Asian satellite conferences solidifies region's leadership in the industry

The China Satellite Conference 2012 is one of the most anticipated events of the satellite industry in the Asia Pacific Region. In recent years, Asia itself, has emerged as the leading region when its comes to satellite communications technology, and the positive growth will continue with increased demand for direct-to-home services in rising economic powerhouses like India, the Middle East, and even Southeast Asia. 

This year, the China Satellite Conference will be held at the Hotel Nikko New Century in Beijing, from the 19th of September to the 21st. The three-day event is expected to draw not just key organizations from Asia, but also international operators. Attendees will get the chance to meet with suppliers, hardware manufacturers, engineers, satellite service providers and operators, along with business leaders and Chinese policy makers.

The following week, South Korea will be host to the annual Asia-Pacific Satellite Communications Council Conference & Exhibition, or the APSCC 2012. From September 25 to 27, delegates will converge at the COEX Convention Centre in the capital Seoul, to discuss Asia's leading position in the industry. 

A special panel discussion, entitled "Leading The Satellite Evolution", will be led by key leaders from satellite operators. The forum will look into the expected pricing trends in Asia, the specific demand in specific Asian regions, how partnerships are affecting regional operators supplies, and the emerging technologies as well as challenges faced by the satellite sector in general. 

Both events emphasize Asia as the forefront of collaboration initiatives with satellite operators from across the globe. At the same time, the event brings to light important issues which satellite communications companies have to resolve, including the delivery of smarter technologies to a region with growing demand.

No single player can meet all of the demand, and the conferences in China and South Korea will be a key opportunity for operators to discuss business strategies and potential joint ventures. 

Done reading? You might also want to take a look at the events in Europe. The IBC 2012 in Amsterdam will draw thousands of delegates from the electronic media and entertainment content industry. 

Israeli attorneys: Inmarsat provides VSAT services to Iran

An Israeli legal group is accusing VSAT provider Inmarsat of continuing to provide prohibited mobile satellite communications gears to Iranian government-controlled oil tankers and other ships despite US-initiated sanctions.

The U.S. government has imposed a series of commercial sanctions with Iran. The sanctions included satellite communications systems such as the mini-VSATs manufactured by Inmarsat. These satcom systems are reportedly used by Iranian ships to evade the US sanctions.

On July 12, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Treasury Department released a list of vessels that are reputedly acting directly or indirectly on behalf of Iranian government and commercial interests. A good number of the Iranian OFAC-blacklisted vessels are registered in other countries to hide their links with their home country. Twenty-eight ships on the OFAC list are specified to be equipping Inmarsat communications gear.

The Shurat HaDin-Israel Law Center sent a letter to Inmarsat on July 25. The Israeli legal group claims that Inmarsat continues to sell mobile satellite links to Iranian-owned or -controlled vessels.

A day later, Israel Law Center Director Nitsana Darshan-Leitner and Inmarsat spokesman Christopher McLaughlin had an interview. Director Darshan-Leitner claimed that Iranian-operated, foreign-flagged vessels use Inmarsat communications gear to help them slip through the embargo’s net.

“The evidence is very clear,” Darshan-Leitner declared, “Despite the sanctions, Inmarsat continues to provide satcom services. They are not supposed to deliver any service at all under the sanctions, not even emergency services.”

Spokesperson McLaughlin responded that Inmarsat had thoroughly analyzed the ships listed in the OFAC update. According to him, none of those ships are using the new Inmarsat mini-VSAT systems.

McLaughlin explained that Inmarsat's newer services allow the satellite communications company to identify users through their subscriber identity module (SIM) card numbers. This allows Inmarsat to gain a direct insight into their customer base while remaining true as a wholesale provider.

The Inmarsat spokesperson admitted some of the listed ships are apparently using older Inmarsat gear. However, McLaughlin also established that Inmarsat is an international treaty organization. Inmarsat is thus not obliged to find out the identity of the customers.

In addition, Inmarsat is also duty-bound to provide the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) service to every ship in the world. GMDSS are low-throughput signals designed to provide ship-to-shore emergency calls.

Director Darshan-Leitner apparently agreed that GMDSS service was an exception to the rule imposed by the sanctions. However, she pointed out that the embargo also includes Inmarsat mini-M and Fleet communications assets, and that the Iranians' use of these older VSAT units count as a violation of the bio.

McLaughlin called the mini-M and Fleet systems in questions “heritage services.” He explained that the heritage systems were contracted and installed during the time that Inmarsat did not require its distribution partners to identify all customers. Even after Inmarsat modified its business model, it remained unable to precisely identify what SIM card is activated where.

“For mini-M, Fleet, Inmarsat B and our other older services,” McLaughlin stated, “We cannot get that far down into the service provider structure. But I can tell you we have been through the whole list of ships,” he assured Darshan-Leither, “and none of them are carrying our broadband services.”