Canada Readies Big Satellite Expansion Initiative

[DKSat]

Canada is preparing an initiative that may award up to 29 licenses to satellite companies, a move regulators in the country said would be the largest spectrum licensing effort undertaken north of the border.

Officials with Industry Canada said they hope satellite operators will use the extra capacity to fully implement high def television and carry other advanced telecommunications services essential for connecting all regions of Canada.

According to reports, Industry Canada has already received interest about its push from Bell ExpressVu and Telesat Canada, both part of BCE, Ciel Satellite Communications and Eutelsat.

Industry Canada said it expects new satellites that are part of the initiative to provide service as early as 2009 or 2010. It added that the satellite industry is expected to invest several hundred million dollars in building, launching and insuring satellites for each license issued.

"We need to increase satellite capacity over the next few years, and this announcement is about securing and allocating satellite orbital resources," said Maxime Bernier, Canadian Minister of Industry. "This initiative will lead to new investments in Canada, and to new and more accessible telecommunications services for Canadians of all regions."

DKSat

[Thrylos2006]

Does this include Mega Cosmos coming back to Canada?

[HellasHab]

Does this include Mega Cosmos coming back to Canada?

Thrylos2006,

check out this thread regarding your question about Mega. YES, they are coming back to Canada along with Alter (or Alpha if it ever launches in N.America) via another company NOT Odyssey.

Mega Cosmos in Canada

:gr:

[Thrylos2006]

Thanks HellasHab,

I've seen that thread before. I just wanted to confirm if Mega Cosmos was in that 29 license initiative because there was no firm date in the thread.