People

ALCATEL: Appoints Vice President

Nicolas de Ledinghen was named vice president of the Navigation and Aeronautical Communications Business Unit of Alcatel Space. He is in charge of all activities in this area, from complete infrastructures such as Galileo and Egnos, to navigation products and applications, especially for telecommunications and transportation.

CRYSTAL COMPUTER CORP.: Names Operations Director

William (Bill) Kaufmann joined Crystal Computer Corp. in the newly created position of director of operations. He will be responsible for managing Crystal Computer Corp.’s operations and support departments while working with the research and development and sales and marketing departments.

Most recently, Kaufmann applied his technical knowledge to various classified government projects for clients within the defense industry.

IRG RESEARCH: Welcomes New Analyst

Independent Research Group LLC (IRG Research) expanded its research team with the hiring of David Kestenbaum to follow the satellite and cable industry.

Before joining IRG Research, Kestenbaum was a director at ABN AMRO/ING Barings in its media/telecom group.

NORSAT: Appoints Board Member

Norsat International Inc. appointed Brian Nixon to the company’s board of directors. He will chair the board’s audit committee.

He currently serves as the CEO of BC Research Inc.

TANDBERG TELEVISION: Appoints Key Executives

Tandberg Television made two senior appointments. The company’s former Director of Sales, EMEIA (Europe, Middle East, India and Africa), Dan Desmet, was promoted to the role of general manager for the Americas. Replacing Desmet as the new director of sales EMEIA is Eric Baron, who previously held senior sales and management positions with GN Netcom, Ericsson France, Motorola and SAGEM.

Services

NEW SKIES SATELLITES N.V.: Opens New Communications Hub

New Skies Satellites N.V. introduced a new teleport in Athens, Greece, which will serve as its primary European gateway to the Middle East, Africa and Asia, relaying broadband Internet, voice and data traffic, as well as digital video transmissions via the NSS 6 satellite. The hub will be provided by Greece’s UNITEL Hellas S.A., the latest partner in New Skies’ growing global mediaport network.

TELENOR: Launches "Go Africa" Campaign

Telenor Satellite Services launched its latest campaign designed to promote communications via satellite throughout Africa.

Telenor’s "Go Africa" campaign features a communications package of airtime and equipment operating over the Iridium Satellite Network for users in Africa. The package includes 1,500 prepaid minutes of airtime and a new Motorola 9505 Iridium handset.

Contracts

ADTEC: Orchestrates Multimedia Display

Adtec Digital’s multimedia digital video player, the Mirage, was integrated into the Municipal Park museum in Elche, Spain, by Techex Communications and Systems of Madrid.

The 12 Mirages, purchased by Techex, are each playing distinct video sequences while three are delivering video to the museum’s main projection system and nine output to TFT screens located in each of the museum’s nine apses.

ASCENT MEDIA GROUP: Chosen By Charter Communications

Ascent Media Group and Charter Communications Inc. signed a definitive agreement for Charter to deploy Ascent Media’s video on demand (VOD) asset traffic and management system, providing Charter end-to-end visibility and control over VOD content during the entire distribution process.

Ascent Media’s VOD Traffic and Management System is an end-to-end VOD content management solution that tracks VOD titles from inception through distribution and propagation into VOD servers.

CROWN MEDIA: To Deliver New Sports Channel

Crown Media International reached an agreement with KSE Media Ventures, LLC to be the playback and uplink services provider for KMV’s regional sports channel, which will feature both the Colorado Avalanche and the Denver Nuggets games. The channel will launch in September 2004.

EUROPE*STAR: Provides Link Between India And Europe

Resulting from an agreement between the Indian and French governments, regular distance education workshops are taking place between the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore and the Toulouse University Network in France.

Known as FICUS (the French-Indian Cyber University project), the primary aim of the project is to create a cyber-platform devoted to information exchange between India and France within the fields of research development, education, training, transfer of technology and the dissemination of knowledge on a long-term non-commercial basis.

Key to the project is the provision of ad hoc satellite connections between the two universities, using the Europe*Star 1 satellite.

GILAT: Expands Relationship With Optus

Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. signed an agreement to supply Australia’s second largest telecommunications company, SingTel Optus, with an additional 2,500 Skystar 360E Very Small Aperture Terminals and hub expansion equipment.

Optus operates two-way satellite services throughout Australia and New Zealand based predominantly on Gilat’s 360 and 360E systems. The Skystar 360E, for example, is already being used by Optus to deliver distance learning services to small rural towns and isolated homesteads in New South Wales and across the Northern Territory.

GLOBECAST: Delivers French TV Channels

Globecast signed an agreement with World Satellite Guadeloupe and Martinique TV Cable to deliver French television channels TF1, M6, LCI and Infosport to major cable headends in the French Antilles via its digital satellite distribution platform on NSS 806.

Globecast is providing encryption, multiplex and uplink of these channels from its SERTE technical operations center in Paris, as well as space capacity on its digital distribution platform on NSS 806.

INTELSAT: Signs Contract With Telespazio

Intelsat signed a five-year contract with Telespazio to provide satellite capacity for cellular telephone services that Telecom Italia Mobile (TIM) will make available to passengers traveling on Costa Crociere cruise ships in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Caribbean and South American regions.

Through the satellite gateway at the Fucino Space Center in Italy, Telespazio routes the GSM traffic from the satellite maritime network to TIM’s public GSM network, ensuring availability during oceanic navigation. The capacity for this solution will be provided over the Intelsat 907 satellite at the 332.5 degreesE orbital location.

ITT INDUSTRIES: To Acquire Kodak’s Remote Sensing Systems

ITT Industries Inc. signed a definitive agreement to purchase the Remote Sensing Systems (RSS) business from Eastman Kodak Co. for $725 million, significantly broadening its own space payload and service product offering for the U.S. military as well as other science, government and commercial customers.

RSS is a supplier of high-resolution satellite imaging systems and image information processing services. The combination of the two businesses will create a full-spectrum satellite payload provider with some of the latest visible and infrared satellite imaging technology in the remote sensing market.

L-3 COMMUNICATIONS: Merges Satellite Networks Business

L-3 Communications merged its Satellite Networks business based in Hauppauge, NY, into its Narda Microwave-East division also based in Hauppauge.

The new company, Narda Satellite Networks, will be based in the Narda Microwave facility in Hauppauge. The merger will bring increased capacity for the satellite products and will add to Narda’s catalog product line.

Narda Microwave-East designs and manufactures passive and active microwave components and subsystems with applications in the wireless, commercial, space and military markets. Narda Satellite Networks is a global satellite communications systems and services provider, offering systems and services used in satellite transmission of voice, video and data.

McKIBBEN CONSULTING: To Oversee CA Broadband Project

The city of Lompoc, CA, appointed McKibben Consulting as the project management team to build a city-owned utility providing a wide array of high-tech broadband services.

Upon completion of the $26.5 million project, the city will provide high-speed Internet, traditional telephone and video and audio entertainment services to its residents, businesses and government.

PATRIOT ANTENNA SYSTEMS: Awarded U.S. Patent

Patriot Antenna Systems Inc. was awarded a United States Patent for its new method of manufacturing high precision antenna systems. In production, Patriot can hold tolerances of better than 0.007 of an inch with this new vacuum forming dual skin process. In addition to the extremely accurate nature of the process, the finished reflector is lighter and more durable, according to Patriot.

The process can be applied to virtually any reflector size, and has already made its way into the satellite market via Patriot’s new SNG and flyaway antenna systems. Patriot intends to market this process and/or license this process to companies that need a lighter, more accurate terminal for applications such as military and Ka-band systems.

SCOPUS: Inks Deal In Germany

Scopus Network Technologies is supplying German business services provider T-Systems, a Deutsche Telekom subsidiary, with DVB headend platforms for digital TV and radio transmissions over satellite and ATM infrastructures. Scopus is also supplying hundreds of professional receivers for T-Systems network of reception sites throughout Germany.

T-Systems will utilize the new Scopus platforms for business TV applications and allow regional program insertion. Scopus platforms form the backbone of T-Systems new digital video broadcasting platforms and are based on the Scopus Codico product line.

SEADIGITAL: Teams Up With Telenor

U.S.-headquartered SeaDigital, an integrated satellite communication provider, has formed a business alliance with Norwegian-based Telenor Satellite Services to market an integrated calling card solution for the maritime industry.

The SeaDigital One Card will provide seafarers with worldwide access to satellite and terrestrial telecommunications. It is aimed specifically at the maritime market and allows seafarers to make calls while at sea or from port.

SIRIUS: Forms Entertainment Alliance

Radioshack Corp., Echostar Communications Corp. and Sirius Satellite Radio formed a satellite entertainment alliance that positions Echostar’s Dish Network and Sirius as the only satellite entertainment brands offered at Radioshack. Dish Network will make Sirius music programming available to the majority of its nine million customers.

Beginning in mid-2004, Radioshack will distribute, sell and market Sirius in-home and transportable satellite radios, through more than 7,000 neighborhood retail stores in the United States and through http://www.Radioshack.com .

TELENOR: Signs With New Skies

New Skies Satellites N.V. signed a 10-year agreement with Telenor Satellite Services for Pacific Ocean region capacity.

Using NSS 5, Telenor will provide cruise liners and commercial vessels throughout the Pacific Ocean with access to Internet, voice and mission-critical data communications.

NSS 5 offers both high-powered Ku- and C-band frequencies for video, telecom and Internet transmissions services throughout the Pacific Rim as well as transoceanic connectivity to the West Coast of the United States.

TRIPOINT GLOBAL: Buys Channel Master Int’l.

TriPoint Global Communications Inc. (TriPoint Global) acquired 100 percent of the stock of Channel Master International GmbH.

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Headquartered in Pforzheim, Germany, Channel Master International GmbH engages in business development for satellite communications customers in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, China and the South Pacific region.

TriPoint Global is a supplier of satellite and wireless communications products, systems and services to the U.S. Government and international government and commercial communications providers worldwide.

W.B. WALTON ENTERPRISES: Receives Orders For Snow Shields

W.B. Walton Enterprises Inc. received purchase orders for supplying its patented Snow Shields to On Command Video Corp. for its satellite distribution network. The Snow Shields will be used to prevent snow and ice from accumulating on the satellite network ground station antennas.

Technology

COMTECH EF DATA: Releases New Software Version

Comtech EF Data Corp. released its software version 1.3.0 for its IP-centric satellite modems, CDM-IP 300L and CDM -IP 550. Included in the release are advanced features that support bandwidth optimization for satellite links, including payload compression and enhanced Quality of Service.

With an innovative architecture and support for IP networking, the CDM-IP modems can be used for point-to-point and point-to-multipoint applications. The CDM-IP 550 is appropriate for both hub and remote locations supporting data rates from 2.4 kbs to 2.048 Mbs with a frequency range of 52 to 88 MHz. The CDM-IP 300L is suited for remote locations requiring single channel with a frequency range of 950 to 1750 MHz and data rates from 2.4 kbs to 5 Mbs. (Comtech EF Data, 2114 W. 7th St., Tempe, AZ 85281; Tel: 480/333-2200; Fax: 480/333-2540; Web: http://www.comtechefdata.com )

CPI MPP: Introduces Latest TWT Offering

Communications and Power Industries’ Microwave Power Products Division (CPI MPP) introduced its latest product offering, the VTU-6210T1 series.

This family of helix TWTs is currently available in two versions: VTU-6210T1A, 12.75-14.50 or VTU-6210T1B, 13.75-14.50–both producing minimum output power of 200-watts CW, periodic-permanent magnet focused, dual stage depressed collector, SMA input, waveguide output, and conduction cooled. Custom configurations are also available. These variations in the performance and configuration include: mechanical configuration, electrical and RF connections. (CPI MPP, P.O. Box 51110, Palo Alto, CA 94303-1110; Tel: 650/846-3900; Fax: 650/494-8779; Web: http://www.cpii.com/mpp )

GILAT: Debuts SkyEdge Product Family

Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. launched its next generation of products, the SkyEdge product family. The SkyEdge product family includes a series of VSAT products all able to operate via a single hub, supporting services from interactive data to broadband IP, public telephony and beyond.

The family consists of the SkyEdge System (the hub), and five VSAT products including:

• SkyEdge Pro–Multiservice VSAT, supporting interactive data, mesh telephony, broadband IP and video, with plug-in card architecture.
• SkyEdge IP–IP router VSAT, supporting interactive, broadband IP, VoIP and multicasting applications.
• SkyEdge Call–Telephony VSAT, supporting thin-route telephony applications.
• SkyEdge Gateway –Trunking solutions VSAT, providing mesh trunking solutions supporting digital telephony and IP data on demand trunking applications.
• SkyEdge DVB-RCS–Enhanced standard VSAT, fully supporting the DVB-RCS standard. This dual mode VSAT provides a real end-to-end standard solution for a satellite network operator. (Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd., 21 Yegia Kapayim St., Kiryat Arye, Petah Tikva 49130, Israel; Tel: (972) 3 925 2000; Fax: (972) 3 925 2222; Web: http://www.gilat.com )

HELIUS: Updates Key Products

Helius Inc. released updated versions of two products, both using MediaCore technology. The Helius MediaGate Router and MediaWrite Server have received innovative updates.

The new MediaWrite 1.5.1 updates include: New package type support, forward error correction settings on a per provider basis and command only package types.

The new MediaGate Router 2502 updates include: Use of MediaCore release 2.6, a CD-ROM Drive for local loadable content, standard 80 GB hard drive and upgraded 2.4 GHz processor. (Helius Inc., 333 South 520 West, Suite 330, Lindon, UT 84042; Tel: 801/764-9020; Fax: 801/764-9022; Web: http://www.helius.com )

SEA TEL: Promotes New Antenna Line

Sea Tel introduced its new 04 Series of marine stabilized TV antennas. The line consists of three different size models–30-, 40-, 50-inch antenna dishes.

According to Sea Tel, each system is accurately stabilized within a closed loop environment. The sensors are mounted on the antenna and isolate the antenna from the ship’s motion. These sensors react to the slightest movement of the antenna and keep it perfectly locked on the satellite beam.

These units are also available with an optional touch screen display as part of the Below Decks Equipment that allows the operator to manage the antenna position, satellite programming and video output at a touch of the display. (Sea Tel, 4030 Nelson Ave., Concord, CA 94520; Tel: 925/798-7979; Fax: 925/798-7986; Web: http://www.seatel.com )