Focus: Broadcasting

[Satellite Today – 2-8-08] EchoStar Corp. is among the companies that have agreed to invest $300 million into TerreStar Corp. to help fund the manufacturing and launch of TerreStar’s satellites, TerreStar announced Feb. 7.     TerreStar, a subsidiary of Motient Corp. intends to build and operate an integrated mobile satellite and terrestrial communications network to...

[Satellite News – 2-8-08] SatLink Communications, which launched a new MCPC (multi channel per carrier) platform on Eutelsat‘s W2 satellite Feb. 4, is hoping to deal with generate stronger revenues from new markets such as Asia and Eastern Europe in 2008.       The company, a provider of end-to-end solutions for content transmissions over satellite...

[Satellite Today – 2-7-08] Comcast Media Center, a business unit of Comcast Cable, has signed a contract with SES Americom to use 29 C-band transponders in the HD-Prime satellite network, SES announced Feb. 7.     The multi-year, multi-transponder contract will enable Comcast to deliver high-definition (HD) and video-on-demand services. The deal also sells out capacity...

[Satellite Today – 2-6-08] Spanish direct-to-home platform Digital+ added only 21,000 net subscribers in the fourth quarter to close 2007 with 2.1 million subscribers, the company announced Feb. 5.     Digital+ owner Sogecable blamed the low number of additions on issues regarding uncertainty surrounding Spanish football rights. The operator’s churn rate was nearly12 percent..    ...

[Satellite Today -2-5-08] Colombia’s Avianca Airlines will be installing Iridium value-added service provider Avionica’s Iridium-based satLink communications module on its fleet, Iridium announced Feb. 5.     Avionica’s satLink Iridium system offers additional voice and data capabilities to supplement radio cockpit communications. The installation will include antenna, wiring, structural elements and a control panel providing voice...

[Satellite Today -2-5-08] Indian direct-to-home operator Tata Sky plans to introduce a personal video recorder (PVR) by the end of the year, the company announced Feb. 5.         The operator also is cutting the costs of existing hardware. “We are confident that this pricing will catapult the process of digitization across the country and...

[Satellite Today – 2-4-08] The Rascom-QAF1 satellite has been moved into its final geostationary orbit at 2.85Ëš East, Thales Alenia Space announced Feb. 4.     The spacecraft carries 12 Ku-band and eight C-band transponders intended to provide telecommunications services in rural parts of Africa as well as domestic and international connections, direct TV broadcast services...

[Satellite News 2-4-08] Verizon has surpassed 1 million customer barrier for its Fios IPTV service in the United States ramping up the pressure on its satellite and cable competitors.     Verizon reached the milestone Jan. 28, adding nearly 800,000 subscribers since the end of 2006 when the telephone operator reported just more than 200,000 subscribers....

[Satellite Today – 2-4-08] Israeli satellite communications company SatLink Communications launched its new multi channel per carrier platform on Eutelsat‘s W2 satellite, the company said Feb. 4.     Uplinks are provided from SatLink’s Middle East teleport, enabling channels from around the globe to reach the satellite’s key regions over Europe, North Africa and the Middle...

[Satellite Today – 2-1-08] The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C. upheld a $94 million ruling in favor of TiVo Inc. in its patent infringement suit against EchoStar Communications Corp.     In a unanimous ruling, the three-judge panel affirmed an April 13, 2006 jury verdict in Marshall, Texas that EchoStar...