the dollar.
"ARSAT sells its services to foreign companies, we export satellite technology and added value," said Cabinet Chief Santiago Cafiero during the presentation of the National Connectivity Plan "Connect".
For his part, the president of ARSAT, Pablo Tognetti, said from the beginning of his new management at the helm of the company that "we have the challenge of giving impetus to the Argentine satellite industry again from the expansion of Arsat's services as a satellite operator".
In this sense, it becomes relevant that the useful life of a telecommunications satellite is 15 years and that the recovery of the total investment required by the project, estimated at 250 million dollars, is achieved in 5 years. That is to say that the other 10 years of operation are profit.
The company's activity as a telecommunications satellite operator, positively impacts by generating a profit through its offer of services, and also drives the development of national technology by demanding satellites from the national industry. ARSAT not only generates foreign exchange directly through the export of services, but also prevents their exit by imposing itself on international competition in the domestic market.
