ITV

Category: Satellite Operators

  • MEASAT names Prashant Butani as senior sales director – S. Asia

    MEASAT names Prashant Butani as senior sales director – S. Asia

    MUMBAI: MEASAT Satellite Systems (MEASAT) has named Prashant Butani as senior sales director – South Asia.

     

    In his new role, Bhutani will be responsible for building and supporting MEASAT’s customer base and managing government agencies across the South Asian region.

     

    Prior to joining MEASAT, Bhutani was a senior analyst in a leading satellite industry research company and regional head for a multinational telecommunications services company.

     

    With an experience of 10 years in the satellite and telecommunications industry, Bhutani holds a Master of Sciences in Satellite Communications Engineering from the University of Surrey, United Kingdom and a Degree in Engineering from the University of Mumbai, India.

  • Arianespace to launch Azerspace-2/Intelsat 38 telecom satellites in 2017

    Arianespace to launch Azerspace-2/Intelsat 38 telecom satellites in 2017

    MUMBAI: Azercosmos and Intelsat have chosen Arianespace to launch the Azerspace-2/Intelsat 38 telecommunication satellite. The satellite will be launched by an Ariane 5 launch vehicle from the Guiana Space Center, located in Kourou, French Guiana.

     

    Expected to launch in 2017, Azerspace-2 will be Azercosmos’ second telecommunications satellite, and will expand on the current capacity of Azerspace-1. It will support growing demand for Direct-to-Home (DTH), government, and network services in Europe, Central and South Asia, the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa.

     

    “Arianespace is honored to continue its longstanding partnership with Intelsat and be selected again by Azercosmos for the launch of its second satellite, following the success of Azerspace/Africasat-1A on 7 February, 2013. This contract will give us the opportunity to implement a tailor made launch solution that complies with both Azercosmos and Intelsat requirements, hence demonstrating our capability to address the needs of both regional and global satellite operators worldwide,” said Arianespace chairman and CEO Stéphane Israël.

     

    For Intelsat, the satellite will provide continuity of service for the Intelsat 12 satellite currently stationed at 45 degrees East, an orbital location which hosts DTH platforms for Central and Eastern Europe as well as the Asia-Pacific region. Intelsat 38 will also provide connectivity for corporate networks and government applications in Africa.

     

    “This new satellite will provide Azercosmos with additional capacity for the increasing demand in the region, and will allow us to continue to bring the best service to our customers. We are pleased to collaborate with two world leaders in the satellite industry,” said Azercosmos chairman and CEO Rashad Nabiyev.

     
    Intelsat EVP and chief technology officer Thierry Guillemin added, “In today’s competitive environment, fast and reliable access to space is an absolute imperative. Arianespace has a long and proven track record of executing against its launch manifest and we look forward to partnering with them once again to ensure the reliable delivery of the Azercosmos 2/Intelsat 38 satellite into orbit in 2017.”

     

    Azerspace-2/Intelsat 38 will be designed and built by Space Systems/Loral. The satellite design is based on the highly reliable 1300 satellite platform that provides the flexibility for a broad range of applications and technology advances.

  • Intelsat, JSAT form JV to launch new satellite for APAC

    Intelsat, JSAT form JV to launch new satellite for APAC

    MUMBAI: Intelsat S.A. and Sky Perfect JSAT Corporation have signed an agreement to form a joint venture that will launch a new satellite with optimised C-band and high throughput Ku-band capacity to satisfy the growing mobility and broadband connectivity demands in the Asia-Pacific region.

     

    To be known as Horizons 3e, the satellite is based on the Intelsat EpicNG high throughput design which, upon launch, will complete the global footprint of the Intelsat EpicNG next generation platform. The satellite will be stationed at the 169 degrees East orbital location with a launch expected in the second half of 2018.

     

    Building upon a successful alliance between the two operators, the Horizons 3e satellite marks the fourth satellite to be owned jointly by JSAT and Intelsat, following Horizons-1 (launched in 2003); Horizons-2 (launched in 2007) and Intelsat 15/JCSAT-85 (launched in 2009).

     

    With the most advanced digital payload on a commercial satellite, bandwidth flexibility and power portability, Horizons 3e will bring high performance, improved economics and simple access to the aeronautical and maritime mobility, cellular backhaul, corporate enterprise and government customers operating in the region.

     

    “Today marks another milestone in our long history of collaboration with JSAT. With Horizons 3e, we will introduce the Intelsat EpicNG platform to the Asia-Pacific region, completing our global high throughput footprint and enhancing our IntelsatOne Flex service platform. The scalability, power and flexibility of Intelsat EpicNG will provide commercial and governmental aeronautical and maritime services with unprecedented seamless, contiguous broadband coverage over the most widely trafficked routes from the Atlantic to the Pacific.  In addition, the higher performance and improved economics of Intelsat EpicNG will enable fixed and mobile network operators to expand their networks and provide much needed broadband connectivity to the more remote communities of the region,” said Intelsat CEO Stephen Spengler.

     

    JSAT president and CEO Shinji Takada added, “Horizons 3e is a significant project for both Intelsat and JSAT. This new state-of-art satellite will lead to the expansion of our next generation business in the Asia and Pacific region utilising the HTS technology. Satellite communications demands for the region will definitely continue to grow and the project is essential for us to uptake of the growth demand for the region.”

     

    The formation of the JSAT/Intelsat venture features equal ownership of the satellite, which will be constructed over a 2.5 year period.  Given the business construct, the program will not be considered part of Intelsat’s capital expenditure program

  • Indonesia’s GPS to deliver 14 TV channels in APAC via AsiaSat 4

    Indonesia’s GPS to deliver 14 TV channels in APAC via AsiaSat 4

    MUMBAI: Indonesian system integrator for TV stations PT. Graha Pratama Sejahtera (GPS) has chosen Asia Satellite Telecommunications to launch a bouquet of 14 television channels on AsiaSat 4 at 122oE.

     

    The services, uplinked by GPS’s facilities in Jakarta, are distributed via AsiaSat 4 in C-band to satellite TV operators in Indonesia. With these new services, AsiaSat 4 has significantly expanded its television offerings to viewers across the country. These include general entertainment, news, music, lifestyle, wildlife, adventure and science programmes, broadcast in Indonesian, Hindi, English and Arabic languages.

     

    “We are excited that we have further expanded our transmission services to the broadcast community with AsiaSat’s excellent capacity. AsiaSat 4 is a high performance satellite with exceptionally high power and superior look angle. It is an ideal platform to support our country- wide television distribution services. We look forward to expanding our collaboration with AsiaSat in the future,” said PT. Graha Pratama Sejahtera director Liauw Ing Hauw.

     

    “We are pleased that PT. Graha Pratama Sejahtera chose AsiaSat as its prime satellite platform for television distribution services in Indonesia. This is an exciting development of AsiaSat 4’s service expansion for the TV sector in Asia. We will continue our efforts to grow the neighbourhood of AsiaSat 4, from digital TV to HD and Ultra-HD, to meet the growing demand for diverse and high quality television services in Asia,” added AsiaSat vice president, sales and business development Philip Balaam.

  • AsiaSat launches UHD FTA channel 4K-SAT for APAC

    AsiaSat launches UHD FTA channel 4K-SAT for APAC

    MUMBAI: Satellite operator Asia Satellite Telecommunications Co. Ltd. (AsiaSat) launched its first Ultra-HD (UHD) television channel 4K-SAT at 122°E on AsiaSat 4, marking a new era for AsiaSat’s satellite broadcasting services in the region.

     

    This new UHD channel will be available free-to-air (FTA) across more than 50 countries and regions within AsiaSat 4’s enormous footprint, spanning from New Zealand to Pakistan and part of the Middle East. Asian TV operators and home viewers with an AsiaSat 4 C-band antenna and a HEVC set top box will be able to receive the UHD channel directly.

     

    The new 4K-SAT channel broadcasts full UHD produced videos featuring fashion, lifestyle and documentaries from content partners including Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited, FashionTV and Rohde & Schwarz.

     

    The UHD content from FashionTV includes major fashion shows from all over the world as well as features highlighting the latest in beauty and lifestyle trends, all delivered to Asian viewers in crystal clear, realistic and ultra-high definition. FashionTV, the global multimedia network in fashion and lifestyle content, also broadcasts its HD and SD channels on AsiaSat 5 and AsiaSat 7 in the Asia-Pacific.

     

    “We are delighted to be at the forefront of next generation broadcasting technology, bringing to Asian viewers true UHD content. We look forward to working closely with our content and technology partners to drive UHD audience penetration in Asia,” said AsiaSat vice president, marketing and global accounts Sabrina Cubbon.

     

    “The launch of this UHD channel on our new AsiaSat 4 UHD broadcast platform provides an opportunity for all stakeholders to experience and promote UHD content in Asia. This reaffirms our commitment to promoting leading edge technologies for the broadcast community. We shall continue to focus on compelling UHD content to enhance the quality of the television viewing experience,” Cubbon added.

     

    The 4K-SAT channel encoded in HEVC, is broadcasting at 50 frames per second (fps) with 10- bit colour depth. Besides offering 3840 x 2160 pixels resolution, four times the resolution of the full HDTV, the UHD specification also means a richer color palette, with more saturated colours and fine colour gradations. The superior quality of UHD broadcasting will deliver to consumers much better quality and more realistic picture and sound, offering an immersive viewing experience, particularly for sporting events and action movies.

     

    AsiaSat will be showcasing this new 4K-SAT channel at the CASBAA Convention in Hong Kong on 27 and 28 October.

  • SSL to provide satellite for Azercosmos, Intelsat partnership

    SSL to provide satellite for Azercosmos, Intelsat partnership

    MUMBAI: Space Systems/Loral (SSL), which is a provider of commercial satellites, is selected to provide a communications satellite to Azercosmos, the national satellite operator of Azerbaijan.

     

    Under the strategic agreement with Intelsat, the satellite will be located at the 45 degrees east orbital location where it will provide service in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

     

    “SSL has a long history of partnering with satellite operators. We look forward to supporting Azercosmos in its collaborative project with Intelsat by building the spacecraft that will help both Azercosmos and Intelsat meet their growth objectives,” said SSL president John Celli.

     

    Azerspace-2 will be Azercosmos’ second telecommunications satellite, and will expand on the current capacity of Azerspace-1. It will support growing demand for DTH, government, and network services in Europe, Central and South Asia, the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa. 

     

    For Intelsat, the satellite will provide continuity of service for the Intelsat 12 satellite currently stationed at 45 degrees East, an orbital location which hosts DTH platforms for Central and Eastern Europe as well as the Asia-Pacific region. Intelsat 38 will also provide connectivity for corporate networks and government applications in Africa. Intelsat 12 was also built by SSL and launched in 2000.

     

    “This new satellite will provide Azercosmos with additional capacity for the increasing demand in the region, and will allow us to continue to bring the best service to our customers. We are pleased to collaborate with two world leaders in the satellite industry,” added Azercosmos chairman and CEO Rashad Nabiyev.

     

    “Intelsat 38 is an example of the collaboration taking place across the satellite industry today. Our partnership with Azercosmos and SSL will enable us to meet the content distribution demands of viewers in Central Europe and Asia and provide corporate networks in Africa with the broadband connectivity they need to build and expand their businesses,” said Intelsat EVP and chief technical officer Thierry Guillemin.

     

    The satellite Azerspace-2/Intelsat 38, will be designed and built by SSL, a US company based in Palo Alto, California, and owned by MDA. As part of the agreement, MDA will provide knowledge transfer cooperation related to radar Earth observation directly to Azercosmos. The satellite design is based on the highly reliable SSL 1300 satellite platform that provides the flexibility for a broad range of applications and technology advances. It is scheduled for launch in 2017.

  • Intelsat CFO Michael McDonnell resigns; to join Quintiles

    Intelsat CFO Michael McDonnell resigns; to join Quintiles

    MUMBAI: Intelsat S.A. chief financial officer (CFO) Michael McDonnell has resigned from the company.

     

    McDonnell is slated to leave mid-December 2015 and will join as executive vice president and CFO at Quintiles, which is a provider of product development and integrated healthcare services.

     

    Intelsat has commenced the process of an external search for a successor CFO.

     

    Intelsat CEO Stephen Spengler said, “Mike successfully led a number of strategic initiatives during his tenure at Intelsat, including our Initial Public Offering in April 2013 and the major reorganisation of our capital structure in 2011. We thank him for his contributions to Intelsat over the past seven years, and we wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

     

    At Intelsat, McDonnell served as CFO since 2008. Previously, he held CFO positions at MCG Capital Corporation and EchoStar Communications (formerly known as DISH Network Corporation). Earlier in his career, he was a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP. McDonnell also served as a member of the board of directors of Catalyst Health Solutions, Inc., a publicly held pharmacy benefits management company. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from Georgetown University and is a certified public accountant.

     

    On joining Quintiles, McDonnell said, “I’m looking forward to joining Quintiles and working with its talented leadership team and finance professionals. I’m excited to get started on enabling the company’s continued growth and opportunity.”

  • AsiaSat, Rohde & Schwarz develop FTA UHD TV service for Asia

    AsiaSat, Rohde & Schwarz develop FTA UHD TV service for Asia

    MUMBAI: Asia Satellite Telecommunications Co. Ltd. (AsiaSat) and Rohde & Schwarz have partnered to advance next-generation Ultra-HD (UHD) TV technologies by implementing the first free to air (FTA) UHD channel on AsiaSat 4.

     

    AsiaSat plans for an UHD TV broadcasting service over satellite have taken a major step forward with the imminent launch of its first channel following an extensive technical evaluation carried out at the AsiaSat UHD laboratory. Through AsiaSat 4’s high-power coverage, broadcasters and pay-TV platforms with an AsiaSat 4 C-band antenna in the Asia-Pacific region will be able to receive the UHD channel directly.

     

    Operating at 122°E, AsiaSat 4 provides leading edge satellite solutions to clients for TV distribution, direct to home (DTH) as well as broadband services across the Asia-Pacific region. Its high power C-band footprint spans from New Zealand to Pakistan and part of the Middle East.

     

    Rohde & Schwarz is providing a comprehensive broadcast solution that includes the R&S CLIPSTER mastering station for editing, handling and playing out UHD data in real time. In addition, the R&S AVHE100 headend will be used for live encoding using an HEVC encoder with 10 bit color depth. Rohde & Schwarz technology not only gives AsiaSat the best UHD TV picture quality, it also provides a future-proof solution.

     

    “We are very excited to work with Rohde & Schwarz in this new and evolving technology that will drive future consumer viewing experience of video content. Rohde & Schwarz has shown exemplary commitment to quality and support in helping us through the evaluation phase. We look forward to launching our first UHD channel and promoting this new technology together,” said AsiaSat VP marketing and global accounts Sabrina Cubbon.

     

    “Rohde & Schwarz is the leading supplier for Digital TV transmission networks in Asia and the world. We are happy to support AsiaSat in establishing their first UHD channel and look forward to a very successful implementation,” added Rohde & Schwarz VP for sales and marketing, Asia Middle Heino Gregorek.

  • Eutelsat partners Facebook on satellite initiative for Africa

    Eutelsat partners Facebook on satellite initiative for Africa

    MUMBAI: Eutelsat Communications and Facebook are partnering on a new initiative that will leverage satellite technologies to get more Africans online. 

     

    Under a multi-year agreement with Spacecom, the two companies will utilise the entire broadband payload on the future AMOS-6 satellite and will build a dedicated system comprising satellite capacity, gateways and terminals. In providing reach to large parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, Eutelsat and Facebook will each be equipped to pursue their ambition to accelerate data connectivity for the many users deprived of the economic and social benefits of the Internet.

     

     

    Spot beams for community and Direct-to-User access

     

    Scheduled for start of service in the second half of 2016, the Ka-band payload on the AMOS-6 geostationary satellite is configured with high gain spot beams covering large parts of West, East and Southern Africa. The capacity is optimised for community and Direct-to-User Internet access using affordable, off-the-shelf customer equipment. According to the terms of the agreement, the capacity will be shared between Eutelsat and Facebook.

     

     

    State of the art satellite technology to meet pent-up demand

     

    Using state of the art satellite technology, Eutelsat and Facebook will each deploy Internet services designed to relieve pent-up demand for connectivity from the many users in Africa beyond range of fixed and mobile terrestrial networks. Satellite networks are well suited to economically connecting people in low to medium density population areas and the high throughput satellite architecture of AMOS-6 is expected to contribute to additional gains in cost efficiency.

     

     

    Eutelsat steps up Internet activity in Africa

     

    The capacity will enable Eutelsat to step up its broadband activity in Sub-Saharan Africa that was initiated using Ku-band satellites to serve professional users. Eutelsat is establishing a new company based in London that will steer its African broadband vision and business. The company will be led by Laurent Grimaldi, founder and former CEO of Tiscali International Network, and will focus on serving premium consumer and professional segments.

     

     

    Facebook continues Internet.org initiative

     

    Two years ago, Facebook announced Internet.org, an effort to accelerate the rate of connectivity by addressing the physical, economic and social barriers that are keeping people from getting online. For Facebook, this satellite system represents one of many technology investments to enable cost-effective broadband access to unconnected populations. Facebook plans to work with local partners across Africa to utilise satellite and terrestrial capacity to deliver services to rural areas.

     

    Internet.org vice president Chris Daniels said, “Facebook’s mission is to connect the world and we believe that satellites will play an important role in addressing the significant barriers that exist in connecting the people of Africa. We are looking forward to partnering with Eutelsat on this project and investigating new ways to use satellites to connect people in the most remote areas of the world more efficiently.”

     

    Eutelsat chairman and CEO Michel de Rosen added, “We are excited by this opportunity to accelerate the deployment of our broadband strategy and to partner with Facebook on a new initiative to provide Internet access services in Africa. Eutelsat’s strong track record in operating High Throughput Satellite systems will ensure that we can deliver accessible and robust Internet solutions that get more users online and part of the Information Society.”

  • ISRO’s Antrix directed to pay $670+ million as damages to Devas

    ISRO’s Antrix directed to pay $670+ million as damages to Devas

    NEW DELHI: Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) commercial arm Antrix has been ordered to pay compensation and damages totalling $672 million to Devas Multimedia.

     

    The directive was given by the International Chamber of Commerce’s International Court of Arbitration, which was wholly in favour of Devas.

     

    The Bangalore-based Devas argued that ISRO/Antrix were liable for “unlawfully terminating [an] agreement in February 2011.”

     

    The Court’s decision was unanimous and stated that ISRO/Antrix “had no legal justification for terminating the agreement.”

     

    The 11-year old Devas deals with innovation and services in satellite communications.

     

    The agreement provided for Devas securing 70 MHz of S-band capacity from ISRO by means of leasing 90 per cent of the capacity aboard GSat-6 and GSat-6A satellites. Devas was to pay $300 million to ISRO over the following 12 years.

     

    The $672 million award to Devas will grow at a rate of 18 per cent per annum until paid, the International Court said. 

     

    In a statement, Devas said, “Devas Multimedia and its shareholders, including highly regarded international investors, are pleased that the ICC Tribunal unanimously ruled in its favour and found that Antrix is liable for unlawfully terminating the Devas-Antrix agreement in February 2011. The ICC Tribunal also awarded damages and pre-award interest totalling $672 million to Devas with post-award interest accruing at 18 per cent per annum on that sum until the award is fully paid.” 

     

    “Devas is hopeful that Antrix will now live up to its legal obligations and pay the award so that this dispute that arose during the prior government can be brought to a swift close,” the company added.