Interesting development involving quantum entanglement and teleportation, via Richard Adhikari at TechNewsWorld…

Scientists in China have transmitted quantum bits, or qubits, over a record distance of 97 km, or roughly 60 miles.

This is more than six times the distance of the previous record of 16 km, set by another team of Chinese researchers in May of 2010, as reported in Nature.com.

The results represent a step toward the establishment of a global quantum network, and the methods used in the experiment could be utilized for satellite-based quantum communications, the scientists said.

“This is just a transmission method, so it could have wide utility, though I expect the cost will initially make it best for huge data streams,” Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group, told TechNewsWorld.

This technology “could end up changing much of the world” because it’s both potentially higher bandwidth and lower latency, approaching zero, and these factors “could drive massive computer centralization on a world scale and force a massive shakeout of security , networking and computer companies,” Enderle continued. “Something like this could turn us into a SaaS (Software as a Service) world.”

This will change the satcom business in a big, big way. It’s right there in the abstract:

With the help of quantum entanglement, quantum communication can be achieved between arbitrarily distant places without passing through intermediate locations by quantum teleportation. In the laboratory, quantum teleportation has been demonstrated over short distance by photonic and atomic qubits. Using fiber links, quantum teleportation has been achieved over kilometer distances. Long distance quantum teleportation is of particular interest and has been one of the holy grails of practical quantum communication. Most recently, quantum teleportation over 16 km free-space link was demonstrated. However, a major restriction in this experiment is that the unknown quantum state cannot directly come from outside. Here, based on an ultra-bright multi-photon entanglement source, we demonstrate quantum teleportation, closely following the original scheme, for any unknown state created outside, between two optical free-space links separated by 97 km. Over a 35-53 dB high-loss quantum channel, an average fidelity of 80.4(9) % is achieved for six distinct initial states. Besides being of fundamental interest, our result represents an important step towards a global quantum network. Moreover, the high-frequency and high-accuracy acquiring, pointing and tracking (APT) technique developed in our experiment can be directly utilized for future satellite-based quantum communication.

Download the report (PDF) for yourself and read on.

MEASAT takes Intelsat to court over alleged breach of contract in respect to the Land Launch and Program Management Services for the MEASAT 1R satellite.
[SatNews - 05/14/2012]

Arianespace to launch Vietnam’s second satellite along with Sky Perfect’s JSAT-13 on May 16.
[Satellite Today - 05/14/2012]

SES announces that its German HD+ platform reached more than 2.6 million households at the end of first quarter 2012.
[SatNews - 05/12/2012]

ViviSat, backed by ATK and U.S. Space, shows new video explaining how its Mission Extension Vehicle can extend the life of retiring geosynchronous communications satellites.
[SatNews - 05/12/2012]

ATK has developed Liberty into complete commercial crew transportation system, including spacecraft, abort system, launch vehicle, and ground and mission operations, designed to meet NASA’s human-rating requirements.
[SatNews - 05/12/2012]

While negotiating with Boeing to convert its current contract for new advance satellite terminals from cost plus to fixed price, the Air Force opens up the bidding to other companies.
[Chicago Tribune - 05/11/2012]

Dish launches DVR feature allowing customers to completely avoid commercials, threatening billions of dollars in broadcast-television advertising.
[Wall Street Journal - 05/11/2012]

Eutelsat cuts forecast for full-year revenue, and its stock falls the most since it began trading in Paris in December 2005.
[Bloomberg - 05/11/2012]

Vietnam says it will send its second satellite into orbit on May 16.
[People Daily - 05/11/2012]

Nigeria says it will deploy satellites to trace movement of suspected terrorists and their locations in the country.
[Daily Trust - 05/11/2012]

Iridium unveils worlld’s smallest commercial two-way satellite data transceiver.
[Sat PR News - 05/11/2012]

L-3 to lay off 34 workers in Mason, Ohio, a plant that makes infrared sensors and systems and satellite electronics.
[Dayton Business Journal - 05/11/2012]

MDA may lay off 150 additional employees if Radarsat Constellation Mission doesn’t continue.
[Vancouver Sun - 05/11/2012]

China launches Remote-Sensing Satellite Number 14.
[SatNews - 05/10/2012]

SpaceX and Bigelow Aerospace agree to jointly market rides on SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft to Bigelow habitats orbiting Earth.
[SatNews - 05/10/2012]

Globecomm Systems gets contract value upgrade and 12 month extension to existing five year contract to provide complete facility and geographic diversity for voice and data restoration services to Agility Recovery Solutions.
[SatNews - 05/10/2012]

Comtech receives $1.5 million order for Ka-band high-power amplifiers serving the emerging High Throughput Satellite communications market.
[Market Watch - 05/10/2012]

NASA announces the retirement of the TDRS-4 communications satellite.
[redOrbit - 05/09/2012]

ESA declares Envisat environmental satellite, which stopped communicating in April, lost. [Spaceflight Now - 05/09/2011]

Netherlands Defence organisation a step closer to satellite communications independence following May 5 launch of communications satellite from Cape Canaveral.
[Defence Professionals - 05/09/2012]

Eutelsat closes distribution deal with RG Networks, making KA-SAT satellite broadband available across Hungary.
[Sacramento Bee - 05/09/2012]

Astrium gets contract to provide airborne SATCOM systems to Star Satellite Communications Company, a subsidiary of Yahsat.
[SatNews - 05/09/2012]

Norsat revenues up 21% for strong 2012 first quarter.
[Market Watch - 05/09/2012]

Telstra orders $5 million in docking stations and Iridium handsets from Beam Communications of Australia.
[Market Watch - 05/09/2012]

Comtech gets $2.5 million contract from Latin American operator for satellite earth station equipment for the company’s network expansion.
[Market Watch - 05/09/2011]

Scientists offer calculation to correct temperature data taken from NOAA-9 in the 1980′s, bringing it in line with other satellite earth temperature data and models that simulate global warming.
[R&D Magazine - 05/08/2012]

Field testing of Army’s mobile WIN-T C-2 satellite network finally under way in New Mexico after a year’s worth of delays.
[Defense News - 05/08/2012]

Intelsat reports first quarter net loss of $24.4 million, and confirms plans for four satellite launches in second and third quarters of 2012.
[Market Watch - 05/08/2012]

Satcom Direct becomes reseller for TriaGnoSys satellite communications systems.
[Seattle PI - 05/08/2012]

SkyWave Mobile Communicatioins introduces IDP-780 series of terminals with dual mode satellite-cellular capability.
[Market Watch - 05/08/2012]

Dish Network reports several technical glitches on its satellites during the first quarter, including solar array anomalies.
[Fierce Cable - 05/07/2012]

WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services

Russian power engineering manufacturer Energomash begins development of new rocket engine to run on novel mixture of acetylene and ammonia and could reduce cost of rocket launches and need for hydrogen
[SatNews - 05/07/2012]

Craftwork launches off-the-shelf software solutions enabling device makers to rapidly develop and launch new SAT>IP devices.
[SatNews - 05/07/2012]

U.S.A.F. launches second AEHF satellite from Cape Canaveral.
[Defence Professionals - 05/06/2012]

DISA says new strategy to build cohesive global network by 2020 could be used to acquire teleport receiving stations and satellite antennas outside the GSA vehicle for acquiring satellite bandwidth.
[NextGov - 05/04/2012]

Inmarsat shareholder protest over executive chairman pay.
[telecompaper - 05/04/2012]

NSR webinar Wednesday May 30, 2012 will offer in=depth discussion of emerging market for Hosted Payloads across all market segments and all regions.
[SatNews - 05/04/2012]

Vizada and Vizada Elite Partner SRH Marine Electronics sign 24 month agreement with Danaos Shipping Co. to equip its fleet of vessels with full broadband communications system using Inmarsat FleetBroadband terminals.
[SatNews - 05/04/2012]

Thrane board accepts sweetened Cobham offer.
[Nicosia Business Review - 05/03/2012]

North Korea’s jamming of GPS signals has serious affects on U.S. Army’s Rifleman Radio.
[NextGov - 05/03/2012]

VT iDirect and Informa Telecoms & Media release survey and white paper demonstrating market value and potential of satellite backhaul when used in conjunction with small cells.
[SatNews - 05/03/2012]

ESA announces its next large science mission will be an explorer (JUICE) that will be sent to explore Jupiter’s icy moons.
[SatNews = 05/03/2012]

South Korean flights affected by GPS jamming signals coming from communist North Korea.
[ABC News - 05/02/2012]

Goddard Space Flight team works on Fast Plasma Instrument that will collect full sky map of data at 30 times per second for the NASA fleet of four identical spacecraft, the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission, to launch in 2014.
[R&D Magazine - 05/01/2012]

Orbit Communication Systems gets contract from Scientific Research Institute of the Precision Instruments, a Roscosmos member, to supply several Earth Observation systems for tracking of LEO satellites.
[Globe Newswire - 04/30/2012]

Hoping to prevent bankruptcy, LightSquared’s lenders ask Philip Falcone to step down from LightSquared board seat he took just two months ago.
[Wireless Week - 04/30/2012]

U.S.A.F. begins negotiations with Lockheed Martin in effort to acquire two AEHF satellites below the $3.1 billion limit set by Congress in 2012 Defense Authorization Act.
[Air Force Times - 04/28/2012]

U.K to build $400 million Solar Orbiter which will come closer to sun than any previous satellite, inside Mercury’s orbit, to study solar winds.
[Vancouver Sun - 04/28/2012]

WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services

Telesat profit drops by 14% due to reduced prices charge a DTH customer on one of its satellites.
[Winnipeg Free Press - 04/27/2012]

Astrium activates full in-orbit operations on the first two Galileo In-Orbit Validation satellites launched in October 2011.
[Satellite Today - 04/27/2012]

Russian Proton rocket successfully launches Yahsat 1B Ka-band civil/military communications satellite into geostationary transfer orbit.
[Space.com - 04/26/2012]

Indian rocket successfully launches microwave Radar Imaging Satellite (Risat-1) from spaceport in Andhra Pradesh, joining a select group of nations having this technology.
[NY Daily News - 04/26/2012]

UK industry to build Solar Orbiter satellite.
[BBC News - 04/26/2012]

CASBAA members rally to resist India’s proposed retroactive satellite tax laws. [SatNews - 04/26/2012]

U.S.A.F. terminates Defense Weather Satellite System contractual activities with Northrop Grumman in accordance with 2012 National Defense Authorization Act and FY12 Consolidated Appropriations Act.
[SatNews - 04/26/2012]

Space-based technology that serves GPS-equipped motorists will undergo major test of ability to rapidly pinpoint the location and magnitude of strong earthquakes across the western United States.
[SatNews - 04/26/2012]

Research firm Media Partners Asia expects DTH growth to explode in Asia, growing exponentially from 11% market share today to about 30% in the next decade.
[Satellite Today - 04/26/2012]

GMV is awarded a contract with THAICOM Plc to provide satellite control center for Thaicom 6 satellite.
[Space Ref - 04/26/2012]

NASA seeks proposals to develop solar array systems to enable space electric propulsion systems of the future.
[SolarNovus - 04/26/2012]

SpaceX COTS 2 mission set for May 7th, when the comp-any’s Falcon 9 launch vehicle will propel the Dragon toward the International Space Station.
[SatNews - 04/25/2012]

ViaSat is selected to enable Ka-band broadband satellite services for kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
[Market Watch - 04/25/2012]

SES adds two new local German channels on ASTRA.
[Market Watch - 04/25/2012]

Canadian Department of National Defence General wants satellite coverage over far north to aid communications in Canadian Arctic.
[The Globe and Mail - 04/25/2012]

Astrium Services and Spanish government satellite service operator Hisdesat sign agreement to establish constellation approach for radar satellites TerraSAR-X and PAZ for additional flexibility.
[SatNews - 04/24/2012]

Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association announces that WorkMark has joined the association as Industry Partner Member; they will work together to expand certification and qualifications needed in the consumer satellite industry.
[SatNews - 04/24/2012]

Boatracs and KVH announce strategic partnership to provide end-to-end global broadband solution to maritime market.
[chron - 04/24/2012]

EUMETSAT opens high-tech facility in Germany.
[Satellite Today - 04/24/2012]

New $1 billion + anti-jam communications satellite to provide the president and military leaders a secure and survivable communications link in wartime is mounted atop its Atlas 5 rocket at Cape Canaveral.
[Spaceflight Now - 04/23/2012]

DARPA project advocates replacing conventional spacecraft with free-floating orbit clusters that interact wirelessly, promoting easy re-configuration for changing military needs.
[Nextgov - 04/23/2012]

iDirect’s iDX software earns 2011 Satellite Spotlight Product of the Year award for bringing TDMA and SCPC together on a single platform for the first time ever.
[Market Watch - 04/23/2012]

U.S. military may spend $1 billion during next decade to piggyback its communications equipment onto commercial satellites.
[Washington Post - 04/22/2012]

Medical Robotics Experts Help Advance NASA’s Satellite Surgery Project.
[Tech Briefs - 04/01/2012]

WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services

Great idea: convert an old warehouse into a members-only facility for inventors, tinkerers, craftspeople and DIYers. Offer classes and workshops, too. It’s called MakerPlace and it’s pretty cool.

Looking at their equipment list — and the number of rocket scientists living in and around “America’s Finest City” — it should prove to be a successful endeavor. You can get it done here:

4 axis CNC mill
manual mill
metal lathe
pipe notcher
brake (16 gauge)
planishing hammer
English wheel
TIG welder
gas welder
MIG welder
shear (16 gauge)
metal belt sander
horizontal band saw
metal and wood bandsaw
permitted paint booth
wood belt sander
3D printer (abs plastic)
Corner Notcher
Shrinker/ Stretcher
35 Ton Press Brake
Grinder/ Polisher
metal and wood drill presses
shaper
Saw Stop table saw
15″ planer
miter saw
panel saw
cnc router with vacuum table
assorted hand tools
integral sawdust management
VIC Engrave
Corel Software Suite
EagleCAD, Rhino
Fritzing, Alibre
Mach3, V CArve Pro
Cut 3D, SketchUp
Buzz 2 Stitches
Arduino, PCB 123
large format laser cutters
laser engravers
oscilloscopes
function generator
variable power supplies
multi-meters
soldering irons
large format vinyl cutter
industrial sewing machine
6 needle embroidery machine
large format inkjet printer
CNC router
sand blasting cabinet
free wireless internet service
conference room w/projector
4 color silk screen and dryer

Check out their photos.

Stay classy, San Diego!

This Saturday, 28 April 2012, is National Astronomy Day. Get out there and look up!

Depending on where you are, you’ll need to get away from all the “light pollution” that interferes with stargazing. Try the Dark Sky Finder for guidance. And if you want to dig deeper, take a look at the work being done by our paisanos over at Istituto di Scienza e Tecnologia dell’Inquinamento Luminoso (Light Pollution Science and Technology Institute).

Need a telescope? Check out the promotion Celestron is doing with Astronomy magazine…

Astronomy magazine and Celestron are coming to a location near you! Here’s where you can go to win a Celestron telescope and Astronomy magazine prizes…check back regularly for updates (unless otherwise noted, events will be held April 28):

Location: Prestonsburg, Kentucky
Venue: East Kentucky Science Center & Planetarium
Website: bigsandy.kctcs.edu

Location: Schenectady, New York
Venue: Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium
Website: schenectadymuseum.org

Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Venue: Fernbank Science Center
Website: fernbank.edu

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Venue: Sommers-Bausch Observatory & Fiske Planetarium
Event date: May 20, 2012
Website: cosmos.colorado.edu and fiske.colorado.edu

Location: Cartersville, Georgia
Venue: Tellus Northwest Georgia Science Museum 
Website: www.tellusmuseum.org

Location: Chicago, Illinois
Venue: The Adler Planetarium
Website: www.adlerplanetarium.org/

Location: Dayton, Ohio
Venue: Boonshoft Museum of Discovery
Website: www.boonshoftmuseum.org

Location: Milford, Michigan
Venue: Kensington Metropark
Website: www.metroparks.com

Location: El Paso, Texas
Venue: Gene Roddenberry Planetarium
Website: www.episd.org

Location: Flagstaff, Arizona
Venue: Lowell Observatory
Website: www.lowell.edu

Location: Hilo, Hawaii
Venue: AstroDay at Prince Kuhlo Plaza
Event Date: May 5, 2012
Website: www.astroday.net

Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Venue: Science City at Union Station
Event Date: May 4, 2012
Website: www.sciencecity.com

Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
Venue: Mueller Planetarium at University of Nebraska State Museum
Website: www.spacelaser.com

Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Venue: Sudekum Planetarium at the Adventure Science Center
Event date: June 2, 2012
Website: www.sudekumplanetarium.com

Location: Oakland, California
Venue: Chabot Space & Science Center
Website: www.chabotspace.org/

Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Venue: Arizona Science Center
Event Date: May 5, 2012
Website: azscience.org

Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Venue: Carnegie Science Center
Event date: March 31, 2012
Website: www.carnegiesciencecenter.org

Location: St. Louis, Missouri
Venue: St. Louis Science Center
Website: www.slsc.org

Location: Louisville, Kentucky
Venue: Gheens Science Hall and Rauch Planetarium
Event Date: June 6, 2012
Website: www.louisville.com/planetarium

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Venue: Franklin Institute Science Museum
Website: www.fi.edu

Location: Seattle, Washington
Venue: Pacific Science Center
Website: www.pacificsciencecenter.org

Location: Waukesha, Wisconsin
Venue: Retzer Nature Center
Website: www.waukeshacounty.gov/defaultwc.aspx?id=39577

Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Venue: Clark Planetarium
Website: www.clarkplanetarium.org

Location: Portland, Oregon
Venue: Kendall Planetarium
Website: www.omsi.edu/planetarium

ISRO plans to launch its biggest spacecraft ever, the 5,000-kg GSAT-11, by 2014.
[The Hindu Businessline - 04/20/2012]

New nanosat designed by European Satellite Agency promises new opportunities to test ground-breaking satellite software on an actual mission in space.
[Product Design & Development - 04/20/2012]

Upon receipt of an overdue payment of $56.25 million from LightSquared, Inmarsat agrees to suspend further payments until 2014, giving LightSquared some breathing room.
[Reuters - 04/20/2012]

Next-generation DVB-S2 satellite service offered out of Perth, Australia by SpeedCast in partnership with SatComms Australia, finds its first major customer in Saxon Energy Services.
[SatNews - 04/20/2012]

SES-4, launched on February 15th, the 50th and largest satellite in the fleet, is now fully operational and ready for service at orbital location of 338 degrees East.
[SatNews - 04/19/2012]

Second Advanced Extremely High Frequency communication satellite ready for launch May 3, poised to give war fighters a 10 fold increase in capacity after years of delay in the program and a glitch that almost scuttled the first AEHF satellite.
[National Defense Magazine - 04/19/2012]

Europe’s latest second-generation meteorological spacecraft, MSG-3, arrives in French Guiana to be readied for June 19 dual-payload launch on Ariane 5.
[SatNews - 04/19/2012]

The second satellite of the United Arab Emirates’ space communications program, Y1B, is ready to be launched on a Proton launcher from Baikonur in Kazakhstan on April 23.
[Defense Professionals - 04/19/2012]
Satellite Today Webcast April 23

Space Systems/Loral completes construction of Intelsat 19 ahead of schedule, and the satellite is now at the Sea Launch home port in Long Beach.
[Market Watch - 04/19/2012]

Asia Broadcast Satellite seeks $215 million loan from Export-Import Bank of the U.S. for construction of new satellites.
[Bloomberg - 04/19/2012]

Honeywell agrees to work with satellite communications company Inmarsat on providing in-flight internet connection for airline passengers.
[CBS News - 04/19/2012]

SES and Encompass Media sign capacity deal making NASA TV channels available to satellite TV providers and cable outlets throughout the U.S.
[SatNews - 04/19/2012]

Report from U.S. State and Defense Departments states that China is stealing U.S. military and civilian space technology in effort to disrupt U.S. access to intelligence, navigation and communication satellites.
[Business Week - 04/18/2012]

U.S. Defense and State Departments jointly recommend that Congress ease export controls on satellites that have become less militarily sensitive to allow American companies to better compete in the world market.
[NextGov - 04/18/2012]

FCC sets deadlines for comments on plan for flexible use of 2 GHz satellite band, moving closer to proposal that could allow Dish to launch its LTE network.
[Wireless Week - 04/18/2012]

Telesat’s Nimiq 6 satellite, built by Space Systems/Loral, arrives at Baikonur Space Center in Kazakhstan, where it will be launched on a Proton Breeze M vehicle.
[Market Watch - 04/18/2012]

Australia’s NBN process of moving ahead with satellite construction and launch plans ahead of actual approval of the satellite slots meets with ITU requirements since the application for the slots is underway.
[PC Advisor - 04/18/2012]

Communications on four Eutelsat satellites will be used to cover the French Presidential elections.
[Market Watch - 04/18/2012]

Raytheon successfully downloads and delivers Defense Weather Satellite data via Antarctica with 50% reduction in latency.
[Market Watch - 04/18/2012]

Hughes announces the addition of Ka-band mobile satellite equipment and other communications products to its GSA schedule 70 contract.
[Market Watch - 04/18/2012]

RRSAT and THAICOM extend contract for global distribution of Vietnam Television.
[Market Watch - 04/18/2012]

Unfurlable mesh antenna reflectors aboard DoD’s recently launched MUOS satellite are successfully tested in space.
[Market Watch - 04/17/2012]

University of Navarre’s doctorate thesis describes satellite antenna array designed as a cone such that “radiation is uniformly incident on all parts of the Earth, thus avoiding some zones receiving more energy than others”.
[Basque Research - 04/17/2012]

ITT Exelis, Britain’s BAE Systems and L-3 Communications Holdings have created a joint venture to bid for a huge contract to manage and maintain the U.S. Air Force’s satellite launch and test ranges.
[Reuters - 04/17/2012]

Kratos Integral Systems International selected by Boeing to provide turnkey ground segment solution to support entire constellation of Boeing 702 and Orbital STAR2 satellites for MEXSAT.
[Market Watch - 04/17/2012]

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions subsidiary RT Logic releases CyberC4(TM), a family of cyber security products designed specifically for the satellite industry.
[Market Watch - 04/17/2012]

Military takes control of fourth WGS satellite following completion of on-orbit tests by Boeing.
[UPI - 04/16/2012]

European Space Agency struggles to restore contact with its massive 10 year old satellite Envisat, after it lost touch with Earth.
[Space - 04/16/2012]

Intelsat and PCCW Global of Hong Kong agree to interconnect their MPLS networks to expand the IntelsatONE terrestrial network.
[Market Watch - 04/16/2012]

Undisputed evidence showing ICO waived its claim for breach of a satellite contract by Boeing leads to three-judge appellate court’s reversal of a 2008 jury award to ICO against Boeing for over $600 million.
[Gulf News - 04/15/2012]

Sailors who have grown up used to instant access to friends and family by broadband and the Internet are finding themselves and their families stressed out when they go to sea and have these lines of communications restricted or severed.
[Navy Times - 04/15/2012]

Some scientists believe that a solar storm on April 5, 2010, observed by NASA satellites TWINS and IBIX, was responsible for the loss of control of Galaxy 15, which drifted out of control for almost a year before operators regained control and returned it to its assigned orbit.
[NASA - article]

WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services

Companies such as Hughes and Spacenet probably don’t have to worry about, as their future in transaction processing with VSAT technology isn’t going away. It may not be growing much, but the business is there.

Until an alternative process for secure transactions comes around. Well, here comes Verizon Private IP Wireless LTE.

A report in Computerworld puts it into the proper perspective for the satcom set:

With the new service, customers with LTE smartphones and tablets and LTE modems for their laptops can access the nearest cell tower and will then be routed to an enterprise gateway in one of many Verizon switching centers, Konings said. Data routed to and through the enterprise gateway is encoded, but not encrypted, and kept totally separate from the public Internet. Encryption of the data can be added, if desired.

At a Verizon switching center, the data then also joins Verizon’s global MPLS network, Konings said.

Verizon demonstrated ATM cash machines that are connected to its LTE network at CES in January, but the company didn’t describe its Private IP connection, which can be used to keep transactions secure and will allow a bank to move an ATM more easily to a new location.

LTE speeds, generally described by Verizon as 10 times faster than EV-DO, will also be useful for quickly activating remote digital signs and can even be used for transmitting video wirelessly, he said.

A news report with video can be transmitted over the Private IP LTE network instead of a more expensive satellite connection, he said. Also, wireless over LTE could be used as a backup network or for routing data to storage.

“With faster speeds, companies can provide many more apps [wirelessly] than before,” he said. Verizon describes its LTE speeds for consumers as averaging 10 Mbps on downlinks, with up to 2 Mbps on uplinks.

In addition to wireless data costs, the only cost to a business for Private IP over LTE is a $500 one-time charge to create a mobile private network, which can serve up to 1,000 sites, Konings said.

SNG? 1,000 data site? That’s satcom territory! This will be interesting to watch — especially when you add the satellite bandwidth used for video contribution feeds. Big business (read: satellite operators) ought to take notice.

Of course, there’s the official photo & video gallery.

And here’s the landing…