ISRO issues official note on S-band deal

New Delhi, Feb 10 (IBNS): The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Thursday issued a statement, explaining in detail the controversial S-band spectrum row where it has been accused of virtually gifting pricey staellite communication airwaves to prvate form Devas Multimedia. Following is the text of note:

Background Note on Agreement between M/s. ANTRIX Corporation and M/s DEVAS Multimedia Pvt. Ltd regarding lease of space segment capacity in S-Band spectrum on ISRO?s Satellites GSAT-6 and GSAT-6A?

Background

ISRO has a constellation of geo-stationary satellites which provide various services to the country such as telecommunication, television, radio broadcasting as well as various societal ?applications such as medicine and education. These services are delivered to the customers through transponders that are located on the satellite. These transponders receive and transmit signals using different types of frequency bands that are designated as C-band, extended C-band,

There is a difference between terrestrial spectrum as allocated by the Department of Telecommunications for users on the ground and the issue of lease of transponders on satellites which require frequency to operate. The Department of Space is responsible for building, launching and operating satellites in the designated orbits. It leases transponders to customers, whether ?government or private. These are, for example, Doordarshan or DTH operators in the private sector like TV channels.

The frequency spectrum in the bands required for the satellites are allotted to Department of Space by the Department of Telecommunications based on assignments given by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

S-band

The S-band frequency spectrum has been in use for the INSAT series since 1983 for broadcasting (for Doordarshan) and later for mobile satellite services.