ViaSat integrates LonoCloud cloud computing platform into broadband network

ViaSat will leverage its recent acquisition, cloud networking software company LonoCloud, to enhance its existing satellite broadband network.

LonoCloud employees will team up with their broadband networking counterparts at ViaSat to turn core components of the LonoCloud Platform into a Service (PaaS) product that can be integrated with the ViaSat broadband by satellite network.

According to Mark Dankberg, chairman and CEO of ViaSat, LonoCloud's core technical capability will improve ViaSat's current satellite broadband offerings and speed up development cycles of new service offerings.

Based in La Jolla, California, the privately-held LonoCloud created a cloud-based service platform that use distributed mesh algorithms to build a network foundation so that enterprise services and applications can interact and communicate with one another. When overlaid upon enterprise network environments, the Company's cloud computing architecture can distribute cost-effective computing across multiple servers in the cloud.

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HISPASAT Shows-Off Their Selection Of Advanced Telecommunication Services

HISPASAT Group is scheduled to present the latest advances in its selection of advanced telecommunications services at the 2013 NAB Show from April 8th through 11. Attendees will be able to learn about the group's services and coverage for its Amazonas-1 satellite on HISPASAT's own stand in the said event.

Just last February, the group launched into space the first satellite to offer high capacity coverage in Ka-band to the region, Amazonas-3. The just-released spacecraft facilitates services in growing demand such as bidirectional internet with broadband to measure, distribution of multicast content, IP back-up and broadband via satellite, virtual private networks, occasional IP services and broadband solutions in mobile environments.

The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) advocates on behalf of America's free, local radio and television stations and broadcast networks before Congress, the Federal Communications Commission and the courts. The show, on  the other hand, is an event for the audiovisual sector, with more than 100,000 visitors and 1,600 exhibitors that showcase their latest advances.

About HISPASAT

The HISPASAT Group is made up of companies with a presence in Spain as well as Latin America, where its Brazilian affiliate, HISPAMAR, operates the Amazonas fleet of satellites. The Group is the leader in the diffusion and distribution of content in Spanish and Portuguese, including the transmission of important digital Direct-To-Home (DTH) and High Definition Television (HDTV) platforms. HISPASAT is one of the most important companies in the world in its sector by revenue and the main communications bridge between Europe and America.


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Cobham SATCOM, LiveU create new satcom broadband solution for broadcasters

Cobham SATCOM and LiveU will offer a robust, high-performance hybrid satellite communications solution that will allow broadcasters to transmit live video from anywhere in the world.

A professional-grade LU70 backpack from LiveU will support the latest members of the SATCOM BGAN Explorer satellite terminal product line. This includes the recently-announced Explorer 710, which is set for a September 2013 launch.

The LU70 interface allows camera operators to control all BGAN interfaces locally. Operators can easily switch between satellite and cellular connectivity. The LiveU Center web interface can also remotely control the BGANs, letting news operators directly view and manage live transmissions from the studio.

The LiveU Total unified management platform incorporates the hybrid Cobham SATCOM/LiveU solution into the LiveU ecosystem. It also lets control rooms manage multiple video feeds from individual LiveU units situated in various locations.

The Explorer product line was designed by Cobham SATCOM to leverage the Inmarsat BGAN satellite network. Explorer satellite terminals are compact, easy to use, and reliable. They are designed to deliver instant access to satellite broadband connectivity no matter the time, place, or extremity of environmental conditions. 

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Norsat International snares satcom research, development fund from SADI

The Strategic Aerospace and Defence Initiative (SADI) has awarded an repayable contribution worth $13.3 million (CAD) to satellite communications company Norsat International Inc.

Norsat will use the contribution to boost its strategic research and development program, allowing the Company to continue developing innovative new or enhanced satcom processes, products, and services for established and new markets. It also gives Norsat the opportunity to collaborate with university researchers and improve channel relationships with the local suppliers of components used in new technologies.

The Company's focus and forte are satellite communications technologies that enable connectivity for commercial, government, and military customers anywhere in the world, even regions that have damaged, insufficient, non-existent, or unreliable communications infrastructure. Norsat satcom solutions can operate in unforgiving environmental or technological conditions.

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Zedi orders new Hughes 9502 BGAN M2M satcom terminals for monitoring solutions

Hughes Network Systems, LLC will be putting its new Hughes 9502 BGAN M2M satellite communications terminal -which has been recently been accredited for operations in hazardous environments with potentially explosive atmospheres- in service with oil and gas technology and services company Zedi Inc.

An Inmarsat partner, Zedi is a leader in the field of oil and gas production operations. The company offers monitoring solutions and utilizes the newest technologies to create reliable connections for remote sites. The company unveiled the first large-scale SCADA network in the world in 2010, which is based on the Inmarsat BGAN network.

Hughes, Inmarsat, and industry customers collaborated in the creation of a new M2M BGAN terminal. The final product was the Hughes 9502 satellite communications terminal. As requested, it is compact, easy-to-use, efficient, cost-effective, and capable of operating in Class 1, Division 2 hazardous locations. It will serve as the cornerstone of Zedi monitoring solutions in terrestrial cellular coverage.

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Maju Nusa Selects Hughes To Supply HX System 4.0

Malaysia's fastest-growing VSAT service provider, Maju Nusa inks a contract with one of the leading broadband satellite solutions provider, Hughes Network Systems to supply an HX System 4.0 Network Operations Center (NOC) and 130 HX broadband satellite terminals. Majunusa will utilize the System to deliver cellular backhaul services for 2G and 3G sites in rural areas without access to cost-effective terrestrial
communications.

HX System, according Hughes, since its launch in 2012, includes a host of technology enhancements namely, low jitter delay and real-time streaming. It also includes HX90 satellite broadband router that features a new optimized encapsulation scheme on the outroute and advanced LDPC coding on the inroute, yielding best-in-class throughtputs and lowest operational costs on satellite links.


“Hughes is one of our alliance partners and provides us with the leading-edge platforms and technology we need to deliver market-winning IP-based solutions over satellite," said Maju Nusa Managing Director, Shahruddin Salehuddin. "The Hughes HX System 4.0 allows us to connect remote parts of the country and offer cost-effective backhaul for cellular mobile services without having to worry about jitter and latency on the satellite network.”

Hughes' Internationa Division Vice-President of Sales and Marketing, Ramesh Ramaswamy, said, “For people who live in these rural areas, this will be the first time that they will have cellular services in their communities. Hughes is deeply committed to delivering solutions that meet the challenge of providing cost-effective communications in rural and remote areas worldwide.”

According to Hughes, the company was selected because of its excellent reputation among existing customers in the region and Majunusa’s success in operating their first Hughes HX System ordered at the end of 2011.


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ORBCOMM, Kobelco Construction Machinery create global telematics solution

Satellite data communications company ORBCOMM Inc. has teamed up with Kobelco Construction Machinery Co. Ltd. (KCM) to create a global telematics application that will monitor the location and performance of KCM assets.

KCM is the second biggest Japanese manufacturer of hydraulic excavators, and their products are used in key international markets worldwide. The company's new telematics application will locate and keep an eye on the status, and performance of their construction equipment no matter where they are through the satellite communications network operated by ORBCOMM.

The powerful on-board performance asset monitoring system enables enhanced visibility and improved asset management of machinery for KCM customers, which will save on costs and deliver sizeable operating advantages.

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Inmarsat wins new mobile satcom services contract with FEMA

Inmarsat Government has secured a new satellite communications contract with the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for the Company's MSS (mobile satellite services.)

The new MSS contract is worth US$3.5 million in total, and will last for up to five years. The initial contract period is for one year. FEMA can choose to extend its agreement by four one-year increments.

Inmarsat Government will tap its entire product and service portfolio to create cost-effective, innovative, and secure end-to-end satcom solutions for FEMA. This includes the Company's Global Xpress service, Inmarsat's new global Ka-band network, which is scheduled to enter service this 2013 and achieve full global service in 2014.

Inmarsat services will allow FEMA support personnel to access reliable, mission-critical communications during disasters. The Company's satellite communications solutions allow first responders to immediately contact other personnel and command and operational centers.

New Ka-band beam lets Galaxy SkyDATA reach Eastern Canada

Canada-based satellite communications company Galaxy Broadband Communications recently announced the addition of a new Ka-band beam to its SkyDATA enterprise class managed service.

The additional beam is a Ka-band spot beam from the Telesat satellite Anik F3. It will cover Central and Eastern Canada, including Northern Ontario, Northern Quebec, and the western regions of Newfoundland and Labrador. Expected launch for the upgraded service is April 15, 2013.

Galaxy launched its SkyDATA enterprise class service back in 2012. The original platform used four Ka-beams and covered the Western half of Northern Canada. Galaxy also included plans to extend SkyDATA's coverage over Eastern Canada.

SkyDATA provides cost-effective and reliable managed services to customers who need more bandwidth for mission critical applications, morale services for work camps, and VoIP communications. The new Ka-band spot beam will allow Galaxy to offer affordable, fast, and predictable managed services to customers in the resource-rich mining havens of Eastern Canada. 

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SES Increases TV Coverage To 276 Million Worldwide

SES, one of the world's leading satellite operator, announced yesterday that the company has further increased its reach as it now reaches 276 million TV homes worldwide over 17 million homes more than 2011. This, according to the company, was due to the strong gains of the company in places like India and Germany.

With a year-on-year gain of 7.5 million TV homes, India became the most important growth driver of the increase. Dish TV and Airtel Digital TV, now reach 25 million Indian TV homes with SES satellites. Germany, on the other hand, also contributed significantly to the coverage growth. The switch-off of analogue satellite signals and the success of the platform HD+ have contributed to a further growth of the satellite reach by more than 500,000 to over 18 million homes in 2012.

Senior Vice President Commercial Europe at SES, Norbert Hoelzle said, "The further extension of our reach is the result of our significant fleet investments and the successful development of leading DTH platforms, especially in emerging markets. More and more households acknowledge the significant advantages of satellite reception and the excellent channel line-up in numerous markets. SES has succeeded in generating growth not only in very dynamic emerging markets but also in highly developed markets like Germany. The further deployment of our fleet and continuous investments into new technologies like HD, Ultra HD and SAT>IP confirm our strategy to be the partner of choice for free-to-air and pay-TV broadcasters as a technical enabler. SES is also the infrastructure of choice for millions of consumers and TV viewers."


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ETL Systems To Launch V-Series RF Matrix

Even though there were news that says that ETL has expanded with the launch of its North American headquarters in Washington DC to cope with a surge in demand, ETL Systems will still launch its latest V-Series RF Matrix.

Last March 6, 2013, ETL System launched its new U.S. office at Washington DC in order to support the two-thirds of sales which comes from U.S.-based customers. ETL Systems, one of the leading designer of satellite equipment, appointed Susan Saadat, former Intelsat and Harris Caprock satcom specialist, as the new Vice-President to lead the office.



ETL System's Managing Director and CEO, Ian Hilditch, said "With this expansion we aim to grow our presence in North America by providing faster sales support and making more face to face visits possible, alongside extra on-the-ground hardware and software technical support. We pride ourselves on providing the best quality products, aftercare and customer support in the industry - the US office will enable us to extend capacity in a very important region for us."

Launching its new V-Series, designed and built at ETL’s base in the U.K., includes the 128x128 Vulcan Matrix Router, the 64x64 Vortex Matrix Router, the new 16x32 Valiant Matrix and the 16x16 Victor Matrix. All are capable of remote control via serial or Ethernet port with a SNMP and web browser interface.

ETL’s dual redundant amplifier unit, which is typically used in the front end of the RF chain, providing cable loss for teleports, TVRO and head-ends, is also on display. This amplifier unit contains dual redundant hot-swap L-band variable gain amplifier modules and is housed in a compact 1U high 19” rack mountable shelf. It operates over the 850-2150MHz frequency range, with up to 36dB gain and up to 8dB positive slope compensation.


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Sprint Debuts 4G LTE To Nine New Markets

In a news release, Sprint Nextel announced that the company is launching its 4G LTE in nine new markets. These new markets include Altoona (Pennsylvania), Asheville (North Carolina), Columbus (Indiana), Elkhart/Goshen (Indiana), Hammond (Louisiana), La Crosse (Wisconsin), San Juan (Puerto Rico), Statesville (North Carolina) and Temple (Texas).

Senior Vice-President, Sprint, Bob Azzi said, “With today’s announcement, Sprint is enabling even more customers to sample the power of 4G LTE on their smartphones, tablets and wireless hotspots. The network team continues to build and test the new network across the country, including areas like San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York. Customers report they are already finding a 4G LTE signal in these places, and we look forward to providing even more reliable access to the data they need with our official launches.”

Also stated in the said news release are the benefits or improvements customers can expect once the 3G upgrades and 4G LTE service come to the aforementioned areas;

• Faster data speeds to enable instant Web access for news updates, HD viewing and game-playing, quicker video downloads and clearer video chats.
• Better signal strength when accessing the Web.
• Fewer dropped calls for peace of mind when talking to friends, family or colleagues.

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Orbital Sciences’ Antares rocket passes Hot Fire test

Satellite-manufacturing company Orbital Sciences has a good reason to celebrate as the company’s Antares medium-class rocket passed the extended-duration “hot fire” test of its first stage propulsion system. The company is also planning to use the spacecraft to send cargo supply missions to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of a $1.9 billion agreement with NASA.

The key engine test, which was done at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport’s (MARS) Pad 0A on February 22nd, lasted for 29 seconds. The pad is specifically designed and built for liquid-fuel space launch rockets. The test is essential to guarantee that the stage one test article of the Antares rocket and the launch complex’s fueling systems functions properly in a fully operational environment. The “hot fire” test also proved that the engine ignition and shutdown commands function as intended, and that the dual AJ26 first stage engines as well as their control systems operate to specifications in the twin-engine configuration.

Orbital Sciences reports that the company will now exert its efforts into the first flight of the Antares spacecraft following its successful test. The inaugural flight is expected to transpire in approximately six weeks.

Under the contract with NASA, Orbital will launch eight cargo resupply missions to the ISS from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in eastern Virginia using the Antares vehicle. The company is also examining the possibility of a west coast launch site to extend the market of A.

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Wireless Matrix, LightSquared extend satellite service deal

Wireless Matrix reported that it has extended its satellite communications service agreement with LightSquared to last through mid-February 2016.

LightSquared provides wholesale mobile satellite data, voice, and bandwidth leasing services. Its agreement with Wireless matrix will leverage the SkyTerra-1 satellite. SkyTerra-1 is one of the most powerful and reliable next-generation commercial satellites, with a footprint that covers North America.

Wireless Matrix will use the renewed agreement to ensure service continuity for its customers, especially those who use satellite services as an integral part of their business. It also sets up the development of the next-generation of satellite services that the Company will later offer.

Wireless provides satellite communications services for critical business applications and GPS fleet management solutions. It ensures mission-critical locomotive communications for railroad operators, connects energy companies with mobile workers to manage outages and other unscheduled tasks, and allows those same energy companies to constantly monitor the status of their fixed-site asset operations in remote locations.

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ADSB, YahSat enter satellite systems deal for project Baynunah

Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (YahSat) and Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) have won a deal to install satellite communications systems to the whole fleet of UAE navy Baynunah class corvettes.

Under the agreement, YahSat and communications company Rohde & Schwarz will provide the equipment that prime contractor ADSB will install to the fleet. Maenwhile, CMN and SELEX will be in charge of any additional project technical support.

ADSB will take care of modifying the vessel and installing the satellite communication systems equipment. At the moment, the company is spearheading the region’s biggest naval shipbuilding program to build six Baynunah Class Corvettes for the United Arab Emirates Navy. As part of ADSB’s on-going business expansion program, it has added a new modern composite facility.

In a statement, ADSB CEO Ian Pike said: “ We are delighted to expand our work for the UAE Navy in relation to the fleet of Baynunah Class corvettes. This contract demonstrates synergies that exist between the defense-related companies in the wider Mubadala group of companies and the mutual benefits they create for our customers.”

YahSat supplies multipurpose satellite solutions for commercial and government purposes for broadband, broadcast, military and communications use in the Middle East, Africa, Central and South West Asia.

"Network security and uninterrupted service are constant concerns for maritime customers - our solution is designed to provide connectivity and real-time data to meet their needs,” Tareq Al Hosani, YahSat CEO Tareq Al Hosani said. “We look forward to working closely with our partners at ADSB to provide the UAE Navy with a truly complementary service."

Verizon's New 3G Market Opportunities

With United States' largest mobile network operator, Verizon Wireless, moving its customers to their Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, their 3G airwaves will perhaps soon be left unoccupied and obsolete.

Fortunately, Verizon found a way of making this 3G airwaves useful by launching two new prepaid phone plans last Friday, February 1, 2013. These said plans include unlimited voice minutes and messaging. With the limitation that these plans run only on 3G phones (10 times slower than LTE devices), they offer 500 MB of mobile data for $60, and another $10 to boost the broadband bucket to 2GB per month. The plans do not involve a contract.

The plans highlight its budget-friendly pricing. "So, when it comes time to think about the important task of keeping in touch with friends and family, taking time to investigate wallet-friendly options can mean a few extra dollars for weekend fun or paying down those holiday bills," said Verizon in a post in their website.

"With an affordable prepaid plan, and some creativity, you can stay in touch with friends and family and save a few dollars along the way."

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NSPO Taiwan taps Surrey Satellite Technology to build weather satellite constellation

Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. (SSTL) has been chosen by the National Space Organization (NSPO) of Taiwan to design and build as many as 12 satellite platforms for the FORMOSAT-7/COSMIC-2 constellation. This mission is a joint civil programme between NSPO and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the U.S, aiming to provide continuity for the highly successful FORMOSAT-3 mission.

The new constellation is intended to consist of 12 spacecraft that will collect atmospheric data at low and mid latitudes, and enhance regional and global weather forecasting for over 5,000 registered users all over the world. The satellites will also supply scientific data to support climate studies and ionospheric science. The first six spacecraft in the constellation is intended to be launched in 2016.

Under the agreement, SSTL will design and build satellites for the FORMOSAT-7 program at its facilities in Guildford, United Kingdom, while the payloads will be manufactured by NSPO’s partners in the U.S. NSPO is responsible for the integration of the majority of the spacecraft at its facilities in Taiwan. The design phase of the spacecraft is already in motion and SSTL is tailoring a new 200kg platform to the mission requirements. The FORMOSAT-7 spacecraft is known as the fifth constellation that SSTL has been involved with, following on from the Disaster Monitoring Constellation, RapidEye, DMC3, and the Galileo FOC.

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Export-Import Bank approves financing guarantee for Hispasat deal

Spanish communication satellites provider Hispasat has been granted an $87.1 million guarantee of a loan by the Export-Import Bank of the United States, extended by Crédit Agricole and other European lenders. This new development is said to aid Hispasat finance the assembly and purchase of a satellite that will be built by Orbital Sciences Corporation.

The Department of Commerce and Labor reported that this guarantee will help support almost 600 U.S jobs, and also marks the third business transaction between Export-Import Bank and Hispasat. A previous transaction between the two major companies was acknowledged as “Deal of the Year” during the 2012 Ex-Im Bank Annual Conference.

This is not the first time Export-Import Bank financed a satellite company. It also supported other commercial satellites manufactured by Orbital Sciences Corporation. This move is to improve the participation of the U.S in the international market, thus supporting jobs in Orbital’s workforce and its U.S suppliers.

A year ago, Export-Import Bank broke the company’s record by granting $1.4 billion to finance the exporting of U.S-made telecommunications satellites. For the first quarter of this year, it has already authorized $516.9 million.

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Spacecom chosen to broadcast African Cup of Nations 2013 in South Africa

Space Communication, the operator of the AMOS satellite fleet and a communications satellite operator in the Middle East, European Union and North America, has been appointed to provide broadcast capacity for the 29th Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) which will be held South Africa from January 19th to February 10th. The AMOS-5 satellite of Spacecom will broadcast all games from all five South African stadiums in high definition using its pan-African C-band at 17 degrees East.

AMOS-5 is known as the prime mover of African sporting events since it launched its operations in January of last year. The communications satellite has transmitted the recent South African Super Rugby Games, as well as the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games from London to Africa. AMOS-5 provides high-quality HD transmission of sporting events both on ad hoc and occasional use bases.

AMOS-5 supports Africa using a high power pan-African C-band and three Ku-band beams that cover the whole continent together, with connectivity to Europe and the Middle East. The state-of-the-art satellite is rapidly being recognized as a key carrier of African satellite communications traffic in both broadcast and data services.

Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology chooses Astrium, Arianespace to launch satellite

Commercial space transportation company Arianespace and EADS aerospace subsidiary Astrium have just inked a deal with Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology to launch the VNREDSat-1A Earth observation satellite.

France-based Arianespace will be launching VNREDSat-1A in the second quarter of 2013 using the company’s second Vega launcher, Verta 1, from the Guiana Space Center for the European Space Agency (ESA). VNREDSat-1A will then be infused into sun-synchronous orbit (SSO).

The agreement to launch VNREDSat-1A represents the first contract of Arianespace for this year. The 120-kg Astrium-built observation satellite aims to provide Vietnam with a complete satellite system and ground receiving facilities.

Chairman and CEO of Arianespace Jean-Yves Le Gall said in a statement, “We are especially proud of once again being able to work with Vietnam, following the successful launches of Vinasat-1 and -2 communications satellites. With this contract, the fourth we signed for Vega, Arianespace clearly shows that it can offer customers a launch service perfectly adapted to this type of mission.”