Lockheed Martin Intersputnik (LMI) and Rostelecom, Russia's national long-distance telecommunications operator, have announced an agreement for Rostelecom to use 25 transponders on the LMI-1 satellite which is planned for December 1998 launch. The contract marks the first multiple transponder commitment on LMI-1, making Rostelecom the major anchor customer on the first western-built satellite dedicated to serve Russia and the CIS.

The landmark agreement was announced at “Sviaz-Expocomm-98'', the annual

international telecommunications exhibition and conference in Moscow. Terms

of the agreement were not disclosed.

Rostelecom plans to utilise its LMI-1 transponders to establish a network

of 26-30 earth stations to provide telecommunications services to remote and

undeserved areas of Russia. The stations will be installed at all automatic

switched communication nodes and in towns which do not receive digital flows

via terrestrial facilities.

LMI is a joint venture between Lockheed Martin Corporation and the

Intersputnik International Organization, established in June 1997. LMI-1 is a

Lockheed Martin state-of-the-art A2100 satellite. Featuring 44 high-powered

transponders in C and Ku band frequencies with a designated 15 year service

life, LMI-1 will be the first satellite to provide high performance, long life

capacity to all of the CIS, in addition to Eastern Europe, South Asia and

Africa.

LMI-1 will be the first step in the establishment of custom designed

global satellite network to meet the telecommunications needs of developing

and undeserved countries. The satellite will be launched on a Proton vehicle

by ILS (International Launch Services), a separate Lockheed Martin joint

venture company, and will be located at 75 Degrees East Longitude.

Initially LMI-1 will provide broadcasting and telecommunications capacity,

VSAT and video and data distribution, expanding to a full range of services

including direct-to-home TV, direct radio and mobile communications on a

global scale. LMI will achieve its global coverage through the fifteen

orbital satellite slots provided by Intersputnik. The second satellite launch is planned for 1999, with two subsequent launches following in 2000 and 2001.

About Intersputnik

Intersputnik is an international intergovernmental organisation which

operates a satellite communications system and provides international,

regional and domestic communications worldwide. The organisation was

established more than 25 years ago and has 23 members countries. Intersputnik has built long term relationships with many broadcasters and

telecommunications operators worldwide.

Through its history Intersputnik has been providing its customers in the

Atlantic, Indian and Pacific regions with a wide range of telecommunications

services including voice, data, television and audio broadcasting in

international, domestic and regional public networks as well as the

establishment of video-conferencing and business communications networks.

Because the service area of LMI-1 is oriented toward Intersputnik markets.

Intersputnik is playing a major role in the marketing and customer service

activities of LMI-1, the first LMI satellite.