Focus: Telecom

As Japan’s foremost satellite operator, JSAT Corp. is not merely a major player among the Asian satellite industry but also plays a key role in powering one of the most advanced satellite pay-TV markets in the world. As part of its plans to boost its competitive position, JSAT also is forming partnerships with other companies...

There was certainly plenty of give-and-take, even if no consensus as to where the market was going. But the disparity of opinion was definitive about one thing, at least: When it comes to the future of mobile satellite services (MSS), even the captains of the industry are uncertain what’s the Next Thing. Consider it an...

Mobile Satellite Ventures (MSV) awarded contracts to International Launch Services Inc. (ILS) and Sea Launch Co. to launch next-generation satellites, ILS and Sea Launch announced May 15. The ILS agreement is for a 2009 single firm launch costing $89 million and includes a $93 million option for a second launch. The first MSV spacecraft is...

A small California start-up hopes to succeed where industry giant Boeing Co. failed with its Connexion satellite Internet service for aircraft. Row 44 will begin testing a high-speed satellite broadband service with a U.S. domestic carrier in the fourth quarter that will provide Internet access and Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) service. Row 44 hopes to...

Dear [Editor]: While I was pleased to see coverage of our first quarter results in Satellite News on May 14th, 2007, I was somewhat surprised to read the following in your publication: "Iridium Satellite LLC reported 2007 first quarter revenue of $52.7 million and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of $13.6 million,...

BT is confident that satellite services and technology will play a pivotal role as it looks to grow its telecoms business in Latin America. The operator recently acquired Comsat International, a provider of data communication services for corporations and public sector organizations in Latin America. Luis Alvarez, who last week became BT Global Services‘ president...

Intelsat Intelsat Ltd. reported revenue growth of 85 percent in the first quarter of 2007 but posted a loss of $115.1 million due to the acquisition of PanAmSat, Intelsat announced May 14. Total revenue first three months of 2007 was $518.2 million, up from $280.4 million in the same period in 2006. The operations of...

Shin Satellite has continued to struggle with its IPStar strategy, according to the company’s first quarter numbers released May 14. The satellite operator reported about 75,000 IPStar customers after adding 9,000 customers in the 2007 first quarter, which closed March 31. If those numbers suggest satellite broadband to be a tough sell in Asia, analysts...

Assertions made last week by the director of the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) that some censorship of satellite imagery might be necessary for national or military defense stirred questions among experts of whether such restrictions would be either feasible or prudent. "If there was a situation where any imagery products were being used by...

SES Global excited analysts in early May when the company revealed that it expected to realize cost savings on future satellites by focusing on its procurement process. "It is obviously a permanent objective on our side to optimize our capital expenditure," Romain Bausch, CEO of SES Global, said. "In order to do so, we are...