SIS Live, Eutelsat Sign New Capacity Leases

U.K. satellite uplink fleet operator SIS Live has expanded its satellite capacity lease agreements with Eutelsat Communications.

SIS Live has signed new contracts for significant capacity on Eutelsat’s Atlantic Bird 1 and W3C satellites. W3C, Eutelsat’s newest satellite, will provide SIS Live with access to 144 MHz of capacity, with 36 MHz of capacity provided by Atlantic Bird 1. SES Live said the service would be used to expand its broadcast footprint covering the United Kingdom and Europe.

Globalstar Signs Middle East Gateway Agreement

Globalstar has signed a letter of intent with Shahad Al Sahra Trading Est. (SAS) for SAS’s ownership and operation of a satellite gateway ground station in Saudi Arabia and the establishment of a Satellite Services Agreement.

The gateway, which is already constructed, will provide Globalstar mobile satellite voice and data services to all of Saudi Arabia and throughout parts of the surrounding Middle East region. The transaction would also provide SAS with access to one of the world’s largest remote petrochemical exploration markets.

Globecomm Inks U.S. Government, Maritime Service Deals

Globecomm Systems has been awarded a one-year managed service contract from an unnamed U.S. Government agency. The company will provide IT support services relating to Internet connectivity and voice-over-IP telephony via its teleport facilities to multiple foreign locations.

Separately, Globecomm announced it was selected as a maritime operations subcontractor for the Ericsson mobile communications network. Ericsson will employ Globecomm’s SeaFlex solution to provide below-deck communications and provide operation services for the company’s Danish subsidiary.

Harris CapRock Awarded VSAT Contract

Siem Offshore has contracted Harris CapRock Communications to deliver its SeaAccess turnkey VSAT communications to five of its supply vessels located off the coast Brazil.

Siem Offshore is an owner and operator of modern support vessels for the global oil and gas service industry. Harris CapRock will deploy end-to-end VSAT communications to provide Siem with corporate networking, Internet access, Voice-over-IP, real-time monitoring and reporting, and crew morale services.

Inmarsat Selected for 100-Ship XpressLink Installation Order

International crude oil maritime transportation company Frontline has contracted Inmarsat to install its XpressLink service on more than 100 vessels. The planned installations will commence immediately on Frontline’s existing fleet and continue throughout 2012 on the transportation company’s planned new ships.

Inmarsat XpressLink aims to provide vessels with access to both Ku-band VSAT and L-band FleetBroadband services in a bundled package. The service includes a guaranteed free upgrade to the 50 Mbps capability of Inmarsat’s Ka-band Global Xpress constellation when the service becomes operational in 2013.

LightSquared Reaches Partnership Agreement

LightSquared has entered into a wholesale agreement with Jolt Mobile, a full service prepaid wireless solution provider that will now offer high-speed wireless services using LightSquared’s 4G-LTE network. The deal represents LightSquared’s 38th wholesale customer partnership.

Northrop Grumman Wins Three-Year DARPA Technology Deal

Northrop Grumman has won a three-year contract worth close to $9 million with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the company announced Jan. 25. Northrop Grumman will develop more efficient radio frequency (RF) transmitter technology through the Microscale Power Conversion program.

Northrop Grumman will conduct research on high-efficiency transmitters with gallium nitride (GaN) Class E power amplifiers in conjunction with RF wideband contour modulation and sub-banded switching supply modulation.