SES New Skies, an SES company said that Talia, one of the largest suppliers of satellite internet services for North Africa and the Middle East, has contracted multiple transponders on the NSS-12 satellite due for launch in the second half of 2009.

It said NSS-12 will replace the existing NSS-703 satellite at the orbital position of 57 degrees East.

Talia is recognised as one of the premier satellite internet providers in the Middle East, Africa and Europe, and already operates a successful broadband network on the NSS-703 satellite.

The company is headquartered in London with offices in Dubai. Talia has contracted capacity on NSS-12 valued in excess of $10 million.

Alan Afrasiab, CEO of Talia, said: “During 2009, NSS-12 will become one of the most powerful satellites in the region. Its vast footprint and high-output power levels ideally support Talia's ambitions to increase our coverage area and to target new customers.

"We look forward to a successful launch of NSS-12 and to our transition from NSS-703 to the new SES New Skies satellite."

Scott Sprague, senior vice president of Global Sales at SES New Skies, said: "We are most pleased to welcome Talia as one of our first customers aboard NSS-12 and to support them in growing their business with the transition of their existing network to new, increased capacity.

"The pre-marketing for NSS-12, which will be the second largest spacecraft in our fleet, is running at full speed, supported by the impressive technical specifications of the satellite, its extended coverage of Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia, as well as the established orbital position of 57 degrees East at the crossroads of four continents." - TradeArabia News Service