Satellite News articles from August 2008

Satellite News archives from August 2008

MBC Subscriber Numbers at Less than 10 Percent of Expectations.
August 6, 2008... [Satellite News 08-05-08] It is little surprise that Toshiba Corp. decided to shut down Mobile Broadcasting Corp. (MBC), its satellite digital multimedia broadcasting business, considering the subscriber numbers have been massively below...

SkyTerra Confident It Can Acquire Inmarsat.
August 6, 2008... [Satellite News 08-05-08] SkyTerra displayed strong confidence during its second quarter earnings report that a speedy regulatory process would allow the company, along with Harbinger Capital Partners, to acquire Inmarsat. While SkyTerra...

Analysts Remain Bullish About Eutelsat's Prospects.
August 6, 2008... [Satellite News 08-04-08] On July 31, Eutelsat Communications issued its full year results for the year ending June, which once again saw the operator post solid revenue growth driven by strong performance in the video applications arena....

Analysts Say Third SpaceX Failure May Jeopardize Space Station Contracts.
August 6, 2008... [Satellite News 08-04-08] Marco Caceres, Senior Analyst and Director of Space Studies for The Teal Group, said that the August 2 failure of SpaceX's third Falcon mission may throw their ability to compete for valuable NASA contracts into...

Satellite's Role in Bringing Broadband to the United States.
August 6, 2008... In these difficult economic times, U.S. federal and state governments are looking for alternatives to cut costs of living for citizens. While the concept of upgraded infrastructure has long meant building more bridges and roads, political...

SIA Urges FCC to Add Satellite Requirement to D Block Safety Network.
August 6, 2008... [Satellite News 07-30-08] The Satellite Industry Association (SIA) has urged the U.S. Federal Communication Commission (FCC) to continue encouraging and facilitating the incorporation of satellite-based communications capability into public...

SkyLife Sees HD Taking Off in Korea.
August 6, 2008... [Satellite News 07-31-08] Korean Digital Satellite Broadcasting (SkyLife) expects to have 220,000 subscribers for its high-definition (HD) services by the end of the year, the company's CTO said. The direct-to-home (DTH) operator, one of...

While Others Discuss Consolidation, Sukawaty Focuses on Business.
August 13, 2008... [Satellite News 08-08-08] Inmarsat got back to basics this week with the announcement of an impressive set of results, which saw strong increases in operating profits and revenues for the first half of 2008. The mobile satellite services...

Satellite's Role in Bringing Broadband to the United States (Part 2).
August 13, 2008... In these difficult economic times, U.S. federal and state governments are looking for alternatives to cut costs of living for citizens. While the concept of upgraded infrastructure has long meant building more bridges and roads, political...

Comtech Promises Business Will Remain 'As Usual' For Radyne Customers.
August 13, 2008... [Satellite News 08-06-08] Customers loyal to Radyne products have nothing to fear over the company's acquisition by Comtech Telecommunication Corp., said Comtech EF Data's senior vice president of strategic marketing & business development,...

HD Services Coming to Thailand.
August 13, 2008... [Satellite News [08-07-08] TrueVisions UBC, the main direct-to-home (DTH) platform in Thailand, plans to launch high-definition (HD) services in 2009, Ongard Prapakamol, the company's chief commercial officer, told Satellite News. "I...

New COO Drives Aggressive Growth Approach for EMS.
August 13, 2008... [Satellite News 08-08-08] EMS Technologies (EMS) is growing aggressively, backed by a booming wireless market. Perhaps that is why the company appointed Neil Mackay COO and executive vice president in July. Not only does he have 15 years...

EU Boost But Questions Marks Remain over Mobile Broadcasting.
August 13, 2008... [Satellite News 08-11-08] The European Commission (EC) unveiled Aug. 7 the selection procedure for operators seeking a license to provide pan-European mobile satellite services. Satellite operators will for the first time be able to offer...

GMV: Having Fun And Maintaining Independence.(Interview)
August 13, 2008... [Satellite News 08-12-08] The satellite industry should be innovative, exciting and most importantly, fun, according to Theresa Beech, vice president of business development for GMV. GMV, based in Spain with offices in Portugal and the...

Satellite STB Shipments To Fall Below 50 Percent in 2008.
August 20, 2008... [Satellite News 08-13-08] Set-top boxes (STB) for the satellite market will account for less than 50 percent of total unit shipments in 2008, according to U.S. research firm In-Stat expects. About 80 million STBs for satellite pay-TV...

Boeing Used Pulse Line To Lean Satellite Assembly.
August 20, 2008... [Satellite News 08-14-08] By bringing the pulse assembly line to Boeing's satellite manufacturing facilities, the company intends to reduce production cycle time by 50 percent by the end of the year. Boeing unveiled plans Aug. 11 to...

Part 3 - Satellite's Role in Telecommuting.
August 20, 2008... [Satellite News 08-14-08] If a company wants to hold a board meeting where participants broadcast live from their living rooms in high-definition (HD) streaming video, a long list of equipment is required. First, each board member needs a...

Iridium CEO Defends Economic Viability of LEO Constellations.
August 20, 2008... [Satellite News 08-15-08] The CEOs of Inmarsat and Iridium have made it very clear that the two companies are direct and heated competitors. Andy Sukawaty, CEO of Inmarsat, has commented publicly on what he believes is the economic...

Analyst Says Russian Hostilities May Affect NASA.
August 20, 2008... [Satellite News 08-15-08] Industry analyst Tim Farrar told Satellite News that NASA's dependency upon the Russian Soyuz space capsules and rockets to carry astronauts to and from the space station could leave the organization vulnerable to...

Foxtel Sees HD Poised for Strong Growth in Australia.
August 20, 2008... [Satellite News 08-18-08] Foxtel has seen a strong early take-up of high- definition (HD) services in Australia, attracting nearly 40,000 HD subscribers since launching the service in June. Patrick Delany, executive director of sales and...

Brazil's Satellite Imaging Market Sees Potential.
August 20, 2008... [Satellite News 08-19-08] Economists see a bright future for Brazil's economy, and while Brazil is insulated from a majority of the global economic downturn, surging food prices still concern the agricultural superpower. To help combat...

Eumetsat Plans Greater Role in Climate Change Issues.
August 27, 2008... [Satellite Today 08-21-08] The European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (Eumetsat) is set to play a key role in the battle against climate change. Through new satellites and partnerships with similar...

Dish Network Targeting Latino Customers in DTV Switchover.
August 27, 2008... [Satellite News 08-21-08] Dish Network's new package deal, unveiled Aug. 21, aims to acquire Latino subscribers affected by the switch to digital TV. The switch from analog broadcasts to digital is scheduled to take place Feb. 17 and may...

Presidential Candidates' Space Plans Look Identical.
August 27, 2008... [Satellite News 08-20-08] The platforms of both Democratic presidential candidate Barrack Obama and Republican candidate John McCain use the same language to discuss the future of the U.S. space program. The details of Obama's program,...

AsiaSat 6 Contract Decision Expected Within Three Months.
August 27, 2008... [Satellite News 08-22-08] AsiaSat expects to announce who has won the contract for the AsiaSat 6 satellite in the next three months. Peter Jackson's AsiaSat CEO told Satellite News, "We plan to issue a request for proposal before the end...

ManSat CEO Looking Forward from Legal Victory.(Chris Stott)
August 27, 2008... [Satellite News 08-25-08] ManSat and the Office of Communications (Ofcom), an independent regulator and competition authority for the U.K. communications industries won a favorable ruling Aug. 13 in the High Court of London over a long running...

Stratos Executives See Potential in JSAT Joint Venture.(Interview)
August 27, 2008... [Satellite News 08-26-08] Stratos Global executives returned from a trip to Japan with a new joint venture, JSAT Mobile Communications, in hand. The entity, developed partnership with JSAT, is set to bring Stratos' localized broadband...