People

GILAT: Names New Spacenet CEO

Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. named Bill Gerety as the new CEO of its Spacenet subsidiary. Prior to joining Spacenet, Gerety served as acting CEO and COO for Astrolink International.

GLOBECAST: Appoints Broadcast Sales Director

Globecast appointed Mary Salih as director of broadcast sales for Globecast America. She is responsible for building and managing Globecast’s broadcast services worldwide, including its news, cable, sports and special events customer base.

Prior to joining Globecast, Salih was the director/European sales manager at an international division of Vyvx Broadband Media Services.

ITT: Welcomes New President

ITT Industries Inc. promoted Brenda Reichelderfer, senior vice president of the corporation, to president of ITT Industries, Cannon. She joined ITT Industries predecessor company, ITT Corp. in 1982, and has held various positions within the company’s automotive, defense and fluid businesses.

ITT Industries, Cannon is a supplier of connectors, switches, keypads and dome arrays for various markets, including the military and aerospace sectors.

NEW SKIES: Appoints Director

New Skies Satellites N.V. named Robert Turner as director of government services.

In his new role, Turner will manage New Skies’ government-related sales and business development activities.

He formerly served in sales and marketing positions at Equant, Global One and Sprint.

Services

ACTS: Celebrates 10th Anniversary

NASA’s Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS), launched on September 12, 1993, this month passes its 10th anniversary as an active experimental satellite. Built for NASA by Lockheed Martin (and its predecessor companies), ACTS’ Ka-band payload became operational on September 23. The satellite is generally recognized as the pioneer in high-speed, satellite-delivered Ka-band broadband services. Years after its planned demise, ACTS is still operational, in inclined orbit, under the control of the Ohio Consortium for Advanced Communications Technology. The spacecraft is located at 105.2 degrees W, and is available to experimenters throughout the year.

FIBERSAT: Launches Satellite-Fed Channel

Fibersat Global Services commenced the operation of the new satellite-fed channel called S | Networks.

Fibersat Global Services is now operating under an agreement to originate the S | Net video programming as well as provide satellite uplinking to the Galaxy 9 satellite positioned at 127 degrees W.

FRANCE TELECOM: Introduces New Fleet Members

France Telecom Mobile Satellite Communications introduces Inmarsat-Fleet 55 and 33, completing its range of mobile satellite services. These two members of the Fleet family are devoted to medium- and smaller-sized vessels, which operate in near-coastal areas or on the main maritime routes. Fleet 55 and 33 offer global voice transmission and a range of data and fax services.

INTELSAT: Carries Tour De France

North American viewers were able to watch live daily coverage of this year’s Le Tour de France via Intelsat’s video network. The Outdoor Life Television Network (OLN) began broadcast of the event at its July 4th onset, and continued to transmit coverage using Intelsat until the completion of the race on July 27th.

Intelsat used mounted motorcycle cameras and a transportable SNG contracted from Kingston inmedia to follow the riders. Intelsat provided and managed the entire transmission of the race content live from the antenna to its satellite located at 335 degrees E, backhauling it to the OLN’s studios in the United States for broadcast.

Contracts

ALCATEL: Partners With EMS

Alcatel Space and EMS Satellite Networks signed a deal supporting the "DSL in the Sky" DVB-RCS solution proposed by Alcatel Space. This solution provides satellite operators, telcos and ISPs with DSL-like capabilities, enabling the providers to offer broadband services to consumers and/or SMEs through satellite communication networks and to end users located outside landline DSL areas.

EMS Satellite Networks provides Alcatel Space with its Return Link Sub-System and its end-user terminals, which will be integrated into Alcatel’s "DSL in the Sky" solution.

GILAT: Signs Deal With Optus

Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. and the Australian government finalized an agreement to deliver learning services to rural towns and isolated homesteads in New South Wales and across the Northern Territory using Gilat’s Skystar 360E broadband VSAT platform.

A 310-site, two-way satellite communications network will deliver broadband Internet services to distance education students, indigenous communities and adults seeking vocational education.

GLOBECOMM: Relies On Irdeto Access

Globecomm Systems Inc. selected Irdeto Access’ M-Crypt conditional access system to protect proprietary transmissions of the new Tonfon TV network, broadcasting in the Kingdom of Tonga.

Designed by Globecomm Systems, the new South Pacific Tonfon TV installation supports encryption of five DVB services. The Irdeto M-Crypt system is based in the Kingdom of Tonga’s Prince Villa and manages the set top boxes deployed in the country.

HELIUS: Expands Reseller Program

Helius Inc. welcomed Beaver Computing Pty Ltd. in Sydney, Australia, to its Strategic Reseller program. Beaver Computing, a provider of security and infrastructure projects, will offer a networking solution for the Telstra BigPond Broadband service, which provides broadband satellite Internet connectivity throughout Australia and New Zealand.

Helius developed an appliance that adds critical routing and network functionality for sites with multiple workstations or for sites using diverse operating systems. The Helius appliance works with the Telstra BigPond Broadband Satellite one-way and two-way service.

INTELSAT: Signs Purchase Deal With Loral

Intelsat Ltd. signed a $1.0 billion definitive asset purchase agreement with Loral Space and Communications Corp. for six satellites and the rights to their orbital locations.

The assets include the Telstar 4, Telstar 5, Telstar 6 and Telstar 7 satellites. The agreement also includes Telstar 8 and Telstar 13, currently under construction.

MAINSTREAM DATA: Forms Solution With Airpath

Mainstream Data and Airpath Wireless created a joint solution to offer carrier-class satellite Internet connectivity for Hot Spot providers in need of broadband connectivity in remote or cost-prohibitive Hot Spot locations. As part of the arrangement, Mainstream is supplying Airpath’s provider customers access to its two-way VSAT network, which allows them to order broadband access anywhere in North America.

PANAMSAT: Teams Up With Liberty Foundation

Panamsat Corp. teamed up with the Liberty Foundation to deliver healthcare and educational programming via satellite across all regions of the country.

Hosted on Panamsat’s PAS 7 Indian Ocean Region satellite, the Liberty Foundation is initially supporting two channels with programming produced by Mindset Network. Set to launch in late 2003, the Mindset Network’s healthcare channel will focus primarily on the AIDS epidemic. Individuals will be able to view the channel in thousands of the government’s primary healthcare clinics.

SCOPUS: Upgrades Sky Italia

Scopus Network Technologies was selected to upgrade digital broadcasting platforms for Sky Italia.

Scopus is equipping Sky Italia with digital broadcast headend systems and project integration based on its Codico product line. These systems enhance Sky Italia’s abilities to offer more diverse programming while concurrently increasing the usability and control over its network, according to Scopus.

TANDBERG: Provides End-To-End DTH System

Tandberg Television won a contract in Asia to provide a complete transmission system for the region’s newest satellite pay-television service, Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting Ltd.

Tandberg will provide a complete compression and broadcast delivery system, as well as manage the integration of third-party solutions such as conditional access, subscriber management, middleware and set-top-boxes.

Technology

MENTAT: Introduces Web Fetch Function

Mentat launched SkyX Gateway firmware version 4.0, incorporating Web Prefetch functionality for faster downloads of Web content over satellite links.

The new functionality reduces download times by proactively retrieving graphics and other objects embedded in each Web page, forwarding them to the SkyX Gateway on the client side of the satellite link where they can be served locally. (Mentat Inc., 1145 Gayley Ave., Suite 315, Los Angeles, CA 90024; Tel: 310/208-2650; Fax: 310/208-3724; Web: http://www.mentat.com)

PARADISE DATACOM: Delivers One-Box Solution

Paradise Datacom introduced the P300VMUX, which delivers a complete one-box solution for the delivery of back office and coordination link traffic into the field.

Features include a compact solution for DSNG; dynamic bandwidth assignment, with idle voice/fax channel bandwidth switched to the IP port; connectivity between corresponding ports for point-to-point applications; phone ports through a Star network with either SCPC links or a large outbound and multiple thin returns; configuration by RS232 terminal or full screen via Telnet on the Ethernet port; compatibility with stand-alone P300 modems and V100 multiplexers; and the ability for voice ports to receive common feed in broadcast mode. (Paradise Datacom LLC, 1012 E. Boal Ave., Boalsburg, PA 16827; Tel: 814/466-6275; Fax: 814/466-3341; Web: http://www.paradisedata.com)