Focus: Telecom

[11-01-07 – Satellite Today] PlanetSky Ltd. signed an agreement with ProtoStar Ltd. for C-band capacity on ProtoStar’s first satellite, ProtoStar announced Nov. 1.     The agreement provides PlanetSky with five transponders for its global satellite systems that support GPRS and GSM broadband services, wireless, Voice Over Internet Protocol, broadcasting and radio transmissions. The agreement allows...

[11-01-07 – Satellite Today] Measat Satellite Systems Sdn. Bhd. and Antrix Corp. Ltd. signed an agreement for the lease of Ku-band capacity on the Measat-3 satellite, Measat announced Nov. 1.     Under the agreement, Antrix, the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), will lease eight Ku-band transponders with an option to lease...

The mobile satellite services (MSS) sector has a definite role to play in the future of communications as the reach of terrestrial telecommunications services providers only extends so far. However, increased competition in the handset market coupled with expanded terrestrial cellular footprints in some regions around the globe are forcing MSS companies to revisit their...

 [11-01-07 – Satellite Today] Sea Launch’s Odyssey launch platform set sail carrying the Thuraya-3 satellite for the first mission since the company’s January launch failure, Sea Launch announced Nov. 1.     The Thuraya-3 satellites is scheduled to be launched Nov. 13 from the Sea Launch site at 154° West at the equator. The 44-minute launch...

Globalstar has made its share of headlines throughout the past year, though not always for reasons the company would prefer. In December, the satellite operator awarded a contract to Thales Alenia Space for 48 second-generation satellites. The first of these spacecraft are scheduled to be in orbit in summer 2009, but some industry observers, distributors...

[11-01-07 – Satellite Today] The third of Germany’s SAR-Lupe satellites has been launched from the Plesetsk space center by a Russian Cosmos-3M rocket.     The third of five satellites in the German observation system is under control by the DLR, the German space agency. The ground station of the German Armed Forces in Gelsdorf is...

Fixed satellite services (FSS) companies abandoned some traditional forms of satellite insurance in the early 2000s due to high premiums and insurance rates, relying instead on self-insurance through the use of backup satellites. Now as more money flows into the market and insurance rates and premiums decline, more innovative insurance arrangements are luring FSS operators...

[10-31-07 – Satellite News] GENEVA — During the first week of the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-07), administrations from Asia, Africa, and Latin America made clear their broad and deep support for keeping the status quo for satellite services by calling for no change to the current use of the C band. This campaign, which exhorts...

[10-31-07 – Satellite Today] Aruba Networks Inc. and iDirect Inc. have completed integration testing of a wireless local area network (WLAN)-to-satellite connection, Aruba announced Oct. 31.     The two companies have certified the interoperability of Aruba’s secure mobility solution with iDirect’s satellite platform, allowing satellite customers to provide a wide area network interface to Aruba’s...

[10-31-07 – Satellite Today]  Garmin Ltd.’s third quarter total revenue is up 79 percent from the same time last year, the company announced Oct. 31.     All segments reported revenue gains, as Garmin had total revenue of $729 million for the quarter ending Sept. 30, compared to $408 million in 2006.     "Our continued strong...