Eutelsat and Asia Broadcast Satellite (ABS) have partnered to colocate Eutelsat’s Eurobird-4 satellite at 75° east with the ABS-1 and ABS-1A satellites operated by ABS.

The redeployment will add another eight Ku-band transponders to 75° east to serve the Middle East, central Asia and Russia.

The Eurobird-4 satellite will be renamed W75/ABS-1B under the redeployment.

Eutelsat chief executive officer Michel de Rosen said that W75/ABS-1B will bring increased Ku-band capacity to 75° east for the Middle East and CIS regions where the supply of Ku-band capacity is scarce and in high demand.

“This strategic cooperation will greatly benefit the customers of both Eutelsat and ABS who have been seeking expansion capacity in these regions,” Rosen said.

ABS is a growing satellite operator that covers Asia, the CIS region, the Middle East, most of Africa and Eastern Europe, while Eutelsat operates 27 satellites that provide coverage over the entire European continent, the Middle East, Africa, India and significant parts of Asia and the Americas.