Archive for the ‘Space Business’ Category

WBMSAT News Bits 09/12/2014

Saturday, September 13th, 2014

Featured Article

Ariane 5 launch – NASA photo

Ariane 5 ECA launches Optus 10 and MEASAT-3b satellites from French Guiana.
[NASA Spaceflight – 09/11/2014]

Industry Reports

HTS revenues to overtake FSS I battleground applications, with GEO-HTS revenues to grow from $250 million in 2013 and exceed $3.5 billion by 2023,  per NSR report.
[Market Wired – 09/12/2014]

Military Market Research Reports provides market forecast and analysis for the global military communications market up to 2019.
[WhaTech – 09/09/2014]

Industry Groups, Trade Shows

Frost & Sullivan recognizes Advantech Wireless with 2014 North American Frost & Sullivan Award for New Product Innovation Leadership for new series of GaN-based SSPAs.
[PR Newswire – 09/12/2014]

Orbital Sciences CEO expresses disappointment in potential for hosted payload market during panel discussion at World Satellite Business Week in Paris.
[Via Satellite – 09/11/2014]

Euroconsult announces recipients of its 11th Annual Awards for Excellence in Satellite Communications at World Satellite Business Week in Paris.
[SpaceRef – 09/10/2014]

CEOs from the “Big Four” FSS operators engaged in a lively debate about the future of the satellite industry at Euroconsult’s World Satellite Business Week.
[Via Satellite – 09/09/2014]

Launch Activity

A Falcon 9 leaving the hangar. Photo: SpaceX – Via Satellite

Sky Perfect JSAT chooses SpaceX for JCSAT 16 launch.
[Via Satellite – 09/11/2014]

Falcon 9 lifts off from Cape Canaveral with Asiasat 6. Photo: SpaceX – Via Satellite

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off successfully from Cape Canaveral with AsiaSat 6/Thaicom 7 aboard.
[Via Satellite – 09/08/2014]

An Ariane 5 rocket in flight. (Credit: Arianespace) – Forbes

Arianespace selected to launch Al Yah 3 satellite in fourth quarter of 2016; Arianespace claims to now hold 60% of the commercial launch market.
[Forbes – 09/08/2014]

Satellite Construction

Al Yah 3 – Artist’s conception published at Space Ref

Orbital Sciences to build Al Yah 3 communications satellite for Yahsat.
[Space Ref – 09/10/2014]

Airbus Defence and Space will built EchoStar 105 with 24 C-band transponders known as SES 11 under agreement between SES and Echostar.
[Aerospace Manufacturing and Design – 09/10/2014]

Ball Aerospace selected by Laser Light Communications to be prime contractor for the first global, all-optical commercial satellite system.
[PR Newswire – 09/10/2014]

Boeing receives first order for 502 Phoenix small satellite from HySpecIQ of Washington, D.C.
[Space Ref – 09/10/2014]

Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL) and Kypros Satellites (Kyprosat) have teamed up to provide a turnkey telecommunications SmallSat for Geostationary Earth Orbit.
[Via Satellite – 09/10/2014]

Space Syustems/Loral selected to provide a communications satellite for Bulgaria Sat.
[Balkans Business News – 09/09/2014]

Ghosts of satellite constellations from the past? Flurry of announcements and projects under the radar hitting fever pitch.
[NSR – 09/08/2014]

Artistic rendition of Es’hailSat 2 courtesy of Mitsubishi – SatNews

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation gets a new contract to deliver the Es’hail 2 communications satellite to operator Qatar Satellite Company (Es’hailSat) in Doha.
[SatNews – 09/08/2014]

Artist’s concept of BulgariaSat 1. Credit: Space Systems/Loral – Spaceflight Now

Bulgaria’s first satellite to be built by Loral and launched by SpaceX, with financing by the Export-Import Bank.
[Spaceflight Now – 09/08/2014]

Satellite Operations

NIGCOMSAT leases out DTH platform to PPTV.
[Vanguard – 096/10/2014]

Satellite Technology

Lockheed Martin unveils reprogrammable A2100 satellite bus with dual launch capability.
[Via Satellite – 09/09/2014]

Ground Systems Technology

Kratos brings Big Data analysis to satellite operations for Es’hailSat to better manage service levels and optimize satellite operations.
[CNN Money – 09/11/2014]

Avanti demos Google Glassware satellite application that optimizes Ka-band field site installation process at IBC.
[Market Watch – 09/11/2014]

Cobham SATCOM launches latest innovation in EXPLORER satellite terminal range, with new, compact design and focus on wireless connectivity, at IBC 2014.
[SatNews – 09/11/2014]

MaxLinear to showcase 4K satellite Full-Spectrum Capture technology at IBC.
[TMCnet – 09/11/2014]

C-COM mobile antenna receives Eutelsat type approval for NewsSpotter newsgathering service.
[Market Wired – 09/11/2014]

Newtec first to deliver full DVB-S2X solution across entire product line, showcased at IBC.
[realwire – 09/10/2014]

C-COM is exhibiting its next generation Eutelsat approved antennas at IBC in Amsterdam.
[Market Wired – 09/09/2014]

Spacepath Communications, a new company behind family of high power outdoor amplifiers, debuts at IBC.
[SatNews – 09/09/2014]

Satellite earth station antenna options work to mitigate Ka-band losses due to weather effects.
[Satmagazine article]

Government, Military & Defense

TeleCommunication Systems awarded $13.7 million to supply managed satellite services to the U.S. Marine Corps.
[Market Watch – 09/11/2014]

Space Daily file image

Intelsat General extends contract with DRS Technologies to provide satellite capacity to forces in Afghanistan.
[Space Daily – 09/10/2014]

SES is awarded contract to provide satellite capacity to support the Army Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T).
[Business Wire – 09/09/2014]

ViaSat and Data Link Solutions win multimillion dollar military contracts.
[Via Satellite – 09/09/2014]

Regulatory

Export-Import bank’s approval of $4.8 billion in satellite deals since 2002 – almost all of that in the last three years – complicates its fight for survival.
[Reuters – 09/09/2014]

Aeronautical

ORBIT Communication Systems receives order to supply its comprehensive airborene satellite communications solution to a leading UAV manufacturer.
[SatNews – 09/11/2014]

Broadband

Timor Telecom goes live on O3b Network’s “Fiber in the Sky” satellite network.
[Via Satellite – 09/08/2014]

Maritime

SpeedCast selected by Jan De Nul Group for satellite communications for fleet of offshore & dredging vessels.
[Satellite Spotlight – 09/09/2014]

Video

CinecolorSat chooses satellite receiver equipment from International Datacasting to support expansion of their digital cinema distribution network across Latin America.
[PRWeb – 09/11/2014]

Eutelsat, in partnership with MStar Semiconductor, Aston and Quadrille Ingénierie, are working together to validate push Video-On-Demand (VOD) using the Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV (HbbTV) 2.0 standard.
[Via Satellite – 09/09/2014]

IDC ‘s TITAN 3 high definition contribution encoder selected for deployment in Latin America by Grimsat.
[Market Watch – 09/08/2014]

Space

Solar Dynamics Observatory/ESA/NASA – Time Magazine

Strong solar flare headed toward Earth but scientists say its worst effects will likely bypass the planet when it arrives this weekend.
[Time Magazine – 09/11/2014]

Understanding how objects in space spin and where centers of mass are crucial to potential space missions to clean up space debris.
[R&D Magazine – 09/10/2014]

Legal

ViaSat settles claim against Loral Space & Communications.
[Bloomberg – 09/07/2014]

Capacity Agreements

Amos 6 to broadcast Ukraine’s 1+1 Media’s entire network.
[Via Satellite – 09/11/2014]

Services Contracts

Kacific  signs agreement with International Telecommunication Union for development of satellite communications capacity and emergency communications solutions for the Pacific region.
[Voxy – 09/08/2014]

Market Strategy & Revenues

RRSat’s (RRmedia’s) Hawley Teleport. Photo: RRSat – Via Satellite

Hispasat signs new international teleports and expends broadcasting services over its orbital position at 30 degrees west.
[Via Satellite – 09/11/2014]

Inmarsat signs Rockwell Collins as Value Added Reseller for Global Xpress.
[Via Satellite – 09/10/2014]

Senior executives from space programs across the world discuss ambitious satellite projects in key emerging markets during Euroconsult’s World Satellite Business Week in Paris.
[Via Satellite – 09/08/2014]

Russian DTH operators are unsure about the prospects of satellite broadband in Russian, and are unlikely to get involved in the market.
[Via Satellite – 09/08/2014]

NSSLGlobal announces merger with the ESL group of companies, a satellite solution provider and system integrator.
[Via Satellite – 09/08/2014]

The Human Aspect

Malaysian Defence Ministry dismisses as “absolute gossip” reports that Malaysian Navy was secretly deployed to location close to Langkawi Island to retrieve Flight 370 debris and bodies.
[International Business Times – 09/07/2014]

WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services

Technical Proposals System Acceptance Testing
Link Analysis System Quality Testing
Systems Engineering Project Management
Systems Integration Satellite Industry Research

360-895-0478   email:  [email protected]


Good On Ya, Ariane 5!

Friday, September 12th, 2014

Nice job by Arianespace for Measat and Optus. Glad to see something positive happen for Malaysia’s aerospace endeavors.


WBMSAT News Bits 09/05/2014

Friday, September 5th, 2014

Featured Article

U.S. Air Force selects SSL for hosted payload services.
[Via Satellite – 09/05/2014]

Industry Reports

Research and Markets announces addition of the “Analysis of the Global Satellite Transponder Market” to their offering, seeing continued solid adoption 2014 – 2020.
[TMCnet – 09/05/2014]

New Markets and Markets report projects M2M satellite communications market to be worth $4.76 billion by 2019.
[TMCnet – 09/04/2014]

Keysight Technologies complementary webcast series keeps interested parties cognizant of satellite communications technologies and solutions.
[SatNews – 09/04/2014]

Euroconsult’s “Satellite Communications & Broadcasting Markets Survey.Forecasts to 2023,” reports 2013 FSS revenue growth of 2.2%, a significant slowdown, but sector is in investment phase and expected to rebound.
[Satellite Markets & Research – 09/04/2014]

Satellite Executive Briefing magazine, September issue, includes “The Changing Economics of Satellite Communications by Jan Grandrup-Vivanco, “Silicon Valley Investing in the Satellite Industry” by Elisabeth Tweedle, “Outsourcing Content Management” by Virgil Labrador, and “Disruption of the ‘GoodEnough’” by Lou Zacharilla.
[Satellite Markets & Research – September 2014]

MarketBrief report on Evolving VSAT Requirements examines changing VSAT network requirements in vertical markets such as Oil and Gas, Mining, Power Utilities, Government, and others.
[Satellite Markets & Research – September 2014]

Updated NSR study provides a comprehensive market analysis of the three major methods of UltraHD consumption via satellite — DTH, IPTV and Cable Distribution.
[NSR Reports – August 2014]

NSR’s Global Satellite Capacity Supply and Demand, 11th Edition (GSCSD11) is a comprehensive analysis of the commercial satellite capacity market.
[NSR Reports – July 2014]

Industry Groups, Trade Shows

SATCON 2014 to feature sessions led by technical experts and influential business leaders highlighting most recent developments in the satellite communications industry, November 12–13, 2014.
[SatNews – 09/05/2014]

Emerging Markets Communications to exhibit at SMM Hamburg Maritime Tradeshow in Germany September 9-12, 2014.
[Satellite Spotlight – 09/04/2014]

RRsat CEO to participate in Euroconsult panel on future of TV distribution.
[Market Wired – 09/04/2014]

EUsatcom puts new generation satellite broadcasting in the spotlight at IBC2014 with Conference on High-Thoughput Satellite Broadcasting and Innovation Awards show.
[Satellite Evolution Group – 09/03/2014]

Launch Activity

SpaceX launch of AsiaSat 6 moved to Sunday, September 7.
[Florida Today – 09/04/2014]

China uses single rocket to launch two satellites, to relay environmental information and experiment with multimedia satellite communication.
[The Telegraph – 09/04/2014]

An ILS Proton rocket. Photo: ILS – Via Satellite

Roscosmos announces return of Proton rocket, with launch scheduled for September 28, 2014 of payload known as “Ray.”
[Via Satellite – 09/04/2014]

Deployer releasing CubeSats – Credit NASA – Via Satellite

NanoRacks studies an anomaly that occurred with its CubeSat deployers on the International Space Station, which have ceased to deploy CubeSats when commanded.
[Via Satellite – 09/04/2014]

Vladimir Putin pledges 50 billion rubles ($1.3 billion) to complete Vostochny Cosmodrome in anticipation of 2014 first flight.
[Space News – 09/03/2014]

CONAE’s Tronador 2 launch vehicle. Photo: Wikipedia – Via Satellite

Argentina’s space agency completes second experimental flight of the Tronador 2 launch vehicle, with VEX 1B rocket reaching 2,200 meter height.
[Via Satellite – 08/29/2014]

Satellite Construction

EchoStar and SES choose Airbus Defense and Space to build the EchoStar 105/SES 11 satellite, which will replace AMC15.
[edu Bourse – 09/04/2014]

GeoMetWatch is re-evaluating original plan to orbit six geo-hyperspectral sounders as hosted payloads.
[Via Satellite – 08/29/2014]

Satellite Operations

United Kingdom Space Agency commands the UKube-1 CubeSat to use alternate configuration of “FUNcube-2 transceiver” as the satellite’s temporary downlink.
[eHam.net – 09/04/2014]

DigitalGlobe photo reprinted from Quartz – Nextgov

New DigitalGlobe WorldView 3 satellite can see the forest fire through the smoke.
[Nextgov – 09/03/2014]

O3b declares constellation fully operational following completion of in-orbit testing of latest 4 satellites, bringing its current constellation to 8 with 4 more to be launched in early 2015.
[Via Satellite – 09/02/2014]

Satellite Technology

Though Boeing struck first, Airbus has lead in booking commercial all-electric satellite orders.
[Space News – 09/03/2014]

Kongsberg Norspace of Norway books first two orders, for SES-10 construction, for command receivers with flexibility allowing more leeway to control use of satellite broadcast frequencies.
[Space News – 09/03/2014

Ground Systems Technology

NovelSat announces new solution that will allow DTH TV providers to offer more channels using existing satellite bandwidth.
[Via Satellite – 09/05/2014]

AvL technologies antenna receives Eutelsat KA-SAT type approval.
[Via Satellite – 09/05/2014]

Wavestore and Datasat partnership ensures remote viewing of HD video via satellite for security applications.
[Source Security – 09/02/2014]

GRC SandFly Ka-band flyaway system endorsed for use on Avanti Communications fleet of Ka-band satellites.
[TMCnet – 09/01/2014]

Government, Military & Defense

DARPA Phoenix artist rendition. Image Credit: DARPA – Via Satellite

DARPA issues RFI for robotic in-orbit satellite servicing, and seeks to learn the technical characteristics of commercial spacecraft buses that may integrate with DARPA’s robotic technology.
[Via Satellite – 09/04/2014]

U.S. Air Force plans to release formal solicitation in December for potential $1 billion contract to consolidate work on the service’s main satellite control network.
[Space News – 09/04/2014]

U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center MILSATCOM Program Office to seek enhanced ground based X-band anti-jam capability for WGS constellation.
[C4ISR & Networks – 09/03/2014]

Artist’s concept of Space Based Space Surveillance satellite – Credit: U.S. Air Force – Spaceflight Now

U.S. Air Force tasks Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Lincoln Laboratory to design and build a small pace surveillance satellite to monitor satellite traffic in geosynchronous orbit.
[Spaceflight Now – 09/03/2014]

Watts Constructors LLC of Honolulu, Hawaii is awarded $38.9 million contract to build a satellite earth station facility in San Miguel, California for the U.S. Army.
[AFCEA – 09/03/2014]

Kapooka Army Recruit Training Centre near Wagga, Australia to host satellite antennas to support new WGS satellite communications system.
[Daily Advertiser – 09/03/2014]

U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center awards $29 million contract modification and exercises extension option for LinQuest system engineering and integration support services.
Signal online – 09/03/2014]

Regulatory

Iridium application for provision of mobile satellite communications in Global Maritime Distress and Safety System reviewed and approved.
[4-traders – 09/01/2014]

Broadband

Globalstar releases the 9600, the world’s smallest satellite data hotspot, seamlessly pairing a satellite phone with a smart phone with an app.
[BlogZone – 09/04/2014]

iNet Communications selects Newtec to provide fastest ever satellite broadband service in Guyana.
[RealWire – 09/02/2014]

Maritime

Fred.Olsen’s Boudicca cruise ship in port. Photo: Fred.Olsen – Via Satellite

MTN increases staff and office space to accommodate its expanding maritime business.
[Via Satellite – 09/03/2014]

Orange Business Services wins strategic satellite communications contract with BW Offshore.
[Market Watch – 09/02/2014]

Legal

SpaceX disputes Blue Origin over sea-landing rocket technology, arguing that technology called specialized should not be considered so.
[Via Satellite – 09/03/2014]

Capacity Agreements

An installation on the Guyana Defence Force military base in the New River Triangle. Photo: Eutelsat – Via Satellite

iNet Communications, the licensed telecoms provider for Global Technology in Guyana, has entered an agreement with Eutelsat for its IP Easy satellite broadband service.
[Via Satellite – 09/02/2014]

Onlime expands capacity on AFRICASAT-1a.
[PR Newswire – 09/01/2014]

Market Strategy & Revenues

Airbus Defence and Space is expanding services in Australia and the Pacific region in partnership with SES, utilizing NSS-12..
[SatNews – 09/04/2014]

Global Eagle is looking heavily outside the U.S. at opportunities for new in-Flight Connectivity customers.
[Via Satellite – 09/04/2014]

Three Google employees with deep satellite communications expertise leave – Greg Wyler, formerly of O3b, Brian Holz, and David Bettinger – leaving questions about Google satellite project.
[Silicon Beat – 09/03/2014]

WorldVu, a satellite startup aiming to provide global Internet connectivity, continues to grow absent clear Google relationship.
[Space News – 09/03/2014]

C-COM announces partnership with leading European Satcom technology company Newtec, integrating iNetVu antenna technology with MDM300 IP modem series.
[Market Wired – 09/03/2014]

SES awards Commetric a multi-year contract to deliver media analysis and evaluation in local languages across multiple markets.
[SatNews – 09/03/2014]

Latin American satellite solutions provider Axesat is looking into cellular backhaul as its next major vertical.
[Via Satellite – 09/02/2014]

Erwin Kayser-Threde, located in Munich, Germany has merged with OHB System AG in Bremen, Germany.
[Via Satellite – 09/02/2014]

Panama is one of the first countries in Latin America where Inmarsat’s IsatHub connectivity service will be offered.
[Via Satellite – 09/02/2014]

Human Interest

Photo taken from the Pleiades 1B satellite. Credit: French Space agency, CNES, image – Space News

French imaging satellites keep tabs on Ukraine crisis.
[Space News – 09/04/2014]

Ghana’s Crossover International Academy – SPY Ghana

Skyvision donates satellite connectivity to support students of Ghana’s Crossover International Academy.
[SpyGhana – 09/03/2014]

Greg Wyler leaves Google and reportedly will work with SpaceX, though not as an employee.
[Silicon Republic – 09/03/2014]

WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services


WBMSAT News Bits 08/29/2014

Monday, September 1st, 2014

This Week’s Featured Article

Re-entry of Intelsat SA and Eutelsat Communications SA into Iran as allowed by U.S authorities poses risk to the companies’ reputations.
[Risk & Compliance Journal – 08/29/2014]

Industry Reports

Reportbuyer.com adds two new market research reports on the African broadband market; “Africa – Internet and Fixed Broadband Market,” and “Africa – Mobile Broadband Market.
[Satellite Markets & Research – 08/29/2014]

Global satellite broadband in public safety market set to grow at CAGR of 8.45% until 2018, per Telecommunications Market Research report.
[WhaTech – 08/27/2014]

Digital TV Research report predicts that one in five European TV homes will subscribe to online packages by 2020.
[Satellite Markets & Research – 08/27/2014]

NSR report projects slightly more than 40,000 in-service narrowband and broadband satellite units in the fishing market by 2023.
[SatNews – 08/26/2014]

New market research report on companiesandmarkets.com projects global fixed satellite service market to experience 5.4% CAGR growth from 2012 to 2016.
[LIVE-PR – 08/25/2014]

ABI Research report projects installed base of active wireless connected devices will exceed 16 billion in 2014 and 40.9 billion by the end of 2020.
[Microwave Journal – 08/20/2014]

Industry Groups, Trade Shows

The NAB and the SBE are getting together to conduct a satellite workshop Sept. 29–Oct. 2 at the NAB’s headquarters in Washington.
[Radio World – 08/27/2014]

Satellite Launches

SES promises Barizil that two orbital positions it won at auction in May will be filled with satellites within four and six years.
[Space News – 08/29/2014]

Russian newspaper reports the failure of the Galileo satellites to reach intended orbit likely caused by software errors in the Fregat-MT rocket’s upper stage.
[GPS Daily – 08/29/2014]

SpaceX delays launch of Asiasat 6 following explosion of test rocket, to investigate any possible commonalities.
[Space.com – 08/27/2014]

Launch date for the U.S. government’s CLIO satellite, built by Lockheed Martin, has been set for September 16, 2014.
[Satellite Evolution Group – 08/27/2014]

A Europeanized Russian Soyuz rocket lifts off with two Galileo satellites. Credit: ESA photo – Space News

European commission summons ESA, Arianespace for explanation of Galileo launch failure.
[Space News – 08/26/2014]

SpaceX Falcon 9R explosion. Photo: @EthansMommy17 (Twitter), used with permission by Via Satellite

SpaceX reusable Falcon 9 self-terminated during test mission.
[Via Satellite – 08/25/2014]

Arianespace’s video of Soyuz launch VS09. Photo: Arianespace – Via Satellite

Galileo launch not so great after all – anomaly leaves uninsured satellites in flawed orbit.
[Via Satellite – 08/25/2014]

Satellite Operations

Artist’s impression of UKube 1. Photo: ClydeSpace. – Via Satellite

United Kingdom Space Agency’s first CubeSat mission, UKube1, is experiencing an anomaly with it primary communications link.
[Via Satellite – 08/26/2014]

Artist’s view of Galileo Satellites 5 & 6. Photo: ESA / J Huart – Via Satellite

ESA seeks to make best use of Galileo satellites, placed in wrong orbit by Soyuz.
[Via Satellite – 08/27/2014]

Satellite Construction

ISS-Reshetnev finishes construction of Yamal 401 satellite for Gazprom.
[Via Satellite – 08/28/2014]

Italy commits more funds to second-generation radar satellites.
[Space News – 08/28/2014]

Newsat gets conditional waiver to continue Jabiru-1 satellite construction, aver alleged breaches of financial facilities had halted funding of the project.
[itnews – 08/25/2014]

Satellite Technology

An Airbus Zephyr test flight. Photo: Airbus – Via Satellite

Airbus conducts winter test of unmanned aerial vehicle Zephyr 7 ‘Psuedo-Satellite’ using satellite communications for control for first time.
[Via Satellite – 08/29/2014]

Brazil plans liquid rocket test at Alcantara launch center.
[Via Satellite – 08/28/2014]

The ‘DeOrbiter’ from Effective Space Solutions Ltd. Effective Space Solutions Ltd. – The Wall Street Journal

Space ‘tugboat’ answer for stranded satellites like Galileo?
[Wall Street Journal – 08/27/2014]

CPI Canada gets 3.3 million contract from Canadian Space Agency to develop Ka-band extended interaction klystron for SWOT satellite.
[Hispanic Business – 08/27/2014]

Singapore engineering team successfully pilots the world’s first ZigBee wireless sensor network for satellite communications.
[ECN Magazine – 08/26/2014]

BHT-1500 Hall effect thruster during life testing. Credit: Henry Neeser photo – Space News

Space News spotlights Busek Co. Inc., whose Hall effect thruster technology helped raise the orbit of the first AEHF military satellite after its liquid apogee engine failed.
[Space News – 08/25/2014]

Ground Systems Technology

Vislink’s new ultralight Ku-band flyaway antenna based on successful Mantis-LT used in military spec MSAT terminal to be unveiled at IBC.
[SatNews – 08/28/2014]

Iridium announces successful upgrade of its System Control Segment and completion of its Launch and Early Operations control center for Iridium NEXT.
[CNN Money – 08/27/2014]

ViaSat receives over 3000 orders for fixed site Machine to Machine (M2M) and airborned terminals for its upcoming L-band network.
[Via Satellite – 08/27/2014]

A quiet revolution is underway – carrier identification (CID) makes inroads in the satellite industry with goal of reducing and eliminating sources of interference.
[Via Satellite – 08/26/2014]

API Technologies introduces model LCFS-X configurable RF and microwave frequency synthesizers for SIGINT, EW, Satcom, and radar.
[Military Aero Space Electronics – 08/26/2014]

Government, Military & Defense

Russian Defense Ministry decides to stop using the Rokot light rocket carrier from 2016 because of reliance on foreign parts, switching to the Soyuz and Angara carriers.
[Space Mart – 08/29/2014]

The Joint Polar Satellite System // NOAA // Nextgov

Commerce Department inspector general blasts NOAA climate-satellite program and Raytheon contractor for ignoring thousands of major cyber vulnerabilities.
[Nextgov – 0/26/2014]

Government Regulation

FILE- Iranian soldiers destroying satellite dishes with an army tank in the southwestern city of Shiraz. – Voice of America

U.S. grants Intelsat, Eutelsat new waivers for Iran channels.
[Voice of America – 08/28/2014]

Dish petitions FCC against proposed Comcast/Time Warner merger, calling it ‘eerily similar’ to Primestar, whose application for orbital slot was turned down.
[Via Satellite – 08/28/2014]

Qualcomm’s proposal to auction Ku-band spectrum for air-to-ground (ATG) connectivity for inflight Wi-Fi needs closer examination in light of Google WorldVu NGSO satellite network plans.
[Runway Girl Network – 08/27/2014]

Pan-Arab Space Agency: pipe dream or real possibility?
[Via Satellite – 08/26/2014]

Aeronautical

Gogo signs Aeromexico as its first 2Ku Inflight Connectivity (IFC) customer.
[Via Satellite – 08/26/2014]

Broadband

Bentley Walker is extending its coverage to Iraq using Newtec’s Ka-band VSAT broadband platform at Avanti’s new gateway in Cyprus.
[SatNews – 08/28/2014]

GlobaFone expands service offerings with rental program for Iridium GO! Personal Wi-Fi hotspot.
[PRWeb – 08/28/2014]

Earth Observation

A WorldView 3 image of Madrid at 40-cm resolution. Photo: DigitalGlobe – Via Satellite

DigitalGlobe unveils first WorldView 3 images.
[Via Satellite – 08272014]

Oil & Gas

KCA Deutag expands contract with Signalhorn for maintenance of its satellite and terrestrial network in Oman.
[Via Satellite – 08/28/2014]

Video

Ultra HD is coming to a screen near you – cinema uptake of 4K is proceeding rapidly, and satellite is playing its part.
[Via Satellite – 08/26/2014]

Fraunhofer researchers will be presenting latest hardware and software for high efficiency video encoding/decoding for 4K ultra HD at IBC.
[R&D Magazine – 08/25/2014]

Space

Metop satellite image – Credit: ESA artist’s concept – Space News

U.S. will extend its close debris-threat monitoring to two European polar-orbiting meteorological satellites.
[Space News – 08/29/2014]

Major cost and schedule review concludes that debut of NASA’s Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket may be delayed by nearly a year.
[Space News – 08/29/2014]

NASA approves extensions for seven missions that senior scientists vetted in the agency’s 2014 senior review of planetary missions.
[Space News – 08292014]

Lockheed Martin and Electro Optics Systems agree to build a space objet tracking facility in Western Australia using both lasers and optical systems.
[Via Satellite – 08/26/2014]

Services Contracts

O3b signs multi-year agreement with Our Telekom of the Solomon Islands, for Internet backhaul services.
[Via Satellite – 08/25/2014]

Market Strategy & Revenues

Inmarsat receives $9.1 million dues from LightSquared, but notes significant uncertainty of any further payments from bankrupt company.
[Reuters – 08/29/2014]

Delta-V, a new space industry accelerator, hopes to create a $1billion commercial space industry in Australia.
[Via Satellite – 08/27/2014]

Comtech Telecommunications Corp is exploring strategic alternative, including a possible merger or sale of the company.
[Reuters – 08/25/2014]

Lockheed Martin completes acquisition of Astrotech Space Operations.
[Via Satellite – 08/25/2014]

Dubai-based RSA Logistics appointed as local hub to distribute equipment required for consumers to connect to YahClick Satellite Broadband internet service.
[SIP Trunking Report – 08/25/2014]

History

Intelsat celebrates 50-year anniversary, and Via Satellite looks at some of the key moments in its history.
[Via Satellite – 08/26/2014]

By Athelstan Spilhaus, dean of the University of Minnesota’s Institute of Technology and author of the comic strip. – paleofuture

1960’s comic strips made amazing and prophetic predictions about life in a world with satellites.
[paleofuture – 08/25/2014]

Human Interest

Mitsubishi Electric to donate 10 million yen to aid victims and support recovery efforts after destructive landslides in Hiroshima.
[TMCnet green – 08/29/2014]

C-COM antennas deployed in Japan landslide disaster.
[Market Wired – 08/26/2014]

WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services

 


New English-Language Ukrainian Channel

Tuesday, August 26th, 2014

Ukraine Today launched on Sunday, 24 August 2014, and is available via Eutelsat’s Hotbird:

Eutelsat Hotbird @ 13 East
Frequency: 11623 MHz
Symbol Rate: 27,5 Mbaud
FEC: 3/4
Polarization: Vertical
Codec: MPEG2
Modulation: QPSK
Format: DVB-S

Presently focused on Europe, given the coverage…


Here’s the live feed via YouTube:

Plans for call for U.S. distribution, so I’m hoping they can work out a deal with both Dish Network and DirecTV for DTH — and perhaps get industrial distribution so they can get into cable/fiber households, too. Probably want to get into Canada, too, ey? New satellites will help very much.

Now, if only they could’ve come up with a more creative brand/name. How about “Ukrainian Kobzar” instead?


WBMSAT News Bits 08/22/2014

Saturday, August 23rd, 2014

This Week’s Featured Article

Soyuz rocket launch – Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace photo – Space News

Soyuz rocket successfully places two European Galileo positioning, navigation and timing satellites into medium earth orbit.
[Space News – 08/22/2014]

Industry Reports

Point Topic publishes 40 new country report on the state of fixed broadband.
[Satellite Markets & Research – 0/21/2014]

NSR on Avanti – is an “All-in” bet on HTS infrastructure a sustainable business model in the long term?
[NSR – 08/21/2014]

New report on companiesandmarkets.com, ‘Global Satellite Broadband Communications in Public Safety Market 2014-2018’ predicts growth of 8.5% CAGR.
[LIVE-PR – 08/20/2014]

Arab Advisors Group projects African cellular markets to add 81 million subscribers by 2018.
[Satellite Markets & Research – 08/20/2014]

NSR report ‘UltraHD via Satellite, 2nd Edition’ predicts over 820 UltraHD via satellite channels worldwide by 2025.
[Yahoo Finance – 08/18/2014]

Industry Groups, Trade Shows

SET EXPO 2014 marks South American launch of Newtec next generation Dialog platform.
[realwire – 08/22/2014]

IBC 2014 Content Everywhere series of events will cover IP-connected devices and how they are altering the way we produce and consume media.
[Satellite Markets & Research – 08/21/2014]

Satellite Interference Reduction Group (IRG) to bring its final Carrier ID (CID) Tour to IBC, following the success of the previous events.
[Satellite Evolution Group – 08/21/2014]

Satellite Launch Business

Sea Launch control ship and launch platform – Credit: Sea Launch photo – Space News

Launch gap leads Sea Launch to cut staff and sideline vessels.
[Space News – 08/22/2014]

Should Orbital Sciences convert to solid fuel, it would have to overhaul Wallops Island launch pad.
[Space News – 08/22/2014]

RD 180 rocket – Credit: NASA photo – Space News

U.S. Air Force solicits information on new rocket engine as possible replacement for Russian RD-180.
[Space News – 08/21/2014]

Aerojet Rocketdyne to 3-D print rocket engine parts under Air Force demo.
[Space News – 08/21/2014]

China launches Gaofen 2 earth observation satellite.
[Via Satellite – 08/20/2014]

Russian Astronaut throws earth observation nanosatellite into space for Peru.
[Nextgov – 08/18/2014]

The LEO-46 hot fire test. Photo: Aerojet Rocketdyne – Via Satellite

Aerojet Rocketdyne completes final hot-fire test for LEONIDAS smallsat launcher engine.
[Via Satellite – 08/18/2014]

Satellite Operations

European Space Agency still has not determined cause of sudden power drop in May aboard one of four in-orbit Galileo satellites.
[Space News – 08/22/2014]

Satellite Construction

Completed Himawan-8 satellite – courtesy of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation – SatNews

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation announces completion of the Himawari-8 satellite, the next generation weather satellite for the Japan Meteorological Agency.
[SatNews – 08/21/2014]

Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology construction of United Arab Emirate’s first satellite manufacturing facility nears completion.
[Via Satellite – 08/20/2014]

Orbital Sciences wins contract from Avanti Communication Group to build the HYLAS 4 broadband communications satellite.
[TMC News – 08/16/2014]

Satellite Technology

Communications and Power Industries Canada gets contract to develop Ka-band extended interaction klystron for SWOT satellite.
[HispanicBusiness – 08/22/2014]

Northrop Grumman cryocooler on board NASA’s OCO-2 satellite becomes 17th unit to operate in space without failure.
[Yahoo News – 08/20/2014]

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer First Class Shawn Eggert – Space Daily

Next generation MUOS satellite to be tested aboard Coast Guard Cutter Healy as part of Artic Shield 2014.
[Space Daily – 08/18/2014]

Aerojet Rocketdyne anticipates SmallSats to be the first users of the ‘green fuel’ hydrazine alternative AF-M315E.
[Via Satellite – 08/15/2014]

Ground Systems Technology

Finnish startup Kynel obtains funding for development of its cognitive radio system, which can analyze the local RF spectrum for the most optimal wireless channels available, including satellite, and re-configure accordingly.
[ArticStartup – 08/21/2014]

Cyber security expert tells NBC5 investigators he has found a way to hack into the satellite communications systems used in multiple industries.
[NBC Chicago – 08/21/2014]

Advantech Wireless to present details at IBC of its award winning ultralinear GaN based SSPAs offering the highest linear power available in the market.
[Satellite Markets & Research – 0/21/2014]

Briidge Technologies introduces VB273 intelligent L-band satellite switch that employs digital media monitoring systems.
[Via Satellite – 08/18/2014]

General Dynamics to build ground structures for Lockheed Martin for the Air Force’s Space Fence.
[Via Satellite – 08/15/2014]

Government, Military & Defense

NSA certifies Harris Corp’s manpack for top secret missions.
[Via Satellite – 08/21/2014]

U.S. Air Force partners with 3 Latin American countries on space component of  Panamax 2014 multinational exercise focused on defense of Panama Canal.
[Via Satellite – 08/20/2014]

U.S. Army photo – ARMY

As the U.S. operational footprint in Afghanistan diminishes, the Army’s portfolio of ground satellite terminals will continue to support operations for as long as the mission requires.
[ARMY – 08/19/2014]

State-of-the-art tactical communications network now used in Afghanistan automatically tracks and maintains connectivity while combat vehicles are on the move.
[Washington Post – 08/19/2014]

General Hyten takes helm at Air Force Space Command.
[Via Satellite – 08/18/2014]

Photo: Lockheed Martin – Defense Daily

U.S. Army Robotics Technology Consortium test joins unmanned ground Squad Mission Support System including satellite communications with unmanned K-MAX unmanned air vehicle.
[Defense Update – 08/18/2014]

Indian Prime Minister Modi visits Nepal and articulates vision for Indo-Nepal relationship and development of a SAARC satellite.
[The Space Review – 0/18/2014]

Government Regulation

SES Nabs rights for two Brazilian orbital slots.
[Via Satellite – 08/19/2014]

Satellite Industry Association deems Export-Import Bank ‘critical’ to U.S. Satellite Industry as Congress faces decision on the bank’s fate.
[Via Satellite – 08/185/2014]

FAA approves Avonica’s satLINK communications system.
[Avionics Today – 08/18/2014]

Aeronautical

Inmarsat in talks with airlines in Asia for tracking services.
[BusinessMirror – 08/22/2014]

Broadband

Exede to offer virtually unlimited Internet data usage plans in the Florida Panhandle.
[FFN – 08/21/2014]

Airbus Defence and Space introduces Expanded Terralink, based on the nexgen Newtec Dialog platform.
[SatNews – 08/20/14]

ViaSat Exede debuts first virtually unlimited satellite Internet service in Hawaii.
[Yahoo Finance – 08/20/2014]

ViaSat Exede debuts first virtually unlimited satellite Internet service in Alaska.
[Market Watch – 08/20/2014]

Russian Satellite Communications Company reports that the number of citizens using Ka-band satellite broadband has exceeded 5,000.
[Via Satellite – 08/19/2014]

Maritime

ITC Global wins three year contract to provide broadband to Harkland offshore support vessels.
[TMC News – 0/21/2014]

Mobile

Spartan Chassis connectivity solution integrates cellular and satellite communications with portability of today’s electronic devices.
[Firehouse – 08/22/2014]

Chinese Satellite TV Communications Group selects Octoshape, an industry leader in Over The Top (OTT) technologies, to power new high definition mobile video streaming service.
[Market Watch – 08/18/2014]

Space

Space Travel file photo

Voyager map details Neptune’s strange moon Triton.
[Space Travel – 0/22/2014]

Canadian Space Agency devising action plan for taking over troubled government space projects.
[Space News – 08/21/2014]

Orbital completes second paid ISS mission for NASA and contemplates rocket upgrade for 3rd cargo run.
[Space News – 08/19/2014]

Legal

Law firm Dentons starts space business practice.
[LawFuel – 08/18/2014]

Capacity Agreements

ITC Global signs two-year capacity agreement with Optus.
[Via Satellite – 08/18/2014]

SES signs multi-year agreement for two transponders to provide 80 Free-to-Air (FTA) channels to the West African Economic and Monetary Union.
[Via Satellite – 08/18/2014]

Market Strategy & Revenues

AsiaSat 1st half 2014 revenues down 10%.
[Satellite Markets & Research – 08/21/2014]

XTAR evaluating options for new capacity in Asia Pacific.
[Via Satellite – 08/20/2014]

ST Electronics opens new state-of-the-art satellite systems centre in Singapore.
[HispanicBusiness – 08/20/2014]

Hispasat pivots to Latin America as new top market.
[Via Satellite – 08/19/2014]

Lockheed completes acquisition of software, communications and ground systems company Zeta Associates, dedicated to national security missions.
[Via Satellite – 08/19/2014]

Inmarsat opens office in Beijing.
[China Tech News – 08/18/2014]

Global Invacom sees 26.3% revenue growth in first half of 2014.
[MIS ASIA – 08/18/2014]

Satcom Direct breaks ground on new ‘Campus of Excellence’ in Satellite Beach, Florida.
[benzinga – 08/18/2014]

History

Intelsat celebrates 50 years of providing critical communications to the world.
[Satellite Spotlight – 08/20/2014]

New museum in London dedicated to information and technology in the UK, focused on six networks that changed the world including satellite communications.
[artnet news – 08/18/2014]

Human Interest

Globecomm Europe and Event-IP Global Communications partner to deliver state-of-the-art communications services for international outdoor events.
[StreetInsider – 08/21/2014]

WBMSAT satellite communications consulting services

WBMSAT News Bits 08/15/2014

Monday, August 18th, 2014

Industry Reports

New TDG report finds 4K TV forecast overly optimistic, predicting that it will be a niche market for at least another five years, finally seeing widespread viewing in 2019 and growing quickly beyond.
[Satellite Markets & Research – 08/14/2014]

New Euroconsult report finds modest revenue growth for commercial FSS operators in 2013.
[Satellite Markets & Research – 08/13/2014]

High Throughput Satellites definitely have a role to play in consumer broadband, enterprise applications, and mobility – but will they face a zero-sum game in the energy market?
[Northern Sky Research – 08/13/2014]

New UK Satellite Telecommunications activities Market report finds rising demand for mobile internet access is encouraging expansion, with 5-year compound growth through 2014 of 5.8%, to £1.7 billion.
[Live-PR – 08/12/2014]

Industry Groups, Trade Shows

Leading industry experts to meet at MilSatCom Latin America in Rio de Janeiro August 27, 28.
[Brazil Business – 08/14/2014]

The Satellite Interference Reduction Group (IRG) has announced that its next workshop will be hosted by Inmarsat at its London Headquarters from 21st – 22nd October.
[Satellite Evolution Group – 08/13/2014]

Satellite Launches

Galileo satellite – GPS Daily file image

First operational Galileo GPS satellites integrated for Soyuz launch.
[GPS Daily – 08/15/2014]

Optus 10 – Space Daily file image

Return of Optus 10 to French Guiana sets stage for Sept launch of Optus 10 and co-passenger MEASAT-3b.
[Space Travel – 08/15/2014]

ULA Atlas V successully launches DigitalGlobe WorldView-3 satellite out of Vandenberg AFB.
[NASA Spaceflight – 08/13/2014]

Satellite Construction

Orbital selected by Avanti Communications to build HYLAS 4 High-Throughput commercial Satellite.
[TMCnet – 08/14/2014]

Artist’s concept of Solar Probe Plus – NASA photo

Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory awards contact to Northrop Grumman for Scalable Space Inertial Reference Unit for NASA’s Solar Probe Plus satellite.
[Via Satellite – 08/14/2014]

Satellite Technology

RapidEye PCM combines BlackBridge’s RapidEye satellite imagery with MDA’s PCM technology to accelerate the comparison of images from different times and identifying lasting changes.
[Via Satellite – 08/14/2014]

6 kilowatt Hall-effect thruster – Credit: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory photo – Space News

NASA is exploring a wide range of propulsion technologies to enable cubesats to maneuver.
[Space News – 08/11/2014]

Ground Systems Technology

MaxLinear’s new low-cost USB tuner-demodulator brings digital broadcast high-definition TV to consumers throughout Latin America.
[Satellite Spotlight – 08/14/2014]

Luso Microwave announces a new family of modular C–band to KA-band antennas in a range of reflector sizes from 1.2m to 4.2m.
[Satellite Evolution Group – 08/12/2014]

NovelSat conducts successful trial of its “free bandwidth” product, NovelSat Freeband, at the Redo Novo Tempo de Comunicação broadcast center in Brazil.
[Via Satellite – 08/12/2014]

Government, Military & Defense

Russian Federal Space Agency image

Russia is considering creating a new satellite system for transmitting secret military communications as it continues to beef up its defense capacities in a bid to re-emerge as a global military power.
[The Moscow Times – 08/14/2014]

Next generation satellite communications system to see testing aboard Coast Guard Cutter Healy during Arctic Shield 2014.
[dvids – 08/14/2014]

SSL and NanoRacks partnership for Hosted Payloads Solutions program one of most unique approaches to Air Force’s recently announced IDIQ contract.
[Via Satellite – 08/14/2014]

Newly confirmed U.S. Space Command Chief makes forceful case for adopting a new space architecture.
[Space News – 08/13/2014]

Schriever Air Force Base 3 SOPS bids farewell to oldest DSCS satellite, shutting down the final components on July 30.
[Air Force Space Command – 08/13/2014]

General Dynamics successfully demonstrates the promise of the MUOS satellite communications system using PRC-155 Manpack radios in Phoenix, Arizona and Taunton, Massachussets.
[MarineLink – 08/13/2014]

Kratos Defense & Security gets $$38.7 million SPAWARS contract to provide satellite communications, radio frequency and navigation systems support services.
[Yahoo Finance – 08/12/2014]

DoD signs situational awareness agreement with Space Data Association.
[Via Satellite – 08/12/2014]

Airbus Defense and Space awarded contract to provide services related to hosting U.S.A.F. communications systems onboard commercially operated satellites.
[Satellite Spotlight – 08/11/2014]

Government Regulation

Inmarsat gets approval to sell IsatPhones in Colombia.
[Via Satellite – 08/13/2014]

Cobham’s AVIATOR 200 SwiftBroadband solution has received Administración Nacional de Avianción Civil (ANAC) Brazil Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) approval for installation by King Air operators.
[Satnews – 08/12/2014]

Aeronautical

Inmarsat announces first successful installation and ongoing trials of its ACARS1-capable SwiftBroadband Safety equipment on an Airbus A319.
[HispanicBusiness – 08/15/2014]

Consumer Broadband

ViaSat Inc. to offer Exede(R) high-speed satellite internet plans that provide households in select locations across the country with virtually unlimited broadband data usage.
[The Wall Street Journal – 08/12/2014]

Maritime

Interior of world’s largest passenger ship, Allure – (LEHTIKUVA, REUTERS / October 28, 2010)

Royal Caribbean cruise ships Allure of Seas and Quantum of the Seas to get high-speed Internet powered by O3b Networks.
[Sun Sentinel – 08/13/2014]

Oil & Gas

North Sea oil rig – Wikepedia photo

RigNet upgrades VSAT bandwidth of global offshore drilling customer in the Barents Sea to 8 Mbps.
[Via Satellite – 08/14/2014]

Space

Astronauts aboard ISS release Cygnus supply ship, now full of trash for disposal, after month-long space station visit.
[R&D Magazine – 08/15/2014]

XCOR LYNX – Space Travel file image

XCOR Lynx spacecraft full scale model “Space Corvette” lands at Monterey Jet Center.
[Space Travel – 08/15/2014]

Purdue Univ. student team designs, builds and tests critical part of new rocket engine as part of a NASA project to develop spacecraft technologies needed for cosmic venues.
[R&D Magazine – 08/13/2014]

Credit: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory artist’s concept – Space News

NASA’s OCO-2 satellite reaches operational orbit.
[Space News – 08/13/2014]

Legal

Loral wins reversal of $283 million damages award – new trial on damages set for November – ViaSat seeks court order barring further patent infringement.
[Via Satellite – 08/11/2014]

Capacity Agreements

Kacific signs multimillion-dollar agreement with Solomon Telekom Company for broadband services on the upcoming HTS Kacific 1.
[Via Satellite – 08/13/2014]

Azercosmos signs first TV channel, Afghan Paiwestoon Media Communication’s free-to-air Batur TV, for Azerspace 1 satellite.
[Via Satellite – 08/11/2014]

Services Contracts

Optus will provide ITC Global with expanded satellite capacity, equipment hosting, up-linking and downloading services via its major satellite facility in Perth, Australia.
[SatNews 08/15/2014]

Air Astana has selected SITA to assure its general and operational communications needs, including communications with partners and advanced datalinks for air traffic control.
[The Astana Times – 08/15/2014]

GenCom, the communications arm of Genco Energy Services (GES) signed an additional contract with SCS Networks to use iDirect technology for a private satellite network.
[Via Satellite – 08/12/2014]

Operator Market Strategy & Revenues

ViaSat asks investors to focus on revenue and gross profit, and not raw subscriber numbers.
[Space News – 08/13/2014]

Globalstar hopes half of its subscriber base will be made of non-North American customers by 2017.
[Via Sateilite – 08/12/2014]

TCS selected to join O3b’s exclusive partner program.
[PCB007 – 08/11/2014]

History

On this day in history – August 12, 1960 – NASA’s 1st successful communications satellite, Echo 1A, is launched from Cape Canaveral.
[EDN – 08/12/2014]

Human Interest

Inmarsat-supported aid agency Télécoms Sans Frontières (TSF) has been required to leave an Iraqi camp as civil war develops.
[Via Satellite – 08/12/2014]


T-Dish: The Timing is Perfect

Friday, August 15th, 2014

Earlier this month, Charlie talked about how he liked Sprint’s potential to be successful in wireless.

Not really: I think he wants Son to pay more for it!

The real value in wireless communications is in its spectrum licenses. Without that, you don’t have much to grow with. Add ready-to-go infrastructure to your spectrum and you can make some dough. Dish’s video business has probably reached its limit and they’ve been accumulating spectrum for an eventual “wireless play.” Competing against the cable and telco “triple-play” (voice, video, data) — or quad-play of Verizon and AT&T (landline voice, video, data, wireless/mobile) — left Dish an an inherent disadvantage. Without any landline business, using satcom for Internet is inefficient. If, however, Dish could make a “modern triple-play” (video, wireless data, wireless voice) then it could retain a substantial portion of its subscriber base. In general, triple-plays help reduce churn rates.

T-Mobile is on a tear; five quarters of 1.5 million net-adds. They just need some more spectrum and Dish has it — and cash flow to help pay down debt. LightReading has the best analysis:

The appeal of the Dish position is that the satellite provider holds 50MHz of spectrum in the US — 40MHz in the AWS-4 band and 10MHz in the H-Band — that is very close to the AWS spectrum that T-Mobile has been deploying its 4G LTE network in.

“We could certainly very rapidly deploy on his spectrum,” Carter noted.

This would give the pair the opportunity to offer really large LTE channels for faster over-the-air services, possibly doubling up on the 2x20MHz LTE channels that T-Mobile can offer today. Although Carter noted that the operator will move beyond that by itself anyway, without offering much further detail.

Of course, that would mean striking a deal between the two and — as Carter noted — Ergen is a “tough negotiator.” Still, he opined, it would be very difficult and expensive for Dish to deploy a wireless network on its own, and the provider is running out of time to strike a 4G deal with a partner.

Everybody seems to agree.

The timing is perfect for Dish to buy T-Mobile and turn their wireless service into a very strong #3 quickly — and grow it to some day become #2.


Hacking “Best Korea” With Satellite

Wednesday, August 13th, 2014

Years ago, we marveled at the sophisticated simplicity of the Luneberg Lens and how cool it was to use technology developed 70 years ago to receive multiple satellite TV feeds. Something you couldn’t imagine in 1944. Now those principles are being used to win a “hackathon” in San Francisco.

ARS Technica gave a comprehensive summary…

 

The team’s idea, which hasn’t moved beyond the concept phase, was deceptively simple: import a bunch of satellite receivers into North Korea so that people can simply receive TV stations from SkyLife, a major South Korean broadcaster.

At present, SkyLife’s satellite footprint easily extends into North Korea, and it includes many Korean-language stations including KBS and SBS, two of the largest. It also includes some English-language programming, including BBC, Eurosport, and Animal Planet, among others. The team realizes that getting a little more independent information into North Korea won’t create an overnight revolution in the country. But under this plan, the team claims, North Koreans could start to learn more about how their South Korea cousins live via news, sports, entertainment, and more.

“I think our initial hope is to get North Korea to the state of Iran, where information is flowing in,” one of the team members, Matthew Lee (a pseudonym), told Ars. “Right now North Korea is a hermit state. If we can at least get to a state where you can use Twitter, then people will understand what’s going on outside. That’s the first catalyst and then they can use our device to create a shadow network and with that, they can bring about a change within their own social context.”

Specifically, the team wants to use new developments in Luneburg lens research that would allow for a traditional curved, bulk satellite dish receiver to be manufactured into something flat. They hope this could eventually be mounted (and camouflaged) onto walls and windows of North Korean homes. One big problem is that such antennas have yet to be manufactured on a widespread basis.

The trio won a round-trip ticket to Seoul, South Korea paid for by HRF, where they will meet with North Korean defector groups and other organizations. HRF says that it will work to secure funding to fully realize this project.

Kim Heung-kwang (second from left) is a former North Korean cyberwarfare professor and a judge at the HRF event. Justice Suh (third from right) was one of the winning team members.


Putin’s Proton

Tuesday, August 12th, 2014

ILS is laying off 25% of it’s workers. For those of you keeping score at home, chalk up another Russian-controlled business fail.