RSCC Has Signed Agreement with Castor Networks to Use the New Express-AM8 Satellite and Strengthen Further Cooperation

De Meern, Netherlands, December 10, 2015 --(PR.com)-- Russian satellite operator RSCC and the European service provider, Castor Networks, have entered into an agreement to provide satellite communications services using RSCC spacecraft Express-AM8 (14˚ W). The new satellite capacity will enable to expand the growing business of Castor Networks in the maritime industry and support the existing contracts with private mining and energy companies in Africa.

“The contract with Castor Networks is the first new project on Express-AM8 satellite commissioned on 1st December 2015. We have mutually developed some ready-made solutions for different market segments. RSCC and Castor Networks have been building productive partnership for almost 10 years, providing services to customers in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa through RSCC Express-AM6 (53˚ E) and Express-AM44 (11˚ W) satellites. With this new agreement, our companies are bringing some new solutions in Latin America and expanding the geography of our cooperation in Africa,” said Ksenia Drozdova, Deputy Director General of RSCC.

Under the terms of the contract, Castor Networks will use the capacity of two transponders on Express-AM8 satellite (14˚ W) to provide communications services in the Europe – Europe, Europe – Latin America, and Europe – Africa directions. In order to ensure the highest quality and reliability of services provided via Express-AM8 (14˚ W) satellite, Castor Networks has installed a 9-meter antenna in its teleport based in Burum (The Netherlands). Castor Networks will also continue upgrading the ground-based facilities to support the operation of its teleport with the RSCC satellite fleet. In addition, the parties have agreed that RSCC will use the teleport in Burum to provide services through other RSCC satellites.

“We are very pleased with the longstanding cooperation with RSCC. The state-of-the-art Express-AM8 satellite (14˚ W) provides wide coverage and excellent performance both in Europe and in the Caribbean for the maritime and offshore oil platforms, as well as competitive coverage in Latin America and Africa. All this enables reliable satellite channels and cost effective connectivity solutions. In addition, mining and energy companies in Western Africa will enjoy optimum elevation angles and high-quality services on Express AM8,” said Ivo Veldkamp, Managing Director of Castor Networks.

The Russian Satellite Communication Company (RSCC) is the Russian state satellite operator whose spacecraft provide a global coverage. RSCC belongs to the ten largest world satellite operators in terms of satellites and orbital slots.

RSCC provides a full range of communications and broadcasting services via its own satellite fleet of 13 satellites and terrestrial infrastructure: video distribution and contributions, DTH services, satellite news gathering, presidential and government applications, broadband access and Internet, IP trunking and cellular backhaul, mobility solutions for vessels and other. The company deploys regional TV satellite distribution networks as well as multi-functional corporate and government VSAT networks. Besides, RSCC provides satellite telemetry, tracking and control services to other operators.

Today RSCC is present at all geographically available markets, providing services for customers from 52 countries worldwide.

The company possesses the largest satellite constellation in Russia located in the geostationary orbital arc from 14 West to 145 East and cover the whole territory of Russia, the CIS, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific region, North and South America, and Australia.

RSCC includes five teleports - Satellite Communications Centers (SCC): Dubna, Bear Lakes, Skolkovo, Zheleznogorsk, Khabarovsk and the Shabolovka Technical Center in Moscow as well as its own high-speed optical-fiber digital network.

RSCC reports to the Federal Communications Agency (Rossvyaz).

Castor Networks is a leading Netherlands provider of Teleport, VSAT and Broadcasting services to maritime, NGO, Energy, mining and media customers. Castor Networks provides reliable mission and business critical communication services including maritime VSAT and L-band services from its Teleport facilities in Burum, The Netherlands. To achieve high availability and reliability, all services are of set-up fully redundant with ready to be deployed spares. Castor Networks’s headquarters is in De Meern, The Netherlands. Castor Networks has offices in South Africa, South Sudan and Sierra Leone to provide local support to its customer base.