SET-listed satellite service provider Thaicom says it is looking to serve as a business partner for any operators offering low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite broadband services as the company specialises in the regional market.
The move comes after the LEO satellite Starlink project under billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk's SpaceX has allowed interested people to pre-order the service through its website with a refundable US$99 deposit, putting them on a priority list to purchase the Starlink kit when it becomes available.
Starlink is targeting service coverage for Bangkok in 2022, according to the company's website. Interested customers in Thailand can pre-order the service, which will be allotted on a first-come first-serve basis.
UK satellite communications firm OneWeb and internet giant Amazon are also making inroads with LEO satellite plans.
"For a close satellite service society we have been in the industry for long and we know all the operators, including Starlink," said Patompob Suwansiri, deputy chief executive and chief commercial officer of Thaicom.
"We are looking to open for partnership with any LEO satellite providers. We have more knowledge about the regional market than global players do so we can support their businesses."
LEO satellites operate 500-2,000km from Earth's surface, versus traditional communication satellites, also known as geostationary satellites, that are higher up at around 36,000km. The lower orbit means lower latency in signal transmission.
LEO satellites are projected by some to have strong business potential because they can beam the internet all over the globe, including deep into forests, high in the mountains or even across oceans, without relying on terrestrial telecom cell sites.
The project is expected to benefit people in remote areas where telecom cell sites and fixed broadband internet services are not available.
Mr Patompob said Starlink targets individual customers while Thaicom, which operates geostationary satellite Thaicom 4 for broadband service, serves businesses and organisations.
"We are in different markets," he said.
According to him, geostationary satellite technology is also making progress.
In the next few years, geostationary satellites will be controlled by software that can adjust signals beamed to the Earth upon order immediately.
"For example, if Myanmar becomes a good market, we may amplify the beaming signal to reach there," said Mr Patompob.
Thaicom is heading into a challenging time in September this year, when its concession contracts to operate Thaicom 4 and 6 satellites expire.
After the concession ends, Thaicom's satellites and earth stations must be transferred to the Digital Economy and Society Ministry.