People

Iridium Satellite Names New Executive Vice President For Sales, Marketing And Business Development

Iridium Satellite LLC announced the appointment of Greg Ewert as executive vice president for sales, marketing and business development.

Ewert comes to Iridium from COMSAT International, where he was executive vice president for marketing, sales, business development, product development and customer service. He has also served in senior executive positions at BCE Teleglobe Communications, Global One Communication and Sprint International of Canada.

Jetix Names CEO

Jetix Europe, a provider of childrens’ entertainment programming to satellite pay-TV operators, named Paul Taylor as its new CEO. Taylor has been interim CEO since July. Jetix Europe, formerly known as Fox Kids Europe, operates more than 13 channels with a reach of 37 million households in 58 countries.

Sirius Names Mel Karmazin CEO

Sirius Satellite Radio named Mel Karmazin the new CEO of the company. He succeeds Joseph Clayton, who will remain with the company as chairman of Sirius’ board of directors.

Karmazin, who left his post as president and CEO of Viacom earlier this year, brings with him about 35 years of radio operating, programming and sales experience, including holding the CEO position at Infinity, Westwood One and CBS.

Speculation already has begun as to what Karmazin will do first in his new role as CEO. Namely, questions are being asked as to whether Karmazin will attempt to buy out Howard Stern’s current contract with Viacom and accelerate the popular morning DJ’s transition to satellite earlier than his contracted January 2006 start date.

Telstra Names Senior VP/Global Accounts

Telstra promoted Andrew Morawski to the position of senior vice president of global accounts. He will head an extended global sales-engagement initiative, managing Telstra resources in the United States, Australia, India, Hong Kong, China, the United Kingdom, Singapore and Japan.

Services

C-COM Launches Mobile High Bandwidth Service

C-COM Satellite Systems Inc. has teamed up with Ottawa-based RAMTelecom to deliver high-speed satellite-based mobile Internet services using Viasat LinkStar equipment. RAMTelecom says its Network Operation Center, located in Ottawa, will be providing broadband services for the C-COM-developed iNetVu Mobile platform, which will be able to deliver upload speeds of up to 1.15Mbps and download speeds of up to 60Mbps. The iNetVu Mobile antenna will offer mobile customers, operating from remote locations, high-speed and secure communications as those available today to fixed users located in large metropolitan areas. Different grades of high-speed data, VoIP and video sessions is made available to those enterprise clients who need immediate access to the Internet while on the move.

Gilat Offers Satellite Solution To GSM Operators

Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. recently announced it has added Sky-Abis, a satellite solution for GSM operators, to its SkyEdge family of products. Sky-Abis allows mobile operators to expand their network coverage by providing cellular connectivity to customers located in remote communities while significantly reducing operating costs (up to 80 percent) for existing or new deployments.

Globalstar Broadens Data Service Coverage Over Europe

Globalstar said it has expanded its data service coverage to reach across the Atlantic and all of Europe and North Africa. The company said it will offer simplex, or one-way, data services to customers using its European gateway located in France.

The new service enhancement is the result of a hardware upgrade to the European ground station, which is operated by Globalstar to provide satellite customers access to ground- based public telephone and data networks. The simplex data offering allows customers to use simplex modems and integrated solutions to track mobile assets using GPS or other location-based software.

MST Bring New York City Marathon Live To Handheld Devices

Microwave Satellite Technologies, Inc. (MST) carried several channels of live TV in Central Park during the New York City Marathon to handheld devices through its Nuvision Broadband service. One of the channels provided coverage of the Marathon.

KenCast, Inc. provided the content distribution system. Live TV was multicast in MPEG 4 format generated from encoders provided by VBrick, Inc.

Mobile users on foot or in vehicles in Central Park with KenCast’s Fazzt Handheld Client on their PDA or Smartphone were able to select from several channels of live TV.

Nuvision Broadband uses four buildings as Wi-Fi relay points to blanket Central Park and other parts of Manhattan’s West Side. Eventually, the network will expand to cover Columbus Circle and places such as Lincoln Center, the marinas on the West Side and major portions of Manhattan, including the financial district and the Battery Park area.

ND SatCom Delivers Ground Station Services

ND SatCom delivered a turnkey ground station for satellite communications to the German Armed Forces in Kastellaun, Germany. This station will connect the transportable satellite ground stations and mobile camera teams in the areas of operation with the German Armed Forces’ telecommunications systems. The ground station in Kastellaun will provide secure communications via satellite between the homeland and German Armed Forces in areas of operation abroad.

PanGlobal TV Makes Russian Programming Available In Australia

GlobeCast Australia announced the signature of an agreement with Horizon World Plus TV Pty Ltd to distribute a bouquet of four Russian television channels on the PanGlobal TV direct-to-home satellite platform in Australia. The four Russian channels will utilize capacity on the PanGlobal TV platform located on the Ku-band Australia Beam of Panamsat’s PAS 8 satellite.

The Russian service is the first bouquet of programming to be launched on the PanGlobal platform. The service will be available free-to-air with the goal of it being encrypted by the first quarter of 2005.

SES Astra Launches Go!nternet In Poland

SES Astra, an SES Global company, and Go!nternet announced a new satellite Internet service for Poland via Astra fleet 19.2 degreesE. The return path for the one-way satellite service will be provided by PTK Centertel.

The service will be offered under the brand name of Go!nternet. In the early phase, the service will be available to customers in Mazovia region and later on in all of Poland. The satellite downlink will be provided via the Astra fleet at 19.2 degreesE and the return channel will be by GPRS technology provided by PTK Centertel. In addition to satellite Internet access, Go!nternet subscribers will have access to more than 250 international digital TV and radio channels.

Spacenet Adds Hybrid VSAT/DSL Services To Connexstar

Gilat Satellite Networks, Ltd. announced that its U.S. subsidiary, Spacenet Inc., has added commercial-grade, hybrid VSAT/DSL services to its Connexstar family of broadband connectivity solutions.

Spacenet’s expansion of its Connexstar offering allows the company to provide DSL, VSAT and hybrid network solutions. All Connexstar sites will continue to be managed centrally by Spacenet, whether they are Connexstar VSAT or DSL locations.

Telenor Unveils IP Networking Service

Telenor Satellite Services, a subsidiary of Telenor of Norway, launched its IP networking service–Telenor Digital Video Broadcasting – Return Channel Satellite (DVB-RCS).

The two-way broadband service enables low-cost, "always-on" communications for land-based users located throughout Europe and the Middle East. Telenor’s DVB-RCS service provides broadband communications via satellite to and from fixed and semi-fixed land-based locations where cable connections are unavailable or where satellite service is the preferred communications technology. The service uses commercially available standard equipment and supports applications for business enterprise users, small office and home office users, educational organizations, and Internet service providers, including Internet access, e-mail and virtual private network (VPN) applications.

Contracts

Canal+ Concludes Key Movie Deal

The Canal+ Group has concluded a deal with Twentieth Century Fox, which will enable subscribers to view first broadcasts of all the movies produced by the U.S. studio between 2007 and 2012. The deal is an extension of a current contract in place. It is a major boost for Canal+ and will enrich the content on the DTH platform Canal Satellite. CANAL+, the movie channel, airs 400 films a year, of which 320 exclusive first-runs, with an average of 30 first-run French and foreign movies a month.

As well as its agreement with Twentieth Century Fox, Canal+ also holds exclusive first-run rights from other leading U.S. studios, including, Universal (featuring rights to the entire catalogue), Sony/Columbia, DreamWorks, New Line, Miramax and Spyglass.

Comtech EF Data Contracts With U.S. Government

Comtech Telecommunications Corp. announced that its Tempe, AZ-based subsidiary, Comtech EF Data Corp., received a $1.1 million contract to provide satellite communications equipment to a major United States government integrator.

This award includes the purchase of high-power outdoor power amplifiers (ODPA), as well as a new line of frequency converters that allow L-band-based RF equipment to integrate with legacy 70/140MHz systems while maintaining state-of-the-art RF performance.

The C-, X- and Ku-band ODPA provide linearity for operation in multi-carrier environments and are equipped with field-replaceable power supplies. The modular design of Comtech EF Data’s line of L-band to RF frequency converters permits efficient multi-band (C-, X- and Ku-band) operation, including expansion to a future Ka-band. Additionally, the modularity of the components and commonality of parts allow for minimum sparing for deployed networks.

DNBS and Helius Form Technology Partnership

Helius, Inc., a business class data broadcasting solutions provider, and Dish Network Business Solutions (DNBS), a division of Echostar Communications Corp., announced that they have formed a technology partnership that will deliver integrated Internet protocol technologies and custom product offerings to DNBS customers.

DNBS’ suite of products and services are designed to help simplify business communications with customers, partners and employees. DNBS provides satellite communication services that help businesses improve the effectiveness of their corporate communications, training and advertising. DNBS will enhance its offerings to include advanced video and data services using Internet protocol.

EuroNews Contracts With Eutelsat

EuroNews, a pan-European news channel, will now be available throughout Asia thanks to a key deal with satellite operator Eutelsat. EuroNews will now be broadcast with two signals in Asia through Eutelsat’s W5 satellite. EuroNews is already brought today to 154 million homes in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, North and South America.

Globecomm Systems Inc. Awarded Multiple Contracts

Globecomm Systems Inc., a global provider of end-to-end satellite-based communications solutions, announced that it won multiple contracts from a global multilateral organization valued at approximately $1.7 million which includes an initial award under an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract.

In July 1, 2003, Globecomm announced the receipt of an $8.3 million contract from this customer for fixed and transportable earth station terminals, which included $26.7 million in follow-on options.

Loral Skynet Selects iDirect Equipment

Loral Skynet agreed to implement four iDirect broadband IP hub chassis products as part of Loral Skynet’s global IP-based private networking services. Loral Skynet plans to launch the satellite service using the iDirect hub and remote equipment throughout the first quarter of 2005.

A single 5IF iDirect hub router can access five different satellites, enable multiple real private networks, deliver aggregate speeds of up to 360 Mbps, and support C-, Ku-, and Ka-band transponders with redundancy. The iDirect hub solution supports secure encrypted communications and recently received FIPS 140-2 government encryption certification for its built-in encryption technology.

Pace Wins Key German Contract

Pace Micro Technology has a won a key deal with German pay-TV operator Premiere to supply PVR (Personal Video Recorder) STBs. Premiere has more than three million subscribers in Germany and is the latest pay-TV operator looking to drive revenues through PVR services. Pace will supply its TDS460KP box for Premiere, which features an 80 Gbps hard drive. Premiere operates one of the largest DTH platforms in Europe. Premiere subscribers will also gain access to other features such as being able to pause live TV, fast-forward, rewind, time-shift and automatic recording of multiple episodes in a series.

Panamsat Selects Glowlink Equipment

Glowlink Communications Technology, Inc. announced that it won a contract from Panamsat Corp. for the Panamsat Global Monitoring System (GMS). Under the terms of the contract, Glowlink will implement a worldwide network of monitoring sites based on its Model 1000 satellite monitoring systems and LC100 satellite ground terminal equipment controllers to monitor Panamsat’s global network.

Pathfire Selects SkyStream Technology

SkyStream Networks, a provider of IP video delivery solutions, announced that Pathfire, a provider of digital content distribution and management solutions for the media and entertainment industry, has integrated SkyStream technology into its Digital Media Gateway (DMG) to deliver IP video and data content over satellite networks.

Pathfire is enabling its content-provider customers to migrate to IP delivery of video from a system that previously required the transportation of analog tapes to broadcasters in order to share content.

Telkonet And Viasat Announce Strategic Alliance

Telkonet Inc., a provider of in-building broadband access over existing electrical wiring, announced a strategic alliance with ViaSat, a satellite communications services provider.

Through this alliance, Telkonet will offer ViaSat’s wide array of satellite services along with Telkonet’s high-speed Internet access system to deliver a broadband solution for the enterprise marketplace.

Technology

CPI Satcom Introduces 110 W Tri-Band Outdoor TWTA

Communications & Power Industries (CPI) Satcom Division, a supplier of uplink amplifiers for ground-based satellite communications, introduced a tri-band traveling wave tube amplifier (TWTA) that covers the C-, X- and Ku-band uplink frequencies in a single weatherized package.

The amplifier provides up to 110 watts of power, weighs 35 lbs. and operates at temperatures up to 60�C, including solar loading. Integral redundant switch controls, an SSIPA with linearizer and increased output power of up to 140 watts are available as options. (CPI Satcom, 811 Hansen Way,Palo Alto, CA 94303; Tel: 650/846-3803; Fax: 650/424-1744; Web: http://www.cpii.com/satcom)

Globecomm Systems Inc. Introduces Satellite Terminal

Globecomm Systems Inc. announced that the company introduced an auto-explorer flyaway terminal for a broad range of government applications.

The Auto-Explorer Multimedia Transportable Satellite Communications Terminals support military and peacekeeping forces, remote access to networks, telemedicine applications, remote distance learning, remote Internet access or other applications where remote, rapidly deployed operation is essential. The Auto-Explorer Terminal is a self-contained Ku- band system. (Globecom Systems, Inc, 45 Oser Avenue, Hauppauge, NY 11788; Tel: 631/231-9800; Fax: 631/231-1557; http://www.globecommsystems.com)