Focus: Telecom

[09/03/07 – Satellite Today] Datacom Wireless Corp. completed its acquisition of Vigil Locating Systems Technologies Inc. after securing approval from regulatory authorities and shareholders of both companies, Datacom announced. Datacom, which designs, develops and markets vehicle fleet management and theft prevention and recovery solutions, expects Vigil GPS to add 75,000 Canadian dollars ($71,000) per month,...

Satellite players and terrestrial interests have drawn sharp lines in their debate over the access to C-band spectrum, but there are some areas where the two sides have reached at least some level of agreement. At issue is the desire by major terrestrial players to have access to a portion of the C-band spectrum that...

Many satellite executives believe the potential loss of C-band spectrum to terrestrial players would be catastrophic or disastrous for the industry. There is little doubt that the stakes are high for many satellite players, but is there another option than just winning or losing complete access to the bandwidth? Can the satellite and terrestrial players...

Since the U.S. Federal Communications Commission adopted rules for licensing and operation of ancillary terrestrial component in 2003, satellite industry observers have been wondering whether or not the technology would ever become a reality. A handful of companies, including two with customers and operational satellites, think they are ready to silence the skeptics, but plenty...

Satellite manufacturers suffered a dearth of orders from 2001 to 2003, but the famine has ended and contracts for new satellites are rolling in at a steady rate. While good times appear to have returned to the satellite manufacturing segment, the market’s future has become clouded somewhat by consolidation among the fixed satellite services companies....

[8/31/07 – Satellite News Today] High-speed satellite broadband internet will be available in Germany by the end of September, Eutelsat Communications and ViaSat Inc. announced Aug. 31. The consumer broadband satellite service, dubbed Tooway, will be provided via Ka-band capacity on Eutelsat’s Hot Bird 6 satellite as well as Ku-band capacity on the Eurobird 3...

[8-30-07 – Satellite News Today] RamTelecom Inc will provide satellite communications services to TOG Systems Ltd., RamTelecom announced Aug. 29. Under a 36-month, $1.3 million contract, RamTelecom will provide TOG’s oil and gas company clients with Linkstar satellite and Voice Over Internet Protocol services. The network primarily will support voice services, but secure data applications...

[8-30-07 – Satellite News Today] Newtec, the Belgian satellite solutions company, has acquired France’s TurboConcept, a provider of technology used in satellite and wireless communications, Newtec announced Aug. 30. TurboConcept, based in Brest, France, specializes in the development of intellectual property cores for the implementation of forward error correction codes such as turbo and LDPC...

[8-29-07 – Satellite News Today] iDirect Inc. has opened a new office in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the company announced Aug. 29. The office, located in Dubai’s Silicon Oasis Technology Park, will be the headquarters for iDirect’s Middle East/Africa operations and will feature a training center for installation operations and demonstration systems. iDirect has 40...

[8-29-07 – Satellite News Today] Scopus Video Networks is adding high-definition capability to its commercially available encoders, the company announced Aug. 29. The UE-9810 H.264 high definition (HD) and the UE-9420 Dual H.264 standard definition platform enables broadcasters and operators to offer HD content and provides integrated, advanced multiplexing capabilities for creation and delivery of...