The second CASBAA Satellite Industry Forum got underway today at Singapore, with an audience of 200 senior industry professionals from across the world in attendance.

The Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) claims that the issues debated during the CASBAA Satellite Industry Forum are the agenda setters for an Asian market covering three billion people under a footprint running from Japan to the Middle East, from China to Australasia. Issues like new satellite services and new satellite technologies and the financing required, which are to be discussed at the forum, underpin the launch of a dozen satellites into geostationary orbit over Asia over the next five years, each satellite being worth up to US$ 250 million.

CASBAA CEO Simon Twiston Davies says he estimates the speakers, sponsors and delegates collectively represent 85 per cent of the global satellite communications industry, including names like Boeing, AsiaSat, Intelsat and Arianespace.

Keynote speakers at the CASBAA Satellite Industry Forum include chairman of SES Global Romain Bausch, operators of the Astra fleet in Europe and carriers of the BSkyB DTH package, JSAT CEO Takuya Yoshida, New Skies Satellites CEO Dan Goldberg, Boeing Satellite Systems president Randy Brinkley and Arianespace chairman and CEO Jean-Marie Luton. 

The Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia is the region's leading non-profit trade organisation for the promotion of multi-channel television and data transmission via cable and satellite networks and represents over 110 Asia-based corporations.