iDirect satellite routers meet FIPS 140-2 Level requirements
VT iDirect has announced that its government line of Evolution satellite routers and line cards have met the physical requirements for the Federal Information Processing Standards Publications (FIPS) 140-2 Level 2 validation. FIPS 140-2 validation is required for cryptographic products used in any U.S. Government agency network such as hardware and software that encrypts and decrypts data and conducts other cryptographic functions. iDirect is a world leader in satellite-based IP communications technology.
FIPS 140-2 Level 2 is the second level of physical security certification for any hardware containing cryptographic modules that may be used by any branch of the U.S. military or civilian government agency. To ensure it is tamper evident, a specialized coating and seal must be engineered into each product. iDirect’s government Evolution series products that meet the physical requirements for FIPS 140-2 Level 2 include:
Satellite routers: the Evolution 8350-FIPSL2, e800-FIPSL2 and e850mp-FIPSL2. These routers provide fast, reliable, high-quality satellite communications for government and international defense customers.
Line cards: the eM1D1-FIPSL2 and eM0DM-FIPSL2. The eM0DM-FIPSL2 is iDirect’s newest military-grade line card that is multichannel demod-capable.
Newtec links up Stellar Solution to boost throughput
Satellite communications technology specialist Newtec has provided a solution for satellite service provider Stellar Group, enabling a link for a camp of 40,000 in Afghanistan.
Stellar has installed Newtec Elevation Hubs for its three transponders covering the base in Afghanistan . The Elevation Hubs combine state-of-the-art modulation with IP and satellite bandwidth shaping and award-winning FlexACM technology to fully optimise the satellite link.
Christian Steffen, CEO of the Stellar Group, commented: “The traffic requirements for a morale, welfare and recreation programme via satellite are massive. We therefore needed a solution that would deliver the best possible value and efficiency. By implementing Newtec’s FlexACM technology we gained around 30 per cent bandwidth efficiency.”
Reliability is important for ensuring high morale in the camp, especially with the high speed link which has a 100 Mbps downlink and 20 Mbps uplink.
“Twelve years ago when we were setting up the Stellar Teleport, we started with Newtec modulators and since then we have always bought equipment from the company. We know that they are very reliable and love the stability of this new FlexACM solution,” said Mr Steffen.
For the project Stellar booked three 33MHz transponders. The challenges however were many with the satellite in an inclined orbit, dust-fade in the atmosphere, and hostile conditions on the ground.
“The main challenge was to ensure the link was always available so that a connection with loved ones at home can be made at any time of day,” said Serge van Herck, CEO of Newtec. “With Newtec’s FlexACM, Stellar can switch between transponders making it flexible and guaranteeing a high-speed link at all times. It also fully optimises the bandwidth efficiency and performance available.”
As no additional satellite capacity is left on this inclined orbit satellite, Newtec’s FlexACM solution enables Stellar to make the most out of the capacity it has now available.
iDirect satellite routers meet FIPS 140-2 Level requirements
VT iDirect has announced that its government line of Evolution satellite routers and line cards have met the physical requirements for the Federal Information Processing Standards Publications (FIPS) 140-2 Level 2 validation. FIPS 140-2 validation is required for cryptographic products used in any U.S. Government agency network such as hardware and software that encrypts and decrypts data and conducts other cryptographic functions. iDirect is a world leader in satellite-based IP communications technology.
FIPS 140-2 Level 2 is the second level of physical security certification for any hardware containing cryptographic modules that may be used by any branch of the U.S. military or civilian government agency. To ensure it is tamper evident, a specialized coating and seal must be engineered into each product. iDirect’s government Evolution series products that meet the physical requirements for FIPS 140-2 Level 2 include:
Satellite routers: the Evolution 8350-FIPSL2, e800-FIPSL2 and e850mp-FIPSL2. These routers provide fast, reliable, high-quality satellite communications for government and international defense customers.
Line cards: the eM1D1-FIPSL2 and eM0DM-FIPSL2. The eM0DM-FIPSL2 is iDirect’s newest military-grade line card that is multichannel demod-capable.
Expanding Reach & Revenue Via Satellite
How many people do you know who have a smartphone? I am guessing that the answer would be a considerable percentage. Today, we rely heavily on our mobile phones. We use them just like portable computers and we expect to be able to receive an almost PC experience on the move through our phones. Besides phone calls, users expect to surf the web, access email, send messages, film and watch videos, take pictures – and to access a plethora of other applications.
The problem that many mobile network operators face today, is the expansion of their subscriber bases. Demand for mobile services is huge and, especially in urban areas, connectivity is not a problem as operators have access to terrestrial infrastructure and dense population. In urban areas, MNOs are happy to invest in advanced infrastructure due to the fact that they have a captive audience – a concentration of population that is easily reached. However, move out from these population centers, and infrastructure is not so easy to come by or to implement. Rollout of terrestrial infrastructure is extremely expensive and for less densely populated or rural areas, it simply is not cost effective for MNOs to invest. Therefore, they seek a combination of technologies to help them reach new subscribers in far away areas. Every new customer is a new revenue stream and the popularity of mobile devices is not only attributable to the developed world but the developing and emerging regions. In even the poorest regions of the world, people will forego other expenses to ensure that they can run a mobile phone or other device. Now that applications such as mobile banking and e-learning have become available to people in outlying and remote areas, users wish to be connected.
If we take Africa as an example of a continent that reflects this type of population distribution and wealth, the jump in mobile subscriptions has been huge. Between 2004 and 2008, according to Dataxis, the amount of subscribers burgeoned from 83 to 366 million. This has forced MNOs to find alternative methods of delivery and satellite backhaul is playing an increasingly important role in cellphone service distribution. Used as part of a hybrid solution, satellite provides a highly effective, scalable and cost efficient solution for backhaul purposes. Satellite can be paired with terrestrial technology such as microwave or Wi-Fi. Several base stations that serve a community are linked by the selected terrestrial technology and backhauled via satellite to the operator’s core network. The nature of satellite means that this hybrid solution offers large coverage, few interruptions to the service, requires minimal infrastructure, is rapidly deployed and only consumes a low amount of power.
The use of satellite and other technologies to expand MNOs’ reach is becoming increasingly popular as mobile operators look to expand their subscriber bases and reach those in more remote areas. For the satellite service providers, and operators, the popularity of the mobile device signifies a lucrative market with much potential for the future.
Newtec solution helps Sky Italia to increase throughput
Sky Italia, one of the most important DTH providers in Europe, has used Newtec’s Equalink DVB-S/S2 predistortion solution in connection with its innovative transmission solution, already filed as patent. The installation has resulted in a 10 per cent performance increase, equating to an additional two channels on each of its 23 transponders.
Italian-based Communication Video Engineering supported Sky Italia throughout the implementation of Newtec Modulators and Newtec’s Equalink® DVB-S/S2 predistortion systems.
Equalink provides significant improvements by predistorting the modulated signal to compensate for linear degradations generated by filters and non-linear degradations generated by satellite transponder amplifiers.
Sky Italia Innovation and Engineering Manager Massimo Bertolotti said that having trialled other solutions, Equalink impressed the team by making sizable improvements of 80 Mbit/s in total.
“Using this solution we can transmit the signal closer to the saturation of the transponder and closer to the edge of the transponder frequency range. As a result, more power and more throughput are available, and therefore more channels and services for our customers,” Bertolotti said.
Serge van Herck, CEO of Newtec, said the solution is designed to help Sky Italia and other DTH providers who are competing against an increasing number of alternative media providers. “Equalink has demonstrated its ability to increase the link efficiency for Sky Italia enabling it to offer even more value to its customers,” Van Herck said.
Van Herck added: “Equalink allows Sky Italia to optimise its satellite transponder usage and increase the transponder value. Also, by using this solution Sky Italia is able to provide maximum performance – even on the edge of its footprint.”
Equalink, as well as Sky Italia’s innovative invention, can be used in conjunction with any standard satellite set-top box. Equalink is available as an option on Newtec’s industry leading Azimuth modulators, a professional satellite equipment series used by leading broadcasters, satellite and telecom operators world-wide.
AMOS adds Croatia KLasik TV
Croatia’s KLasik TV, a new TV channel headquartered in Zagreb, is now being distributed by the AMOS satellite fleet located at the 4°W orbital position. Spacecom is working with OiV Transmitters and Communications Ltd., the government owned transmission center, to bring the new channel to Croatia and the rest of the Balkan region.
KLasik TV (www.klasiktv.com), a privately owned channel broadcasting 24 hours daily, features ‘oldies’ and classic programming for the cable and direct-to-home (DTH) markets. Its entertainment line-up includes local productions such as movies, documentaries, cartoons and television series from the past five decades.
“The AMOS satellites are enabling KLasik TV to reach new audiences in Croatia and the other countries of former Yugoslavia and removing the obstacles of bringing our classic programming to viewers around the region,” said Maja Jelisic Cooper, chief executive officer of KLasik TV. “AMOS’ superior signal strength and neighborhood are advantages as we begin to penetrate the market.”
“Adding KLasik TV strengthens our brand and brings a new dimension to AMOS’ broadcast neighborhood in the Balkans,” stated Eyal Altshuler, vice president of sales for CEE at Spacecom. “The local market is growing and because of our excellent satellite performance, reliability and flexible technical solutions, the AMOS fleet is able to offer a superb platform for broadcasters and other communications needs in the region.”
Global Satellite USA launches ISAT Shadow
Global Satellite US has just announced the launch of ISAT Shadow, the first Bluetooth-enabled device that is compatible with a satellite phone, BGAN terminal and other mobile phone.
This tiny device just measuring 2¾” x1½” is an excellent satellite shadow for the Inmarsat ISAT Pro and Iridium 9555 (Bluetooth supported docks only). With Bluetooth technology the connection does not require cables or be in the line of sight; the two handsets just need to be within 30ft of each other.”
Martin Fierstone, President of Global Satellite USA, commented, “This is a really neat little handset that will easily fit into your pocket. You can be up to 30ft away from the satellite phone to dial and receive calls. You can even make a call from your phonebook contacts. I have no doubt that anyone who purchases this device will enjoy using it and would make a great gift for the person who has everything”.
The ISAT Shadow replaces the need for a docking station and supports caller’s telephone number and caller ID display, the first letter searching of contacts, phone call history, call vibration, call ring tone, key pad lock, phone book synchronization and comes complete with echo cancellation and noise reduction for perfect sound.
The handset has a rechargeable Li-Polymer battery and has a nominal charging time of 2 hours. There is an LED indicator light for the keyboard to view at night and has a mini 5 pin USB plug charging port.
Eutelsat to showcase a new generation of satellite solutions
Eutelsat Communications will showcase a slew of innovative satellite-based solutions for broadcast and Internet markets at this year’s IBC, the premier annual show for professionals engaged in the creation, management and delivery of broadcasting media and entertainment.
Visitors to the Eutelsat stand will be able to see the expansion of the Group’s portfolio of services and partnerships to deliver competitive tools for TV channels, news agencies, service providers, telecom operators and ISPs.
Three months after the KA-SAT High Throughput Satellite went live, Eutelsat continues to unlock the potential of this powerful IP platform designed to serve users across Europe, North Africa and large parts of the Middle East. Further products are ready for launch on KA-SAT to join the new-generation Tooway™ broadband service which has been rolling out since May and will be shown live on the Eutelsat stand.
Using KA-SAT, satellite newsgathering is set to achieve new levels of efficiency and flexibility with an IP-based service called ‘NewsSpotter’, that will be unveiled at IBC with a live daily demonstration. As a complement to traditional SNG services in C and Ku-bands, ‘NewsSpotter’ will enable broadcasters and news agencies to deliver more from the field at low cost, further diversifying live news reporting.
The ‘NewsSpotter’ service will use extremely light and compact Ka-band terminals. The fully-motorised and auto-aligning equipment will be transportable in a suitcase or installed on very small vehicles. Delivering up to 20 Mbps on the uplink, ample for SNG, and up to 50 Mbps on the downlink, it will enable a number of SD or HD feeds to be routed in parallel to multiple IP addresses. From the end of 2011, users will be able to reserve bandwidth online with immediate booking applications or on a pre-planned basis for a guaranteed reservation.
An SNG vehicle equipped to show the benefits of ‘NewsSpotter’ will be located in front of hall 1 area OE 112. Live demonstrations will take place during the show, including three daily performances at 10.30am, 2.30pm and 4pm.
In advance of the upcoming launch of satellite-delivered VoD, Eutelsat will showcase new solutions at IBC designed to complement the linear offer of channels broadcast in the FRANSAT platform. FRANSAT broadcasts DTT channels via the ATLANTIC BIRD™ 3 satellite to homes in France located beyond range of terrestrial DTT reception.
SelecTV, a subsidiary of TV Num, will showcase the decoder for a satellite push VoD solution which will be launched later this year to broadcast content to user hard disks equipped with 500 GB of storage capacity. SelecTV will have two complementary offers, “Selection”, a subscription on-demand service with a choice of series, documentaries, family, music and youth programming and “La Séance”, a transactional VoD service offering films four months after cinema release.
A display on Eutelsat’s stand will show a pilot of satellite distribution of the ARTE +7 service. The demonstration will enable Arte programmes to be delivered via satellite to a user hard disk connected to a satellite set-top-box produced by Aston.
Access to ARTE +7 will be shown using push VOD software developed by Quadrille that specialises in VOD networks, and installed in the set-top-box and at the FRANSAT uplink platform at Eutelsat’s teleport near Paris.
Eutelsat is also taking its KabelKiosk cable platform into a new interactive phase with HbbTV-based services which are scheduled to launch in the coming weeks.
Services available in the new KabelKiosk interaktiv offer will include VoD, catch-up TV, access to news databases and local information. VoD services will be based on a platform operated by industry-expert Rovi that specialises in delivering premium entertainment.
Individual channels delivered by KabelKiosk will also be able to use KabelKiosk interaktiv for catch-up TV, VoD, EPG services and red button applications for multiple value added services. Users will benefit from this portfolio of interactive solutions via an STB or a connected TV. A full working prototype system will be displayed live at IBC using an HbbTV STB.
The ATLANTIC BIRD™ 7 and W3C satellites are both planned for launch in the coming weeks. ATLANTIC BIRD™ 7 will virtually double resources at the 7° West neighbourhood which addresses digital broadcasting markets in North Africa and the Middle East.
From its future home at 16° East, W3C will partner broadcasters delivering digital entertainment services to homes in Central Europe and Indian Ocean islands and open a new mission for data and Internet services over Africa.
Higher bandwidth and superior video quality with EXPLORER 727
An extensive free upgrade for Thrane & Thrane’s flagship vehicular BGAN terminal EXPLORER 727 was made available for download at www.thrane.com on 5th September 2011. The upgrade transforms EXPLORER 727, already the leading on-the-move BGAN terminal, by adding the unique capability to utilise Inmarsat’s premium IP streaming service, BGAN X-Stream, when stationary.
The software upgrade will be implemented on all new EXPLORER 727 terminals in addition to the free download for existing terminals. After following the simple upgrade installation, EXPLORER 727 effectively becomes a two-in-one terminal, able to offer BGAN X-Stream whilst stationary. BGAN X-Stream enables broadcasters to access the world’s fastest on-demand video streaming via satellite, which until today, was only available on portable Inmarsat Class 1 terminals such as the Thrane & Thrane EXPLORER 700.
When on-the-move the EXPLORER 727 provides the best, most reliable data and voice functionality in its class, even at speeds up to 200 km/h and on any terrain. With the upgrade in place though, the EXPLORER 727 is capable of operating like an EXPLORER 700 terminal when the vehicle is not moving, enabling broadcasters to stream live coverage at data rates from a minimum of 384kbps from anywhere in the world.
“We’re delighted to be able to provide existing EXPLORER 727 users with a free upgrade that provides such a significant boost to functionality,” comments Morten Rishøj, Market Development Manager, Land Mobile Business Unit, Thrane & Thrane. “The upgrade has been extensively tested in co-operation with several broadcasters and we have already managed to hit streaming speeds up to 470 kbps, which is more than Inmarsat’s stated maximum for BGAN X-Stream.”
The Thrane & Thrane EXPLORER 727 is the market leading vehicular BGAN terminal, preferred by users for its reliability in any conditions, ease of set-up and use, and the high quality support available regardless of location. Because of the new upgrade, EXPLORER 727 will become the only vehicular BGAN terminal to offer Inmarsat BGAN X-Stream, directly addressing the high performance connectivity and streaming requirements of journalists and other demanding BGAN users within an on-the-move terminal.
Thrane & Thrane will demonstrate the power of BGAN X-Stream in a live situation with stand partners Eurosatlink (ESL)and 2-connectIT during IBC 2011. Visitor’s should head for the leading Inmarsat BGAN terminal developer’s stand (OE202) in the outside area during the exhibition to experience the higher bandwidth with EXPLORER 727 and BGAN X-Stream™, for themselves.NATO selects Vizada Networks to extend and upgrade Air C2 network
Vizada Networks has been selected by NC3A for the upgrade and expansion to its existing Air Command and Control System (Air C2) in Afghanistan for use by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). The contract, which was signed May 2011, covers the design and final delivery within 52 weeks of a Radio over IP (RoIP) system housed in CIS shelters to 16 sites in Afghanistan.NATO Air Defence comprises all measures aimed at monitoring and reacting to potential air threats in NATO airspace as well as countering hostile air action. It encompasses a network of interconnected systems to detect, track and identify airborne objects, and – if necessary – to intercept them using maritime, ground-based or airborne weapons systems. The upgraded Air C2 network is intended to facilitate the planning, tasking and execution of all air missions, as well as support NATO’s deployed operations and missions.
The enhanced capabilities provided by the Vizada Networks expansion and upgrade to the Air C2 system are intended to provide stronger capabilities to ISAF, including complete coverage across Afghanistan below 10,000ft. The contract was awarded based on Best Value determination (50/50 split between the weighted Technical and Commercial criteria) and features the development and delivery of 16 (one per site) 20ft CIS shelters with integrated RoIP & C2 systems.
“This is an exciting project for Vizada Networks, which builds on our strong relationship with NATO as a recognised systems integrator,” comments Anders Øygarden, Sales Director, Vizada Networks. “Having provided communications solutions for NATO across all recent operational theatres based on our strong CIS focus and experience, we are delighted to have been selected for this project, which will provide greater operational capabilities and coverage for NATO forces in Afghanistan.”
Satellite further increases technical reach in Germany
SES has announced that satellite has further increased its technical reach in Germany, its largest single market. According to the newest research, 17.1 million German households now watch television directly via satellite (Direct-to-Home), a gain of 430,000 households in the first six months of the year. The number of digital satellite households rose to 14.5 million, representing a digitalisation rate of 85 per cent and leaving 2.5 million analogue satellite households to be converted to digital reception until the analogue switch-off date end of April next year.Cable has decreased its reach, now transmitting to 17.9 million homes, 260,000 less than half a year before. The digitalisation rate of cable infrastructures is 43 per cent. Digital terrestrial TV lost 300,000 households and now reaches 1.7 million homes.
These are the results of the most recent Satellite Monitor, a study that SES ASTRA conducts on a European scale every year. In Germany, SES ASTRA conducts these studies every six months in partnership with the regional regulatory authorities (Landesmedienanstalten) and through the market research institute TNS Infratest.
SES and Gazprom Space Systems enter strategic partnership
Global satellite operator SES and Russian fixed satellite service operator Gazprom Space System (GSS) have entered into a strategic partnership to provide additional satellite capacity to serve the Russian market.
Under the terms of a multi-year agreement, SES has re-located its ASTRA 1F satellite previously located at 51 degrees East to the orbital location 55 degrees East. GSS will utilize 16 Ku-band FSS transponders on the ASTRA 1F satellite to provide communication services for Western Russia ahead of the arrival of GSS’ Yamal-402 satellite in 2012. In return, SES will use capacity on GSS’ Yamal-402 once it becomes operational at 55 degrees East. Yamal-402 is currently under construction and scheduled for launch in November 2012.
The use of ASTRA 1F at 55 degrees East is part of a strategic partnership between SES and Gazprom to explore opportunities for the provision of satellite capacity for Russia. GSS will use the capacity on ASTRA 1F and later Yamal-402 together with Russian satellite service providers to deliver a wide spectrum of services including the transmission of TV bouquets for direct-to-home (DTH) satellite TV operators, the distribution of TV signals to cable and terrestrial networks and broadcasting stations, the delivery of broadband access for corporate clients and the consumer market, and point–to-point communication, as well as cellular backhauls and Satellite News Gathering (SNG) services.
Dimitry Sevastiyanov, General Director of GSS said: “The move of ASTRA 1F is good news for the Russian market. The additional satellite arrives at a time of high demand and scarce capacity and brings us in a position to meet the actual and growing capacity needs of our customers. The cooperation with SES is very productive and we may see additional joint projects in the future.”
Romain Bausch, President and CEO of SES, commented: “The agreement to move ASTRA 1F over Russia demonstrates SES’ capability to quickly respond to market demands and highlights the advantage of a global and flexible satellite fleet. The launch of ASTRA 5B scheduled for 2013 we will bring additional capacity to Russia. With Gazprom we have found an excellent partner to tap this highly important growth market.”
Globecomm tops 100 Channels
Globecomm Systems now carries greater than 875,000 hours of content each year via eight distinct teleports and over 48 different satellites, and currently broadcasts and monitors 100 high definition and/or standard definition channels as well as analog channels.
The Company’s network broadcasting solutions include satellite, fiber or pure teleport delivery services, content aggregation and encoding, worldwide head-end distribution, and robust disaster recovery services with full redundancy and fail-over switching.
Spanning voice, video and data, this global communications capability can be deployed to support live broadcast events, corporate office networks, tactical content on the battlefield, or Internet connections and movie on-demand services.
In addition to end-to-end project consulting and implementation management, Globecomm provides broadcasters and its partners with turnkey professional services, satellite terminals and control systems, managed network services for hosted streaming media communications and lifecycle support to ensure optimum uptime and performance.
Andy Silberstein, Senior VP and General Manager of Globecomm Network Services, said: “Globecomm’s unmatched network connectivity can take content from virtually any source or location and deliver it anywhere and at anytime — in the consumer’s home, a hotel or corporate facility, in a theater of war, or aboard a cruise liner. This gives us the flexibility to assemble, change, host and publish highly customized on-demand programming and live video and interactive channels for our customers.”
Globecomm will showcase its worldwide network, and provide additional details on how broadcasters and others can use these capabilities, at IBC 2011, Stand 4.C74 in Amsterdam, September 8-13.
Intelsat premier video neighborhoods continue to attract top programmers
Luxembourg, 7 September 2011
Intelsat has announced several new contracts with media customers utilizing Intelsat’s premier video distribution neighborhoods. The agreements provide programmers the ability to deliver content to customers across vast geographic regions and the globe.
“With a dependable, robust network and knowledgeable personnel, Intelsat continues to take our media customers to global audiences,” said Kurt Riegelman, Intelsat’s Senior Vice President of Global Sales. “Intelsat’s strategy to reposition existing satellite assets, and to launch new and optimized capacity to enhance our video neighborhoods, enables our customers to expand their services in new and exciting ways.”
Intelsat’s global satellite fleet, combined with the IntelsatONESM terrestrial infrastructure, continues to attract the world’s top programmers.
New Contracts in Europe
Intelsat has entered into a multi-year, multi-transponder agreement with Orion Express LLC, a DTH television services provider in Russia, for standard- and high-definition content. To support this agreement, Intelsat will move a Ku-band satellite to 85°E by the first quarter of 2012, leveraging its fleet to deliver extended capacity to Orion.
Once moved to 85°E, the satellite is expected to remain in service through 2023. Its wide beam ensures consistent signal reception from Russia’s western borders to Irkutsk, a major city in Siberia.
In Eastern Europe, DigiTVs’ owner, S.C. RCS and RDS S.A., renewed its contract for capacity at Intelsat’s 1°W video neighborhood. As the leading DTH services operator in Central and Eastern Europe, RCS serves more than 2 million subscribers across five countries.
New Commitments in the Americas
STN, Ltd., a leading broadcast-over-satellite provider, recently entered into an agreement to offer international content to its customers in North America, greatly expanding the reach of its programming platform. The multi-year, multi-transponder deal will allow STN to offer the direct-to-home content on Intelsat’s Galaxy 19 at 97°W.
Portugal Telecom renewed its multi-year contract recently for the distribution of Rádio e Televisão de Portugal, the nation’s public television channel, across Latin America and Africa. The content will be provided via Intelsat 805 at 304.5°E and in Africa on Intelsat 907 at 332.5°E.
Intelsat also announced it has signed a multi-transponder contract with Avail-TVN for C-band services on Galaxy 28 at 89°W. The multi-year agreement will allow Avail-TVN to provide a suite of IPTV, high-definition and VOD services to its customers across North America and the Caribbean.
Anhanguera, Brazil’s leading for-profit professional education company, is migrating all of its services on C-band capacity to Intelsat 1R at 310°E. The multi-transponder deal will allow Anhanguera to broadcast up to 50 channels from its uplink centers in Brazil, which will be received by more than 500 distance learning centers nationwide.
Also on Intelsat 1R, Casablanca, Brazil’s largest SNG service provider, recently signed a deal for C-band service with Intelsat to provide “Cinelive,” high-definition, live content to 65 movie theaters across 23 cities. The agreement lets Casablanca create a live satellite network in Brazilian digital movie theaters that allows for alternative content distribution, including operas, sporting events, and corporate training.
Intelsat 1R has established itself as one of the best options for linear C-band contribution and distribution in Brazil.
Intelsat and TIBA, Latin America’s leading video carrier and content management provider, recently announced a contract extension for C-band capacity on Intelsat 27 at 304.5°E, replacing Intelsat 805 in late 2012 or early 2013. The multiyear, multi-transponder agreement will allow TIBA to provide standard- and high-definition video programming to tier 1 broadcasters in the Americas and in Western Europe for the 15-year life of the satellite. TIBA bundles its satellite broadcast services with the space segment to provide turnkey solutions to broadcasters for distribution of their video programming.
New Contracts in Asia-Pacific
In Asia-Pacific, Canal + Overseas S.A.S., the largest French-speaking pay-TV operator in the French Overseas Territories, signed a multi-transponder, long-term agreement on Intelsat 18, set to launch in October. The satellite will provide high power Ku-band capacity to enable high-definition DTH programming, in this case for New Caledonia, and is Intelsat’s growing neighborhood of largely French language programming for the Pacific Ocean region.
Bharti Teleports Limited recently signed a multi-year capacity agreement to provide video services in India and throughout Asia on Intelsat 17 at 66°E. The multi-transponder deal gives Bharti continued access to India’s growing cable headend community.
Intelsat continues to be a leader in the delivery of HD content, now offering more than 330 channels across the globe.
MagtiCom uses SES capacity to launch initial Pay TV services in Georgia
SES has signed a long term agreement with the Georgian mobile and telecommunication company MagtiCom for several transponders at its 31.5 degrees East orbital position. MagtiCom will use the capacity to launch Georgia’s first domestic direct-to-home (DTH) television platform. The operator will broadcast in DVB-S2 standard and MPEG 4 encoding.
MagtiCom will launch an attractive pay-TV bouquet for the Georgian market, offering local and international standard and high definition (SD and HD) channels starting from 1 January 2012. The 31.5 degrees East orbital position offers excellent growth opportunities for broadcasters in Central Eastern Europe and can accommodate the rising demand for SD and HD services in the region. Its excellent footprint covers the whole territory of Georgia with a powerful signal, allowing for direct-to-home reception with dishes sized at 60 cm. SES already provides a variety of services from this orbital position, ranging from the transmission of television channels in standard and high definition and the contribution of television and radio channels to cable and terrestrial networks, as well as data and voice services.
Ferdinand Kayser, Chief Commercial Officer at SES said: “The launch of MagitCom’s DTH platform once again demonstrates the ability of SES to help new market entrants to succeed. SES stands for an excellent knowledge of the television market. Its fleet of 47 satellites today carries 43 direct-to-home platforms worldwide. This tremendous track record, coupled with the highest technical standards and the ambition to help its customers grow their businesses, makes SES and ideal partner for broadcasters worldwide. We look forward to the launch of the new platform – adding an exciting new programme choice to the TV offer in the region.”
David Lee, General Director of Magticom said: “Together with SES we will accelerate the digitalization in Georgia. With the excellent satellite fleet and technical know-how of our partner, we will provide Georgian TV-viewers with the highest quality of digital television services. Moreover, the launch of this DTH platform represents a unique opportunity and a major step forward for the region, as it will allow Georgian TV viewers for the first time to receive a Georgian pay-TV offer from satellite.”
Colem launches BroadcastNMS at IBC
Monitoring and control specialist, Colem has announced the launch of its latest media network control system, BroadcastNMS. The latest in Colem’s range of NMS products, BroadcastNMS is an effective Service Reception, Switching & Management system for News & Media Ingest, which can simplify any news operation. This is the first of a range of products handling Media, file handling for Editing, Transmission & Reception, Scheduling and Bandwidth Management.The key feature of BroadcastNMS is the fact it is user-configurable, meaning it can be maintained by the user, avoiding expensive and time-consuming call-outs for new configurations. BroadcastNMS allows operators to add, edit, delete, and move devices, essentially building their own system. It also makes that process extremely simple, therefore the risk of error is minimised.
“Our focus with this latest product has been giving our clients a system they can control themselves,” commented Tom Blake, Product Architect, Colem. “It will help improve efficiency, as rather than calling us out for a simple re-configure, they can do it instantly themselves, giving them the flexibility to change configuration as often as they need.”
Arianespace to launch Amazonas-3
Petra Mateos-Aparicio, Chairwoman of Hispasat, Carlos Espinos, CEO of Hispasat, and Jean-Yves Le Gall, Chairman and CEO of Arianespace, have signed the Service & Solutions contract for the Amazonas-3 satellite in Santander, Spain.
Amazonas-3 will be launched by an Ariane 5 rocket at the end of 2012 or in early 2013 from the Guiana Space Center, Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. It will replace the Amazonas-1 satellite at the same orbital position of 61 degrees West.
Amazonas-3 will be built by Space Systems/Loral using an SS/L 1300 platform. It will weigh about 6,000 kg at launch and will be equipped with 33 Ku-band transponders, 19 C-band transponders, and 9 Ka-band broadband spotbeams. This powerful satellite will provide a wide range of telecommunications services and broadband connectivity in the Americas and Europe. Amazonas-3 will have a design life of 15 years.
Teaming up with a prestigious customer
Amazonas-3 will be the seventh Spanish satellite launched by Arianespace. The European launcher first orbited the Hispasat 1A and 1B satellites in 1992 and 1993. Hispasat and its subsidiary Hisdesat called on Arianespace in 2005 and 2006 to launch the XTAR-Eur and Spainsat satellites. Most recently, Arianespace launched the Amazonas-2 and Hispasat 1E satellites in 2009 and 2010.
After signing the new contract, Petra Mateos-Aparicio, Chairwoman of Hispasat group said “With this new satellite thousands of citizens on the American continent will be able to access a wide variety of advanced broadband services, such as high speed Internet and interactive services in order to meet the growing demand of the Information Society in this region, regardless of the geographical situation, which through land lines would be very difficult to develop. Since the launch of our first satellite in 1992, Hispasat and Arianespace have maintained a very strong relationship of mutual trust. We chose Arianespace because the launch of Amazonas-3 is a key to our growth strategy in the Americas.”
“We are extremely proud and honored to be teaming up once again with a prestigious operator such as Hispasat. The selection of Arianespace by a leading European operator to orbit their new satellite is an outstanding sign of trust, and clear recognition of the excellence of our launch Service & Solutions.” said Arianespace Chairman and CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall.
SAS and Panasonic Avionics complete agreement for in-flight Internet
Panasonic Avionics Corporation has finalized an agreement with Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) to install its eXConnect and eXPhone solutions on SAS’ fleet of domestic, pan-European and intercontinental aircraft. SAS is planning on introducing the service to its passengers at the end of this year.
Panasonic’s eXConnect system provides two-way broadband connectivity to an aircraft. It supports a wide range of passenger and crew applications, and SAS will use the solution to provide in-flight broadband Internet access over Wi-Fi to passengers. The company’s eXPhone product, offered in collaboration with AeroMobile’s in-flight mobile phone service, will allow SAS passengers to use their mobile phones, smart phones and BlackBerry® devices onboard to make and receive voice calls if selected by the airline, send and receive SMS text messages, and use GPRS services such as email and internet access.
“We are very excited to begin working with SAS on a broadband Ku solution that lets their passengers use services such as email, social media and much more to stay connected friends, family and colleagues at 30,000 feet,” said Paul Margis, Chief Executive Officer for Panasonic.
Eutelsat and Eser Telekom announce expansion of Tooway into Turkey and neighbouring countries
Eutelsat Communications has announced a three-year distribution agreement valued at €5 million between its Skylogic subsidiary and Eser Telekom to provide the new generation Tooway™ satellite broadband service in Turkey, Iraq, Georgia and Azerbaijan.
Eser Telekom will use the Tooway™ service, delivered via Eutelsat’s KA-SAT satellite, to provide high-speed broadband to the many enterprises and consumers beyond reach of terrestrial networks across the region. Working with local governments, Eser Telekom also plans to develop innovative KA-SAT-based solutions specifically for public administrations. The new agreement marks the first major contract in Turkey, Iraq, Georgia and Azerbaijan to leverage the powerful features of the KA-SAT platform.
With the consumer service offering download speeds of up to 10 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 4 Mbps, Tooway™ broadband will bring fast, reliable and affordable Internet access for Eser Telekom customers in areas with limited alternative solutions for broadband. The Tooway™ solution consists of a satellite dish and a modem connected to the PC via Ethernet, giving customers Internet access with no dependency on a telephone line.
Tolga Sönmezalp, Board Member of Eser Telekom, declared: “The conclusion with Skylogic of this important contract for the Tooway™ service delivered via Eutelsat’s KA-SAT satellite will ensure that Eser Telekom consolidates its role as a key supplier of broadband infrastructure throughout Turkey. It will also allow Eser Telekom to quickly and effectively expand its presence in Iraq, Georgia and Azerbaijan in cooperation with our local partners in these countries.”
Arduino Patacchini, CEO of Skylogic, added: “Tooway™ is the ideal service to meet the expectations of Eser Telekom’s customers to quickly access the benefits of broadband. We are delighted to be working with Eser Telekom, the first major distribution partner in Turkey and neighbouring countries to benefit from the superior service delivered through KA-SAT. We look forward to building a close and longstanding relationship which contributes to building an inclusive digital environment across these regions.”
ABS awards Optimal Satcom a multi-year contract
Optimal Satcom has been awarded a multi-year contract by Asia Broadcast Satellite (ABS) to provide its industry leading, enterprise satellite capacity system to help manage ABS’ growing commercial satellite business.
Under the terms of the agreement, Optimal Satcom will provide ABS with a comprehensive system including the Enterprise Capacity Manager™ (ECM®) software system integrated with COMPLAN®. The highly-engineered capacity management tool, useful in all phases of SATCOM network design and optimization, will include several networked servers and replicated databases installed at several ABS offices around the world. The system will allow ABS personnel to simultaneously manage their expanding satellite business from any ABS office while ensuring high performance and redundancy.
Optimal Satcom will also support the migration of ABS’s legacy systems and databases to its new, comprehensive system, the development of interfaces with ABS’s other operational systems, and post-deployment support services. The new system is planned for operations in the last quarter of 2011.
“Optimal Satcom is pleased to be working closely with Asia Broadcast Satellite as it positions itself for growth,” said Ahsun H. Murad, President and CEO of Optimal Satcom. “ECM brings together all the major functions related to capacity management into a single system, and will allow ABS to achieve increased operational efficiency in the highly competitive commercial satellite market.” he added.
Tom Choi, CEO of Asia Broadcast Satellite said: “We are delighted to be using Optimal Satcom’s ECM system. With the dramatic growth of our satellite fleet and the addition of multiple satellites being added over the next 2-3 years, it was critical for ABS to implement a robust capacity management system that could help us manage the operations for our growing satellite business. The ECM system will integrate all aspects of satellite capacity management into a single centralized system and optimize the operational efficiency, flexibility and reliability of our workflow.”
NEP selects Globecomm for GSM/EDGE hosted switching solution
Globecomm Systems has been selected to provide a GSM/EDGE hosted switching upgrade for the North-Eastern Pennsylvania Telephone Company’s (NEP) wireless network, providing a path for future migration to 3G and 4G services.
NEP has purchased a network upgrade from Globecomm that includes a GSM/EDGE hosted switching solution, and support for an affordable and convenient prepaid wireless billing service.
Globecomm’s cost-effective prepaid billing solution offers end customers like NEP more flexible payment options and greater control over their wireless spending.
A full-service GSM/CDMA/LTE mobile technology and wireless technology provider, Globecomm offers 2G/3G/4G services and products – including voice, high speed Internet, SMS, MMS, voicemail, prepaid and post-paid billing.
The Company specializes in solving the operational and business problems of serving low-density and remote areas, deploying advanced services on legacy cellular networks, restoring service and providing secured communications on short notice.
Andy Silberstein, Globecomm Senior Vice President and General Manager of Services, said: “Prepaid wireless is popular in many rural areas, and the capabilities made possible by this hosted switching solution create important new opportunities for NEP. The company can now open a new target market, expand their marketing efforts and drive new revenue opportunities in rural Pennsylvania.”
Steven Tourje, CEO of North-Eastern Pennsylvania Telephone Company, said: “Thanks to the network upgrade and optimization provided by Globecomm and its technical partners, we can now deliver better coverage and more accessible prepaid value to our customers in rural Pennsylvania. That builds credibility for our company with customers and with investors.”
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