TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia is the largest potential market in Southeast Asia for Arianespace, the world's first commercial satellite launcher. The French firm sees Indonesia as a country with geographical conditions that create a high need for satellite services.

Arianespace's managing director Richard Bowles said in Singapore on Tuesday that Indonesia as an archipelago requires satellite network to support telecommunications applications, economic development, medical treatment, and monitoring natural disasters.

The company will launch BRIsat for BRI Indonesia and Telkom 3S for PT Telkom in the near future.

"BRI will be the first customer from the banking industry that uses a satellite network to support its services in Indonesia's remote areas, especially remote islands," he said. The satellite will serve about 11,000 BRI branches of BRI in Indonesia.

Meanwhile, the Telkom 3S—scheduled for launch in 2016—will relay HDTV services and Ku-band frequencies for GSM/remote internet access.

Arianespace has launched 71 satellites for 16 operators in Asia Pacific for more than 34 years. The company plans to launch 11 satellite bars for customers in Australia, Indonesia, Japan, and South Korea over the next few years.

For Indonesia, Arianespace has helped launch the Palapa C2 satellite in 1996, the Cakrawala 1 in 1997, Telkom1 in 1991 and Telkom 2 in 2005.

ANTARA | RR