Focus: Telecom

[Satellite Today 07-28-08] Spacenet Inc. has achieved Service Provider Level I Payment Card Industry Data Security (PCI DSS) compliance for its VSAT satellite and managed wireline services, the company announced July 28.     PCI DSS is a required worldwide data security standard that ensures merchants meet minimum levels of security when storing, transmitting or processing...

[Satellite Today 07-28-08] Pace announced a slight increase in its overall profits for the first half of 2008, according to the company report released July 28.     The supplier of set-top boxes to satellite pay-TV operators posted profits before tax and exceptional items of 11.2 million British pounds ($22.3 million) for the first half of...

[Satellite Today 07-28-08] Thuraya has announced a slew of distribution agreements for its ThurayaIP service, the company said July 28.     The operator has signed distribution agreements with: Fort Info Technology, GPTC, IEC, Indigo Airtime Ltd, NSSL, Satcom Group, Xsat Fze and Xtra-Link throughout the last few weeks. According to Thuraya, these distributors have established...

[Satellite Today 07-28-08] Sirius Satellite Radio reported 8.9 million total subscribers at the end of the 2008 second quarter, up 25 percent from the same period a year ago, the company announced July 28. Sirius released its preliminary second quarter results three days after the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved the proposed merger between...

[Satellite Today 07-25-08] MultiChoice is preparing to launch high-definition (HD) services in South Africa, the operator said July 25.     The direct-to-home operator is introducing an HD personal video recorder into the market in August. The decoder will be available in major retail stores and sell for 499 rand ($329.87) for a limited time period....

[Satellite Today 07-25-08] The Brookings Institute, an independent policy research group, is recommending that the U.S Federal Communication Commission (FCC) change its practices regarding the allocation of the broadband spectrum.     The recommendations, made during a July 25 panel discussion in Washington, D.C., include building a public database of licensed spectrum that indicated how it...

[Satellite Today 07-25-08] XM Satellite Radio Inc. priced a debt offering as part of a series of transactions to refinance certain debt M in connection with the pending merger with Sirius Satellite Radio Inc., XM announced July 24.     The new notes are expected to $778.5 million, and XM expects to receive gross proceeds of...

[Satellite Today 07-25-08] The ownership saga of Inmarsat took another twist as Harbinger Capital Partners Funds said it intends to bid on Inmarsat and then combine it with SkyTerra Communications, the parent company of Mobile Satellite Ventures (MSV).     “The combination of SkyTerra and Inmarsat would present an excellent opportunity to advance the realization of...

[Satellite News – 07-25-08] Thuraya, believes its latest small broadband terminal with advanced video streaming capability will enable the company to make more of an impact in the mobile data market, the company’s CEO said.     The mobile satellite services company unveiled its A-5-sized broadband terminal, developed by Hughes Network Systems, July 16 and hopes...

[Satellite Today 07-24-08] Canal Digital, the Nordic direct-to-home platform, saw an increase in revenues but a drop in overall profits and subscriber numbers for the quarter ended June 30, parent company Telenor said July 24.     In the second quarter, Canal Digital generated revenues of 1.6 billion kroner ($322.2 million) and a loss of 27...