Bank buys complete satellite
May 31, 2016
By Chris Forrester
An Indonesian bank is making an unusual purchase: a brand new satellite that it will use exclusively for improved connectivity across its 10,600 branch network across the huge Indonesian archipelago.
Headquartered in Jakarta, BRIsat, owned by PT. Bank Rakyat Indonesia Tbk (BRI), will also serve about 240,000 electronic terminals over the more than 8000 inhabited islands of Indonesia, and 53 million customers (out of a national population of more than 250 million).
Space Systems/Loral-built BRIsat, which is believed to be the first satellite owned by a bank for its own use, is scheduled to be launched on June 8 by Arianespace.
Arianespace (on its Flight 230) will also be carrying EchoStar-18 on the launch, also built by Space Systems/Loral.