Focus: Telecom

[Satellite Today – 3-27-08] MacDonald Dettwiler and Assoc. Ltd. posted increased revenues and earnings for the fourth quarter of 2007 and the year, MDA announced March 26.     MDA increased revenues by 2 percent, from 287.7 million Canadian dollars ($283 million) in the fourth quarter of 2006 to 294.1 Canadian dollars ($289.3 million) for the...

[Satellite Today – 3-27-08] Alliant Techsystems (ATK) and Ad Astra Rocket Co. have signed an agreement to strengthen the market presence of the two companies and explore future in-space propulsion systems for lunar and planetary missions, ATK announced March 26.     The agreement, signed March 17, will explore how the respective skill sets and capabilities...

[Satellite Today – 3-27-08] Spacenet Inc. has signed a contract to provide InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) an upgraded satellite data network and managed network services, Spacenet announced March 27.     IHG is upgrading its existing network to Spacenet’s SkyEdge VSAT platform for faster speeds, advanced functionality and improved network availability to support expanding applications. Spacenet...

[Satellite Today – 3-27-08] Israeli telecommunications company Bezeq has reached an agreement to sell its satellite business to RRSat Global Communications, the companies announced March 27.     RRSat, a provider of content management and global distribution, will pay nearly $15 million in cash to acquire Bezeq’s space assets, which include property and assets of Bezeq’s...

[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 Today – 3-27-08] Eutelsat has teamed up with SpeedCast to launch a new global maritime broadband service, the companies announced March 26.     The two operators, together with distribution partners, principally are targeting operators of merchant shipping and fishing fleets. The service will enable secure offshore virtual private networks to be established with land-based...

[Satellite Today – 3-27-08] The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved Orbcomm Inc.’s next-generation low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation plan, Orbcomm announced March 27.      The modified space station authorization issued by the FCC approves Orbcomm’s continued operation of the first-generation satellites concurrent with the integration of 24 new spacecraft to be deployed in four...

[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 Today 3-26-08] Globalstar Inc. closed its agreement to purchase the Brazilian independent gateway operator Globalstar, Globalstar Inc. announced March 26.     Globalstar Inc., which bought the operator from Loral Space and Communications Inc. and various affiliated entities, received the necessary Agencia Nacional de Telecomunicacoes approval in February.     The acquisition paves the way for...

[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...