Rio - A new satellite is now orbiting over the Amazon region. It is owned by Hispamar, a Brazilian satellite firm, controlled by the Spanish company, Hispasat, which is the leading satellite telecomunnications firm on the Iberian Peninsula.

The new satellite has been named Amazonas. It will cover an area previously dominated by Embratel's Star One and a much wider area, as well. The Embratel Star One covered only Brazil and its border areas with Bolivia and Paraguay. The Amazonas will cover the Americas from Canada to Patagonia, focusing mainly on Brazil. It will be the first satellite operating on the C and KU bands for all of the Americas, along with parts of Europe and Africa.

The Amazonas will provide commercial and administrative services for the Brazilian government, including the military, but will not provide national security services. Star One provides national security services.

Hispamar invested US$320 million in the Amazonas satellite. It will go into operation at the end of this month and begin providing users with information and services in September.

Agência Brasil
Reporter: Alana Gandra
Translator: Allen Bennett
08/05/2004