Focus: Telecom

[12-13-07 – Satellite Today] Iridium Satellite will contribute equipment and airtime services to the International Telecommunications Union’s (ITU) worldwide disaster management program, Iridium announced Dec. 13.     ITU has developed a disaster management program to deliver and deploy telecommunications resources to countries, humanitarian organizations and victims of disasters in a timely manner.     "In the...

[12-13-07 – Satellite Today] The Satellite Industry Association (SIA) elected Jennifer Manner, vice president for regulatory affairs for Mobile Satellite Ventures, to serve as SIA’s chairman in 2008, the association announced Dec. 13.     Prior to joining MSV, Manner served as senior counsel to Kathleen Abernathy, a commissioner at the U.S. Federal Communications Commission.    ...

[12-13-07 – Satellite Today] Arianespace will launch the Amazonas-2 satellite for Hispasat in 2009, Hispasat announced Dec. 13     The satellite, under construction by EADS Astrium, will be equipped with a payload of 54 Ku-band and 10 C-band transponders to provide telecommunications services to North and South America from its 61° West orbital position.    ...

[12-12-07 – Satellite Today] Italian direct-to-home operator Sky Italia signed a deal with one of Italy’s biggest telcos to distribute Sky Italia content over IP, the company announced Dec. 11.     Tiscali has launched its IPTV offer Tiscali TV in Cagliari, Milan and Rome and plans to extend its network throughout 2008. Beginning in 2008,...

[12-12-07 – Satellite Today] Gilat Satellite Networks has won a broadband satellite network expansion deal with Australian telco Optus, Gilat announced Dec. 11.     Optus has ordered a pair of SkyEdge satellite hub stations and thousands of VSATs to support the expansion of the Australian government’s Australian Broadband Guarantee (ABG) program, which provides registered Internet...

 [12-12-07 – Satellite Today] SED Systems will expand its satellite control center in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, to provide tracking, telemetry and control operations for the Ciel-2 satellite, Ciel Satellite Group announced Dec. 11.     Ciel-2, manufactured by Alcatel Alenia Space, will be the first satellite for Ciel. The Ku-band spacecraft, which will provide communications services throughout...

[12-12-07 – Satellite Today] Saab is examining whether or not other companies are interested in acquiring Saab Space AB, Saab announced Dec. 11.     Saab Space manufactures digital and microwave electronics and antennas for satellite manufacturers and also supplies payload adapters, separation systems and guidance systems for launch providers.     Saab, who does not consider...

[12-12-07 – Satellite Today] End II End Communications Inc. has been issued a patent to enable enterprise applications and virtual private networks to operate over broadband satellites at full speed, the company announced Dec. 12.     The patent, Systems and Methods of Broadband Network Optimization, covers a method of testing a wide area network to...

[12-12-07 – Satellite Today] Mobile Satellite Ventures is rolling out its new telephone interface, the company announced Dec. 12.     The MSAT-PSTN Telephone Interface is designed to enhance satellite calling over the MSV network interlinked to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). The interface enables users to access MSV voice and push-to-talk service functions through...

[12-11-07 – Satellite Today] Digital Angel Corp.’s McMurdo division has signed a long-term contract to provide the United Kingdom’s Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) with rescue systems, Digital Angel announced Dec. 11.      The RNLI has bought 300 Man Overboard (MOB) systems, a GPS location system that is mounted in the wheelhouse of a fishing...