Focus: Telecom

By Owen D. Kurtin This month we examine the net neutrality, franchise relief and media concentration debates. Anyone who thinks the satellite industry does not have a dog in this fight is wrong. Net neutrality refers to whether broadband network operators must grant non-discriminatory access to all content providers. The emergence of two major incumbent...

By Nick Mitsis Nearly a year in the making, Intelsat Ltd. announced the closing of its merger with Panamsat Holding Corp. July 3. The deal expands Intelsat’s fleet to 51 owned and operated satellites, making it the largest fixed satellite service provider in the world. The new Intelsat also has five satellites under construction —...

By Gerry Oberst In a June report, the European Commission reported that the Galileo satellite navigation program is the largest pan-European industrial project ever. European scientists and industry have been working on this project for almost 10 years, but the report also notes that the program will not start commercial operation until the end of...

By Peter J. Brown As we ease into the second half of 2006, the United States rapidly is approaching an impressive milestone with respect to broadband service provision. Exactly when we will be able to declare that 50 million broadband subscribers have signed up for the service is anyone’s guess, but that date is fast...

By Jason Bates VSAT systems have established themselves as a technology ideally suited to corporate networking, enabling a new tier of users to take advantage of the enhanced flexibility the platforms offer. But the industry has had to respond to a growing competitive threat from terrestrial services, which are expanding their offerings and geographic reach....

By Gordon Feller The Russian economy is expected to continue its sustained and steady growth rate in 2006. When the final tally is in at the end of this year, the country’s total gross domestic product should grow by at least 6 percent, matching the past two years. This economic strength has brought the interest...

For a long time, establishing a satellite link required the user to stop or pause along the way, and that still remains a valid option today in many instances. However, mobile connectivity when fixed services are impaired, provides greater flexibility, and saves time as the user moves, either in order to arrive at the scene...

Eutelsat Communications full-year results have been greeted positively by the analyst community, as the operator announced that revenues for the year ending June 30 were 791.1 million euros ($1 billion), an increase of nearly 5.5 percent over the previous year. In terms of video applications, full year revenues were 528.6 million euros ($668.6 million), up...

Satellite-TV provider BSkyB intends to be a major force in the U.K. triple-play market, unveiling broadband plans this week that are bigger, bolder and more ambitious than anyone expected. Looking to capitalize on its acquisition of terrestrial broadband provider Easynet, BSkyB revealed that it plans to spend more than 400 million British pounds ($729.4 million)...

With the consolidation of the major players in the Fixed Satellite Services industry now completed, public and private investors are now turning their attention to other aspects of the satellite market to see if there is another return on investment. Peter Nesgos, a partner at Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP in New York, has...