Focus: Broadcasting

[Satellite Today – 1-9-08] C-Com Satellite Systems Inc. has completed the integration of its mobile antenna systems with Shin Satellite‘s IPStar broadband satellite, C-Com announced Jan. 9.     The iNetVu antennas make it possible to deliver mobile solutions to existing and new potential IPStar customers in Australia, Cambodia, China, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, New Zealand and...

[Satellite Today – 1-9-08] Wegener Corp. has received an order from satellite service provider Telesat to launch non-linear programming services in Canada, Wegener announced Jan. 9.     Wegener equipment, which will augment Telesat’s existing video distribution network, will include the iPump media servers and Compel network control system. The media servers will be used to...

[Satellite Today – 1-8-08] News Corp. has acquired a 15 percent stake in German pay-TV operator Premiere, News Corp. announced Jan. 7.     Premiere is the main direct-to-home player in Germany with about 4 million customers. News Corp. paid 287 million euros ($423.2 million) in cash for the stake, which had been held by German...

[Satellite News – 1-7-08] Hughes Communications Inc. has agreed to acquire business IPTV solutions provider Helius Inc. for $30.5 million, Hughes announced Jan. 4.     Hughes and Helius have had an original equipment manufacturing relationship for about two years, which has allowed Hughes to integrate Helius’ IP video solution with Hughes’ managed services. With the...

[Satellite Today – 1-7-08] SatLink Communications will transmit Brazilian Catholic channel TV Canção Nova into the Asian market on SatLink’s AsiaSat 2 MCPC platform, the company announced Jan. 7.     This will be the channel’s launch into Asia and the Pacific region, SatLink said.     “We’re excited to play such a crucial role in introducing...

[Satellite Today – 1-7-08] Hughes Communications Inc. will acquire business IPTV solutions provider Helius Inc. for $30.5 million, Hughes announced Jan. 4.     The acquisition, expected to be completed in early February, makes Helius a wholly owned subsidiary of Hughes. The company will operate with Hughes’ North America and International enterprise businesses.     “As a...

[Satellite Today – 1-7-08] Orbcomm Inc. added more than 126,000 billable subscribers in 2007, the company announced Jan. 4.     Fourth quarter 2007 net additions were about 34,000 billable subscribers, including more than 27,000 satellite subscribers and more than 6,000 terrestrial subscribers. Orbcomm added 39,000 subscribers in the 2007 third quarter.     As the end...

[Satellite News – 1-4-08] The Regional African Satellite Communications Organization (Rascom) is facing the prospect that its Rascom-QAF1 satellite will have a much shorter commercial lifetime than expected,     The satellite, placed into orbit in December, is suffering a helium leak and operations have been halted, satellite manufacturer Thales Alenia Space announced Dec. 29.    ...

[Satellite Today — 1-3-08] Sirius Satellite Radio added 2.3 million net subscribers during 2007 to close the year with a total of 8.3 million subscribers, the company announced Jan. 3.     “Sirius’ subscriber base increased 38 percent in 2007, and our gross subscriber additions in 2007 were the highest in the history of satellite radio,”...

[1-3-08 – Satellite Today] EchoStar Communications Corp. has split into two businesses, effective Jan. 1, the company announced.     Under the plan, unveiled in September, EchoStar will change its name to Dish Network Corp. and retain the pay-TV business and Dish Network. EchoStar Holding Corp. will hold the technology infrastructure, which includes EchoStar’s satellites, uplink...