Focus: Broadcasting

[Satellite News – 4-1-08] In July, SES Americom division IP-Prime launched a test of its digital video broadcast-handheld (DVB-H) mobile TV service to consumers in Las Vegas. The service, which was tested until the beginning of 2008 and is now available commercially, was “extremely successful,” said IP-Prime President Bill Squadron.     IP-Prime has signed agreements...

[Satellite News – 3-28-08] Indian direct-to-home operator Dish TV expects to have about 5 million subscribers a year from now as it seeks to grab a foothold in a growing Indian direct-to-home (DTH) market, Dish CEO Arun Kapoor told Satellite News.     India is set to be one of the most competitive markets for DTH...

[Satellite Today – 3-27-08] Vizada is selling affiliate GMPCS Personal Communications Inc. to a private investor, Vizada announced March 27.     GMPCS, which has been a part of Vizada since August 2004, is a international distributor of mobile and fixed satellite phone equipment and services using the Inmarsat, Iridium, Globalstar, and Thuraya satellite networks.    ...

[Satellite News – 3-26-08] Viaccess’ recent acquisition of Israeli IPTV middleware company Orca Interactive, should boost its position in both the satellite market and the IPTV market, said François Moreau de Saint Martin, CEO of Viaccess.     “It is not a pure IPTV story,” he said. “What we are doing now is that we are...

[Satellite Today 3-26-08] PBLSat, specialists in occasional use satellite services, has extended its partnership with SES Sirius and will market capacity on the operator’s Sirius 4 satellite, PBLSat announced March 26.     Sirius 4, which began operations in January, is a multi-mission Ku/Ka-band satellite. PBLSat will market the satellite for use in sports and news...

[Satellite Today 3-26-08] Ofcom, the independent regulator and competition authority for U.K. communications industries, confirmed plans to enable airlines to offer mobile communications services on U.K.-registered aircraft, Ofcom announced March 26.     The system routes cell phone service through an on-board base station, which enables the phones to use the aircraft’s network service to make...

[Satellite News – 3-25-08] The impact of the Proton launch failure continued to resonate through the satellite industry, with EchoStar insisting that the uncertain fate of the AMC-14 satellite will not delay the expansion of its high-definition offerings and rival launch providers ready to pick up the slack if the Proton rocket is grounded for...

[Satellite Today – 3-25-08] Austar, one of the leading pay-TV operators in Australia , has re-appointed John Porter CEO for the next four years, the operator announced March 25. Austar has around 670,000 subscribers in Australia.     “John Porter’s passionate leadership of the company has seen Austar become one of the most vibrant media organizations...

[Satellite News – 3-25-08] With the U.S. Department of Justice approval of the XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. and Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. merger, the only hurdle left for the two companies is approval from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which most industry observers think is likely within the next 30 days.     While...

[Satellite Today – 3-24-08] The U.S. Department of Justice approved the merger of XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. and Sirius Satellite Radio Inc., March 24.     The merger is “not likely to harm consumers,” the Justice Department said in a statement. “The evidence did not show that the merger would enable the parties to profitably...