Telecompaper News: Satellite Edition

Digi acquires MobiApps, enters satellite M2M market

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:37:00 +0200

(Telecompaper) Digi International has entered the market for satellite subscriber communicators for the Orbcomm network with the acquisition of MobiApps. M2M communications technology developer MobiApps is specialised in Orbcomm satellite, mobile and hybrid satellite/mobile services. Digi plans to use the...

UltiSat installs teleport for Afcomsat in Nigeria

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:11:00 +0200

(Telecompaper) UltiSat, a global satellite communications managed network provider and systems integrator, announced the implementation and commissioning of a C-band teleport for AFCOMSAT, a Nigerian satellite services provider. Under its agreement with AFCOMSAT, UltiSat successfully designed, integrated,...

Dish Mexico tops 500,000 pay-TV subs in first six months

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:09:00 +0200

(Telecompaper) Satellite pay-TV operator Dish Mexico has reached 530,000 subscribers in the first six months since the service launch. Dish Mexico is a joint venture between radio and TV programming and carrier services company MVS Comunicaciones and satellite TV operator Echostar. The pay-TV service is currently...

Globecomm wins USD 3.6 mln contract from global organisation

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 10:43:00 +0200

(Telecompaper) US satellite infrastructure provider Globecomm Systems has been awarded a contract worth USD 3.6 million by a global organisation. Under the contract, Globecomm will design and deliver multi-media processing centres for its customer using a combined platform of satellite, broadcast and video services...

Telesat completes interest transfer in Telstar 10 to APT

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:11:00 +0200

(Telecompaper) Canada-based satellite service provider Telesat Canada and APT Satellite Company have closed a transaction pursuant to which Telesat has transferred its leasehold interests in Telstar 10/Apstar 2R to APT, along with certain customer contracts related to the satellite. As announced on 1 June, the total price was approximately USD 69 million...

Telespazio aims for EUR 650 million orders in 2009

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 23:18:00 +0200

(Telecompaper) Italian satellite solution and services company Telespazio has reported orders worth EUR 650 million in 2009 (compared to EUR 469 million in 2008), a production figure of EUR 490 million (EUR 432 million in 2008) and an EBIT margin of 10 percent (unchanged). Orders received for the period 2009-2011...

ViaSat signs 5-year contracts with RescomStar

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:50:00 +0200

(Telecompaper) ViaSat has signed two contracts with RascomStar-Qaf, the pan-African satellite operator, to deliver satellite systems for high-capacity infrastructure communications carrying pan-African telephony and data between regional and national capitals and for rural telecommunications access across the continent with RascomStar-Qaf VSAT terminals...

Yandex adds GPS route tracking features to maps service

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:56:00 +0200

(Telecompaper) Russian search engine group Yandex has added GPS tracking capabilities to its Maps service. Yandex.Maps users can now view their route or GPS track on a computer and email it to other service users. After completing the route, Yandex.Maps users can export the track from their mobile phone directly to the My Maps application...

Chunghwa completes network upgrades for PNCC

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 03:11:00 +0200

(Telecompaper) Taiwan's Chunghwa Telecom has completed improvements for Palau National Communications (PNCC). The project included the set-up of ground stations for satellite communications and the upgrade of mobile communications networks, The Digitimes reports.

TCS launches SwiftLink SABR product line

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:02:00 +0200

(Telecompaper) US mobile technology provider TeleCommunication Systems has launched its SwiftLink SABR (Satellite Access Baseband Remote) product line of communications products. SwiftLink SABR incorporates multi-band (Ku, Ka, X and C), multi-aperture (1.2M, 2.0M and 2.4M) VSAT antennas along with multiple standards-based, L-band modem options and a choice of four baseband configurations...

SkyVision launches satellite network with iDirect platform

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 11:20:00 +0200

(Telecompaper) Satellite services provider SkyVision has purchased the iDirect Series 15000 Universal Satellite Hub to launch an evolution network covering 100 percent of Africa, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and parts of Asia with a single C-band satellite beam. This advanced satellite IP service, based on...

Thaicom to diversify into broadcasting services

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 10:24:00 +0200

(Telecompaper) Thai Ipstar satellite services provider Thaicom plans to diversify into digital media and broadcasting services with a possible investment budget of up to THB 10 billion, Bangkok Post reports. The company strategy aims to reduce its heavy reliance on the non-profitable satellite business and to seek new lucrative business opportunities, Thaicom's CEO Arak Chonlatanon told the paper...

Iridium to supply comms for UCAR Cap Odyssee challenge

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 09:53:00 +0200

(Telecompaper) Iridium and service provider SeaMobile Europe are supplying high-bandwidth satellite communications to support this summer's UCAR Cap Odyssee challenge, that will see three French women attempt to cross the North Atlantic from Cap Breton Island, Canada, to Cap Breton, France, on paddleboards....

Metropolitan Police to track officers using GPS

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:21:00 +0200

(Telecompaper) London's Metropolitan Police Force is investing GBP 2.2 million to equip police officers on patrol with personal GPS systems, writes The Independent. The Met has instructed officers that they will no longer patrol in pairs. To ensure the safety of individual officers, the police force will...

Vizada launches ThurayaIP broadband mobile satellite service

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:30:00 +0200

(Telecompaper) Global satellite communications provider Vizada has launched the ThurayaIP broadband mobile satellite service. ThurayaIP offers broadband IP data speeds of up to 444 Kbps and an advanced streaming service with rates up to 384 Kbps. The launch follows an extensive development phase with Thuraya to fine-tune the service and link it to Vizada's network infrastructure...

Iridium, Stratos offer satellite service for Ocean Watch

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:24:00 +0200

(Telecompaper) Iridium Satellite and Stratos Global have teamed to provide satellite communication equipment and services for the "Around the Americas" sailing expedition, which got underway from Seattle on 31 May. Stratos installed an Iridium OpenPort high-bandwidth marine satcom system on the expedition's 64-foot steel-hull sailboat, Ocean Watch...

Senegal's postal service deploys VSAT system

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:54:00 +0200

(Telecompaper) The Senegalese postal service has interconnected 140 post offices across the country with a VSAT system, writes local press agency APS, citing project head Mbaye Ndiaye. The solution allows staff to use the internet and VoIP from the computer network. The same project included cabling offices and setting up a videoconferencing system and a call centre, Ndiaye added...

Inmarsat FB150 service goes live

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:30:00 +0200

(Telecompaper) UK-based mobile satellite communications services provider Inmarsat has launched its FleetBroadband 150 (FB150) service. The global roll-out by FleetBroadband distribution partners is already under way. The FB150 offers a voice connection at fixed-line quality, accessible simultaneously with an internet connection at 150kbps and SMS service...

Orbcomm appoints Bell as executive VP of sales, marketing

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 09:12:00 +0200

(Telecompaper) Satellite data communications company Orbcomm has appointed Brian Bell as executive vice president of sales and marketing. Bell will focus on all aspects of the company's selling processes, including current accounts, developing new accounts and incorporating the sales and network infrastructure within Orbcomm to develop new business opportunities...

Turkey prepares telecoms satellite launch

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 09:11:00 +0200

(Telecompaper) Turkey plans to launch a new telecommunication satellite. Preparations are underway and the tender for the new satellite project will be launched this year, reports the Anatolia news agency, citing Binali Yildirim, Turkish minister of transport. "We will select the company and later building will start...