Satellite Today articles from January 2003

Satellite Today archives from January 2003

Gilat's Recent Contract Wins in Latin America, Africa Boost Backlog.
January 6, 2003... Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. [GILTF], a satellite networking technology company, reported a "significant increase" in its order backlog when it released its latest quarterly results Monday. The gains are a sign that the Israel-based company's...

PanAmSat Promotion Aimed At Freeing CEO To Grow Revenues.
January 6, 2003... The promotion of James Frownfelter to the post of chief operating officer at PanAmSat Corp. [SPOT] is aimed at allowing CEO Joseph Wright to focus on growing the company's revenues. Shifting of operational duties to Frownfelter will free...

STMicroelectronics Passes the 100 Million Mark for Set-Top Box Chips.
January 6, 2003... STMicroelectronics [STM], a supplier of set-top box and MPEG decoder chips, recently shipped its 100 millionth MPEG-2 device to set-top box manufacturers, company officials said. ST's chips are used in the satellite, cable and terrestrial TV...

KVH To Introduce Live Satellite TV in Cars.
January 6, 2003... KVH Industries [KVHI] will unveil its TracVision A5 in-motion satellite TV antenna on Thursday at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The 4-1/2 inch high TracVision in-motion satellite TV system uses phased-array antenna technology to...

MVS Sells 1,000 Inmarsat Regional BGAN Terminals.
January 6, 2003... The MVS Group, a distribution partner for Inmarsat's high-speed satellite-based Regional BGAN service, has sold 1,000 terminals for the service and expects Regional BGAN to triple its own commercial sales within its Eastern European sale...

Pegasus Stock Trades Under Temporary Symbol.
January 6, 2003... Pegasus Communications Corp. said that as a result of its previously announced one-for-10 reverse stock split, its Class A common stock has been trading on Nasdaq on a post-split basis under the temporary trading symbol "PGTVD." The...

General Dynamics Provides Support For Tonga Satellite.
January 7, 2003... General Dynamics Network Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics [NYSE: GD], will provide satellite engineering and flight-operations services for the first of several commercial communications satellites that Tonga-based Friendly Islands...

Satellite TV Gains Slow In Canada, Study Finds.
January 7, 2003... Cable TV providers are gaining market share in the Canadian digital television market at the expense of satellite TV services, a new study has found. Canadian satellite TV providers have seen anemic growth in recent quarters, according to...

Globecomm Awarded $5.3 Million In Satellite Infrastructure Contracts.
January 7, 2003... Hauppauge, N.Y.-based Globecomm Systems Inc. [GCOM], a provider of endto-end satellite communications services, won two satellite equipment infrastructure contracts valued at $5.3 million. The first contract, obtained from an unidentified...

ITU Partnership To Provide Satellite Services for Disaster Management.
January 7, 2003... The International Telecommunication Union is partnering with London-based Inmarsat to promote rural telecommunication and support emergency communications in developing countries. Inmarsat will make a 105,000 euro ($109,500) contribution toward...

Orbital Recovery Appoints Space Insurance Expert.
January 7, 2003... Orbital Recovery Corp. has appointed Kirby Ikin as its senior vice president for risk management. Ikin has extensive experience in the space insurance and risk management sectors, which he will apply to Orbital Recovery's development of a space...

Titan II Coriolis Launches from Vandenberg.
January 7, 2003... The U.S. Air Force successfully launched a Titan II booster from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California at 6:19 a.m. on Monday. The joint government and industry project, dubbed "Coriolis," places a U.S. Navy windsat radiometer and an Air...

Ariane 5 Launch Of Rosetta Satellite Remains In Limbo.
January 8, 2003... In the aftermath of the Dec. 11 Ariane 5 launch failure, Arianespace has set up a panel to decide by Jan. 14 whether to proceed with the next Ariane 5 launch, which would send the Rosetta scientific satellite into space. That mission must be...

Eagle Broadband Gains Satellite Phone Customer.
January 8, 2003... Eagle Broadband Inc. [NYSE: EAG], a supplier of broadband products, services and content, has received an initial purchase order from Euro-GSM (Belgium) to provide low-Earth-orbit, satellite-based communications. Known as the "Orb Phone...

EMS Signs Mobile Satellite Ventures As Partner.
January 8, 2003... Mobile Satellite Ventures, owner and operator of a North American mobile communications network, named satellite and terrestrial wireless systems manufacturer EMS Technologies Inc. [Nasdaq: ELMG] as its latest service provider. EMS will...

Ground Control, HNS To Offer Satellite Broadband to Businesses.
January 8, 2003... Ground Control, a provider of mobile and fixed satellite Internet access for businesses, and Hughes Network Systems (HNS) have signed an agreement to provide HNS' DirecWay two-way, high-speed satellite communications services to businesses...

Verestar, Verizon Receive SPECTRUM Contract from State Department.
January 8, 2003... Verestar, a provider of satellite integration services, and Verizon Communications [NYSE: VZ] have received a SPECTRUM contract from the U.S. Department of State to provide satellite and terrestrial communication services for U.S. embassies and...

Cabletel Division Receives New Connector Approval by DirecTV.
January 8, 2003... Cabletel Communications Corp. [NYSE: TTV], which distributes broadband, fiber optic equipment and solutions serving the Canadian television and telecommunication industries, has received DirecTV approval for its Stirling Manufacturing unit's...

XM Reaches 360,000 Subscriber Mark.
January 9, 2003... XM Satellite Radio [XMSR] amassed more than 360,000 subscribers amid a flurry of purchases during the holiday-selling season. XM President and CEO Hugh Panero described the company's fourth-quarter sales performance as "outstanding," and...

Sirius Demonstrates New Video Capability.
January 9, 2003... Sirius Satellite Radio [SIRI] was the second U.S. satellite radio to enter commercial service, but it intends to be the first to add a video component onto its existing slate of audio programming. Company officials demonstrated the...

StarBand Introduces New High-speed Modem.
January 9, 2003... High-speed, two-way satellite Internet provider StarBand has launched the StarBand 480 Pro, a network-ready satellite modem designed for business use. The modem is designed to provide high-performance service with peak download speeds of more...

French Football Rights Under Scrutiny.
January 9, 2003... The French anti-trust authority is looking into a complaint by French pay-TV satellite operator TPS that the recent football rights deal struck between Canal+ and the French football league is illegal. The original deal gives Canal+ exclusive...

Globecomm Systems Extends Relationship With Agility.
January 9, 2003... Globecomm Systems Inc. [GCOM], a provider of satellite-based communications solutions, has extended and expanded its relationship with Agility Recovery Solutions, a provider of on-site recovery and business continuity solutions across Canada...

Navman Introduces GPS Device For Bluetooth-Enabled Pocket PCs.
January 9, 2003... Navman, a manufacturer of global positioning system, communication and marine products, has released its latest compact GPS companion product for the Pocket PC and Tablet PC platforms. The Navman GPS 4400 provides satellite connectivity to...

Cable, Satellite TV Stocks Should Outperform Market In 2003.
January 10, 2003... After a "pretty dismal 2002," both cable and satellite TV stocks should outperform the rest of the market this year, predicted Douglas S. Shapiro, a satellite and cable analyst with Bank of America Securities. Fundamentally, both the cable...

DirecTV To Offer Local Signals In 101 Markets By Year-end.
January 10, 2003... DirecTV Inc., the satellite TV subsidiary of Hughes Electronics Corp. [NYSE: GMH], unveiled a plan to introduce local broadcast stations in 50 additional U.S. markets by the end of the year. Ten of those new markets will be served by June 30,...

XM Equipment Will Be Factory-installed in Toyota Scion.
January 10, 2003... Automaker Toyota's Scion model will begin offering satellite radio equipment from XM Satellite Radio [Nasdaq: XMSR] as a factory installed option this June. The Scion will have a MSRP of $16,000 and will begin arriving in U.S. showrooms this...

CSI Wireless Signs Telematics Deal with Directed Electronics.
January 10, 2003... CSI Wireless Inc. has signed an agreement to be the exclusive telematics hardware supplier to Directed Electronics, an aftermarket vehicle security and remote-start product manufacturer. CSI (Calgary, Alberta) will provide a telematics product...

Cobra Electronics Partners With Horizon Navigation.
January 10, 2003... Cobra Electronics Corp. [Nasdaq: COBR] has inked a product development and licensing agreement with Horizon Navigation to develop Cobra-branded aftermarket mobile navigation products targeted to begin shipping in early 2004. Horizon...

Digital Angel Unveils Miniaturized GPS Devices.
January 10, 2003... Digital Angel Corp. [AMEX: DOC] has unveiled the first in a series of miniaturized Global Positioning System (GPS) locator products for mobile connectivity to people, pets and assets. The device enables the location of a person, pet or...

Eutelsat CEO Talks Up Ka-Band Strategy.
January 13, 2003... Eutelsat is taking the lead in launching Ka-band broadband satellite services in Europe, said CEO Giuliano Berretta. But he sees areas of cooperation with other satellite service providers. Berretta told Satellite Today: "With the failure...

Boeing Delta II Delivers NASA Satellites Into Space.
January 13, 2003... A Boeing [NYSE: BA] Delta II rocket successfully launched the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's ICESat (ice, cloud and elevation satellite) and CHIPSat (cosmic hot interstellar plasma spectrometer satellite) Sunday from Space...

Globecomm Gets $15M European Satellite Infrastructure Contract.
January 13, 2003... Globecomm Systems [Nasdaq: GCOM], a provider of satellite-based communications, received a $15 million contract to provide satellite infrastructure to a European customer. Under the terms of the contract, Globecomm (Hauppauge, N.Y.) will...

Foundation Telecom, SES Ink Strategic Partnership.
January 13, 2003... Foundation Telecommunications Inc. (FTI) and SES Americom Inc., an SES Global [Luxembourg: SESG] unit, have agreed to a strategic partnership that will enable cable system operators to deliver broadband Internet connectivity. FTI's new service...

Conexant Introduces Low-Power Satellite Demodulator.
January 13, 2003... Conexant Systems Inc. [Nasdaq: CNXT], which supplies semiconductor systems for communications applications, has introduced a low-power demodulator and forward error correction (FEC) decoder for satellite set-top boxes, PC receivers, personal...

L-3 Unit Secures $52M Contract Modification from U.S. Military.
January 13, 2003... L-3 Communications' (NYSE:LLL) Communication Systems-East division has received a $52 million contract modification for the U.S. military's secure global communications system via the advanced extremely high frequency communications security...

SES Astra, Kinderkanal Extends Transponder Leasing Deal.
January 14, 2003... SES Astra, a unit of SES Global [Luxembourg: SESG], reached a new longterm agreement for Kinderkanal (KI.KA) to use transponder capacity for analog broadcasts and prime time transmissions. KI.KA can be viewed an additional two hours per day...

C-COM Satellite Sees Higher Revenues.
January 14, 2003... C-COM Satellite Systems Inc., an Ottawa, Ontario-based supplier of satellite Internet technology, reported a 57 percent increase in fourth-quarter revenues from $484,146 in 2001 to $759,719 in 2002. Total revenues generated for fiscal year 2002...

Frost & Sullivan Releases Study on Ka-Band Broadband Services.
January 14, 2003... The Ka-band is an untapped resource that will find increasing demand as Ku- and C-band spectrum becomes depleted, according to Frost & Sullivan's study, "World Ka-band Satellite Broadband Services Market." However, high migration costs and...

GM To Expand XM Satellite Radio to 44 Models.
January 14, 2003... General Motors Corp. [NYSE: GM] announced today that it will offer XM Satellite Radio's [Nasdaq: XMSR] products on 44 of 57 its 2004 models, representing more than 75 percent of GM's fleet. In November 2001, GM became the first automaker to...

Former Comsat Exec Joins Senate Majority Leader's Staff.
January 14, 2003... Paul E. Jacobson, vice president of corporate communications for Starz Encore Group LLC, has been named deputy communications director for U.S. Senate Majority Leader Senator Bill Frist (R-Tenn.). Jacobson joined Starz Encore in 1998 after...

Analytical Graphics Expands Alliance With SAIC.
January 14, 2003... Analytical Graphics Inc. (AGI) has expanded its seven-year strategic alliance with Science Applications International Corp./Advanced Technology Group (SAIC/ATG) of Huntsville, Ala. AGI will assist SAIC/ATG's business development efforts to...

PanAmSat's Revenues Slipped As Cost-Cutting Accelerates.
January 15, 2003... While 2002 revenues slipped, PanAmSat Corp.'s [Nasdaq: SPOT] cost-cutting during the past year helped the company to achieve slightly improved profitability, company officials reported Tuesday. The company posted 2002 revenues of $812.3...

Hughes Global Services Soon May Be Owned By PanAmSat.
January 15, 2003... In an effort to tap into the growing satellite capacity needs of the U.S. government, PanAmSat Corp. [Nasdaq: SPOT] is planning on acquiring sister company Hughes Global Services (HGS). PanAmSat, a subsidiary of HGS owner Hughes Electronics...

New Skies Expands Asia-Pacific Offerings.
January 15, 2003... New Skies Satellites [NYSE: NSK] and REACH, a Hong Kong-based international carrier of voice, private line and IP data services, have signed an agreement that will combine the capabilities of New Skies' newly launched NSS-6 pan-Asian satellite...

Space Imaging Signs Raytheon Australia As Reseller.
January 15, 2003... Space Imaging has signed up Raytheon Australia, a unit of U.S.-based Raytheon [NYSE: RTN], as a master reseller of Space Imaging's products and services including imagery from its earth imaging satellite IKONOS. The agreement allows Raytheon...

Lockheed Martin/General Dynamics Add Boeing To MUOS Team.
January 15, 2003... Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] and General Dynamics [NYSE: GD] have added Boeing Satellite Systems to their team competing to develop the U.S. Navy's next generation narrowband tactical satellite communications system, known as the mobile user...

Rosetta Satellite Will Target Another Comet.
January 15, 2003... A decision Tuesday to delay the launch of the European Space Agency's (ESA) Rosetta scientific satellite will require the selection of another comet for the spacecraft to target for a rendezvous. The previous plan of landing the satellite...

XM Reduces Threshold Of Approval Needed For Refinancing.
January 16, 2003... XM Satellite Radio [Nasdaq: XMSR] will be able to reduce the minimum participation of its existing noteholders in its refinancing plan from 90 percent to 75 percent, following approval of the plan by a key investor group and General Motors...

Lufthansa Begins In-flight Internet Service Trial For Passengers.
January 16, 2003... Passengers aboard a Lufthansa [OTC: DLAKY] Boeing 747-400 can use laptops to gain high-speed connections to the Internet, including full access to their personal or business e-mail accounts and files. As part of a three-month demonstration,...

DirecTV Begins Offering Local Signals In Richmond.
January 16, 2003... Hughes Electronics [NYSE: GMH] satellite TV subsidiary DirecTV Inc. on Thursday began offering local broadcast channels in the Richmond, Va., market to subscribers who request the upgrade. Richmond is the 52nd U.S. market where DirecTV...

Spacenet To Provide GTECH With VSATs for State Lottery Systems.
January 16, 2003... Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd.'s [Nasdaq: GILTF] subsidiary Spacenet Inc. has signed multiple agreements with global lottery services provider GTECH Corp. to install more than 10,000 Gilat Skystar Advantage broadband satellite communications...

Inforetech Wireless Signs $3.75M Distribution Accord With Satellite Golf.
January 16, 2003... Inforetech Wireless Technology Inc., a supplier of Global Positioning System technology for the golf industry, announced that Satellite Golf Inc., had acquired distribution rights in Nevada and first rights of refusal in Oregon. Under the...

BSM Enters Vehicle Security and GPS Tracking Market.
January 16, 2003... Canada's BSM Technologies Inc. [Toronto: BSM] announced Thursday that it plans to enter the commercial vehicle security and safety market with a line of wireless products and software offerings. BSM's Guardian product provides ongoing...

Mexico, Canada Negotiate FSS Coordination Agreement.
January 17, 2003... The Mexican government and Mexican satellite operator Satelites Mexicanos (Satmex) are holding talks with the Canadian government and Canadian satellite operator Telesat Canada to reach a new coordination agreement for fixed satellite services...

New Globalstar Investor Accepts Big Risk.
January 17, 2003... New Valley Corp. [Nasdaq: NVAL], an investment firm primarily focused on the real estate business, has committed to give bankrupt satellite phone service provider Globalstar much-needed debtor-in-possession financing as the first step toward...

Study Predicts Ka-band Capacity Will Triple.
January 17, 2003... A new study about planned Ka-band satellite systems projects that 190 transponders will be available to provide broadband services by the end of 2004. The 42 commercial Ka-band transponders in orbit at the end of 2002 will be joined this year...

DirecTV Guidance For 2003 Belies Upside Potential.
January 17, 2003... The 2003 outlook for Hughes Electronics [NYSE: GMH] subsidiary DirecTV Inc. is more promising that the company's conservative guidance would suggest, concluded Karim Zia, the cable and satellite analyst with Deutsche Bank Securities. ...

Lockheed Martin To Keep 'Streamlined' Commercial Space Systems.
January 17, 2003... After an analysis of its "strategic options" regarding its Commercial Space Systems unit, Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] has decided not to sell or close it. "Rather than aligning [the unit] with another satellite manufacturer, or...

UniTracking VTU Expands GPS Cellular Coverage.
January 17, 2003... UniTracking VTU, a division of Kabu Concept Marketing, has increased coverage for UniTracking VTU, its Global Positioning System and cellular vehicle tracking and monitoring device. Coverage is now available in most areas across North America...

Loral Sees Enough New Asian Business To Stay Busy.
January 21, 2003... HONOLULU--The Asian market will be good for up to six new commercial satellite orders over the next 24 months, according to projections from two key executives of Loral Space and Communications [NYSE: LOR] at the Pacific Telecommunications...

Little Improvement Seen For Beleaguered Launch Services Sector.
January 21, 2003... HONOLULU--As the world's commercial expendable launch vehicle (ELV) companies struggle to regain their footing following a year of plummeting prices for their services and a series of high-profile rocket failures, some executives here said they...

Shifting Telecom Tides Slows Development of Digital TV Globally.
January 21, 2003... HONOLULU--Although the global march toward digital television continues, it has slowed down due to global economic woes, which are causing regional and global satellite operators to adjust their sales and marketing efforts with broadcasters and...

Boeing Showcases 2003 Manifest of 20 Launches.
January 21, 2003... HONOLULU--Boeing Launch Services, operator of the Sea Launch and Delta launch vehicle families, has scheduled 20 launches for 2003, BLS vice president Jane Schnaars said here Monday. The 2003 run includes 10 Delta 2 vehicles, one Delta 3, four...

Intelsat Signs Agreement for REACH Teleport in Asia.
January 21, 2003... Intelsat has signed an agreement with REACH, a joint venture between Hong Kong-based PCCW [NYSE: PCW] and Australia's Telstra Corp. [NYSE: TLS], to lease teleport services from REACH's Stanley Teleport in Hong Kong. The agreement...

Eastern European Broadcasters Choose GlobeCast DTH Platform for U.S. Distribution.
January 21, 2003... Serbian network BK TV, Hungarian broadcaster Duna TV, and Poland's TVP3 have selected the GlobeCast WorldTV direct-to-home platform on Telstar 5 for subscription satellite distribution in the United States. GlobeCast's WorldTV platform on...

Boeing Satellite Systems 'Re-sizing' For Future Business.
January 22, 2003... HONOLULU--Boeing Satellite Systems (BSS), the commercial satellite arm of Boeing [NYSE: BA], has used current global market circumstances to "look at what is really core to our business," President Randy Brinkley told SATELLITE TODAY here at...

Satellite Expert Offers Asia Satellite Industry Outlook.
January 22, 2003... HONOLULU--Asia represents one of the world's largest markets for satellite products and services, with 67 commercial satellites transmitting to a third of the world's population. Asian satellite operators "may be faring better than their...

NDS CEO Focuses on European, U.S. Markets.
January 22, 2003... NDS CEO Abe Peled outlined the challenges for conditional access vendors this year. NDS is trying to bounce back from a difficult 12 months. Last year, NDS became embroiled in high-profile legal disputes with players such as Canal+ Technologies...

European Commission, ESA Debate Space Policy.
January 22, 2003... With the release this week of a "green paper" on the European Union's space policy, the European Commission and the European Space Agency are preparing to debate the future direction of European space policy. The paper examines Europe's assets...

ORBIMAGE Reach Bankruptcy Accord With Creditors, Parent.
January 22, 2003... Orbital Imaging (ORBIMAGE) has signed a non-binding agreement with its unsecured creditors and its parent, Orbital Sciences [NYSE: ORB], that will allow it to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Under the proposed settlement, ORBIMAGE...

Vistar To Provide Satellite Tracking Capability for Thermo King.
January 22, 2003... NSI Global's [Toronto: NGL] Vistar unit has signed a value-added reseller agreement with Thermo King, a unit of Ingersoll-Rand [NYSE: IR], and has received an initial order from Thermo King for 500 GlobalWave MT2000 satellite data communication...

DLA Chairman Warns Of Bankruptcy Threat.
January 24, 2003... DirecTV Latin America (DLA) Chairman Kevin McGrath admitted to SATELLITE TODAY that the company has its work cut out to avoid going into bankruptcy protection. "I think the chance we will enter into Chapter 11 is very real. The amount of cash...

WildBlue Gets $156M In New Investments.
January 24, 2003... Satellite broadband hopeful WildBlue Communications has received $156 million in new investments. Liberty Satellite & Technology, Intelsat, National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative (NRTC), Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, and David...

Copple Resigns As Space Imaging CEO.
January 24, 2003... Space Imaging, a satellite imagery provider, announced Thursday that John R. Copple, its CEO since 1995, has resigned from the company to pursue other opportunities. The board has negotiated an agreement with Copple under which he will continue...

Alitalia Becomes First Data3mail Customer.
January 24, 2003... Italy's Alitalia has become the first airline to offer the Data3mail inflight email service developed by ASI Entertainment [OTC: ASIQ]. Following the installation of ASI's hardware and software platform, a comprehensive ground test and...

Medweb To Provide Mobile Triage Vehicle At Super Bowl.
January 24, 2003... Medweb will provide a mobile medical communications and triage vehicle and an instant Internet-enabled field clinic for the "Shadow Bowl" initiatives this weekend at the Super Bowl in San Diego. The Shadow Bowl is organized to demonstrate...

Shareholders Approve ORBIT/FR Reverse Stock Split.
January 24, 2003... ORBIT/FR, a developer of microwave test and measurement systems for the aerospace industry, said Thursday that its shareholders approved a one-for-four reverse stock split of the company's common stock. The board recommended the reverse stock...

Lockheed Martin Demonstrates Satellite Range Extension Capability.
January 27, 2003... Lockheed Martin Space Systems, a unit of Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT], has successfully tested a proof-of-concept system that will extend the range and effectiveness of the U.S. Navy's Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) by thousands of...

GOL TV Selects GlobeCast for Network Origination.
January 27, 2003... Satellite broadcast provider GlobeCast has begun supplying all-soccer channel GOL TV with program origination, production studios, satellite uplink and capacity. The service is provided from GlobeCast's Digital Broadcast Center in Miami. ...

SES Astra, Partners To Develop Low Cost Satellite Return Channel.
January 27, 2003... SES Astra, a subsidiary of SES Global [Luxembourg: SESG], Canal Satellite, Canal+ Technologies, Newtec, STMicroelectronics, and Thomson have signed an agreement to develop a low cost satellite-based response channel for direct-to-home set-top...

DVB-RCS, DOCSIS Offer Opportunities for Satellite Service, Study Says.
January 27, 2003... Both DVB-RCS and DOCSIS offer varying degrees of viability for interactive satellite services, according to a study by Northern Sky Research. DVB-RCS is already a commercial reality, while DOCSIS over satellite is not yet available, but it will...

Orbital's Pegasus Rocket Launches NASA's SORCE Satellite.
January 27, 2003... Orbital Sciences [NYSE: ORB] announced it launched the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE) satellite into its targeted orbit aboard its Pegasus rocket on Saturday. The 315...

EchoStar Plans To Offer Latino Television Network.
January 27, 2003... EchoStar Communications [NYSE: DISH] announced that its DISH Network will add Si TV to its "America's Top 150" programming package when the network launches this summer. Si TV is an English-language network with a Latino theme featuring...