Tag: DTH

Encryption of DD signals: government sets up expert panel

MUMBAI: The information & broadcasting ministry has constituted a joint group of experts to identify the technical parameters and propose a course of action for suitably regulating the sports broadcasting signals.

The terms of reference of the joint group of experts are:

(i) Encryption of DD signal being transmitted to regional/local Kendras for transmission terrestrially.

(ii) Issues relating to free to air DTH of Prasar Bharati; and

(iii) Any other technical matter related to regulating sports broadcasting signals.

The 12-member joint group of experts will be headed by All India Radio director general Brijeshwar Singh. Other Members are: Digvijay Singh and H Rajshekaran representing Nimbus, ESPN Software India managing director RC Venkateish, Essel Group vice-chairman Jawahar Goel on behalf of Zee Sports, BCCI vice president Lalit Modi, Punjab Cricket Association president IS Bindra, Becil CMD KRP Verma, AIR chief engineer AS Guin, Doordarshan chief engineer LV Sharma and DD Sports chief engineer ES Issac.

Rajat Bhargava, ADG (F&A) in AIR will be member-convener of the Group. The group shall submit its report within one month from the date of its constitution on the issues mentioned in the terms of reference.

The cabinet had last week approved the promulgation of an Ordinance on the issue of mandatory sharing of broadcasting rights of sporting events of national importance with Prasar Bharati and directed the I&B ministry to constitute a joint group of experts to identify the technical parameters and propose a course of action for suitably regulating the sports broadcasting signals.

February 8, 2007
Star operating profit down 36% in Dec 06 quarter

MUMBAI: In the first contraction in profit that Star has had since it began generating profits in early 2003, News Corp’s Asian arm has reported second quarter operating income down 36 per cent from the same period a year ago.

Though the quarter (up to 31 December 2006) saw growth in subscription revenues, it was more than offset by a decline in advertising revenue at Star Plus.
On the distribution side, the biggest initiative by Star India during the quarter was the $ 175 million deal with Nimbus to distribute its channels.

According to Hong Kong-based Media Partners Asia (MPA), operating profit or EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes) was down 36 per cent year on year to under $ 30 million. Operating profit in the September 06 quarter was up 8 per cent YoY. MPA estimates for the first half of the year show operating profit down 28 per cent YoY to $41 million, MPA estimates.

A point of note of course is that the corresponding period in 2005 not only had the second season of KBC on Star Plus but also saw the first season of Nach Baliye on Star One providing a strong push to advertising sales revenues. Still, there is no getting away from the fact that softness in ratings at Star plus is also contributing to revenue declines.

Speaking about Star’s performance during a conference call with analysts after the announcement of News Corp’s results, president & COO Peter Chernin said: “When the third season (of KBC) did finally launch and the numbers were extremely strong, up more than 25 per cent over last year’s premier, which should give us great momentum for the second half of the year and lead to not only higher advertising results but higher ancillary revenues led by phone revenue from additional calls that come in with the show.”

Chernin also made a mention of the executive roiling that has been going on at Star when he said, “You’ve also read that we made some changes to senior management, changes which we think will strengthen our operations and improve our programming going forward.

“… I think we have aggressive expectations for Star. Beginning on India, we’d like to see continued growth in our channels. We expect the growth of Tata Sky (in which News Corp holds 20 per cent) to continue. I think the most significant impact digital (DTH, CAS) will have on the company is growth of revenues inside Star as we see additional subscribers and an ability to, you know, get higher declarations of subs from the cable/pay-TV operators. We’ll also see new channel launches there (Tata Sky), and also important new ancillary businesses in the Internet, production and movies, et cetera. So we’re optimistic about Star going forward in India. “

News Corp chairman Rupert Murdoch was equally gung ho about the expectations on the DTH front: “Tata Sky DTH in India at 500,000+ subscribers, will hit 1 million during 1H 07, adding 8,000 subs per day at peak levels, averaging about 5-6,000 per day. I’d just say that Tata Sky is [going] a lot faster than we had budgeted for.”

Commenting on the expectations from the rest of Asia, Chernin said, “Additionally, we’re also ambitious in other Asian countries, particularly Indonesia, where we’ve recently launched. We recently acquired a television network which we’re optimistic. A very big country. We’re hoping that could be the next India… and also just continuing growth in other territories, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, and expanding into others.”

On the China side, Murdoch was almost diffident when he said: “We don’t do very well in China. We have an interest — we just sold half of it in Phoenix (China Mobile deal, $165 million sale). We’ve got more than our money back [in our] total investment and we’re still there. We brought in a new partner China Mobile [inaudible] relations and we think it will do nicely. And we have our own little channel, XK [Xing Kong], which is produced in Shanghai and distributed through the southeast. That’s pretty much a break-even operation.

“We are very [inaudible] all I would say there is that nobody and I challenge anyone to argue this, none of the leading American companies or British media companies have made any impact there yet. It’s possible that, I mean there MySpace finds room there… It may be a MySpace China, which we can license, but we’re just feeling our way there. It’s a vast market, but it’s certainly a very, very sensitive one and as we’ve seen what’s happened to Google there, what’s happened to eBay there, even to Yahoo. It is a very difficult market for outsiders.”

February 8, 2007

Kids TV channels expect rapid expansion in 2007

MUMBAI: Building on the momentum provided in 2006, the kids genre is expected to scoot at an even faster clip this year.

Backed with experience in the market, these kids entertainers are speaking a ‘lingo’ that is reaching out to Indian kids. The world of opportunity that this genre has opened its doors to in the last two years, seems to have laid the foundation for a level playing ground. The kids channels market is estimated to be in the region of Rs 1.2 – 1.3 billion and is poised to see 20 – 25 per cent growth year on year.

An analysis of Tam’s six month kid’s score card (TG: CS 4-14 Years, Market: All India) provided exclusively to Indiantelevision.com, highlights key developments that the space has experienced. With the entire kid’s landscape changing, the consolidation of Disney with Hungama TV altered the dynamics, so much that the Turner duo (Cartoon Network and Pogo) were hit hard in the months of October and November 2006, clocking a combined market share of 39 per cent as opposed to Disney’s 52 per cent (Disney Channel 15 per cent, Toon Disney 16 per cent & Hungama TV 21 per cent).

GENRE / CHANNEL	15JULY-15 AUG	15 AUG-15 SEP	15 SEP – 15 OCT	15OCT-15NOV	15NOV-15DEC	15DEC-30DEC	01JAN – 13JAN 07
TG: CS 4-14 Yrs Mkt: All India
Cartoon Network	25	24	24	23	24	26	28
Disney Channel	11	10	10	15	15	14	14
Toon Disney	18	18	20	16	14	15	13
HungamaTV	17	18	18	21	19	17	15
Nickelodeon	5	7	7	9	10	9	7
Pogo	23	22	20	16	17	19	23

TAM peoplemeter system: Month on Month Genre – wise Relative Channel Shares (%)

Although the ratings from July onwards point to a close battle between the two major players, it seems Hungama TV did the trick that fuelled such a massive jump. Speaking to this website, Hungama TV VP programming and production Aparna Bhosle explains that the upward inclination in ratings was actually kicked off with the seven month Oral B John Aur Kaun on-ground activity. “This was a sure reach builder for us and coupled with word of mouth it managed to get many kid’s to come onto the channel and even sample our other shows.”

Walt Disney Television International (India) executive director production and programming Nachiket Pantvaidya points to a significant finding which sees older children being drawn away from GEC’s, sports etc. and back to kids channels, a challenge that all these broadcasters are working in collaboration towards. “The period that followed from June and July saw a rapid shift in axis towards a transformation of kids viewing habits. Primarily, two factors brought about this change, mainly older children moving to live action programming and secondly, the growing attraction among the 4-9 year age group towards anime.”

Turner International India Pvt. Ltd. VP – advertising sales and networks, India & South Asia Monica Tata attributes the ratings dip in the months of October – November saying, “it is a known fact that the viewing intensity for kids channels peaks in summers and dips during other months.”

But come January 2007 and Tam’s data unlocks revelations that have left all broadcasters (not just kid’s broadcasters) baffled! The expansion of Tam’s peoplemeters, coupled with Cas implementation and DTH seems to have thunder struck the newer players in the kid’s market and elevated Turner to the leadership position. As Tata aptly states, “The combined channel shares of Cartoon Network and Pogo in 2007 equal, if not exceed, the combined channel shares of all the other five kids channels put together.”

While others may counter the argument by saying that with over ten years lead time Cartoon Network has obviously penetrated deeper into the Indian hinterland. But then what accounts for Pogo’s re-entry into the 2007 game, when it is also as old as its other counterparts?

But the dark horse in the game, which is steadily galloping its way upwards, is Nick, Viacom’s till recently “orphaned” child (at least in India). Nick India VP and GM Nina Jaipuria says, “The challenge for 2007 is to consolidate and drive reach for the channel in India.” The data points to an alarming jump, where the channel has doubled its market share from 5 per cent in July-August to 10 per cent November-December 2006. Coinicidently, NDTV Media was roped in during the same period and has not wasted any time in ramping up activity for Nick.

What’s strange is that for a player that touched Indian soil in 2000 and has been a forerunner in the International space for over two decades, it is only recently eyeing the advantages that the kid’s market in India has to offer. Nevertheless, it’s not too late and the channel boasts of being the stickiest channel in the latter half of 2006.

The changing media scenario shaping the consumption patterns of viewers has got media owners biting their nails in anticipation for the next roll out of Tam figures. What seems to indicate a far more accurate measure of channel reach – except for the Turner pair, the others say that they will not totally consider the recent three week Tam findings as it will require a period of about three months to completely settle down and stabilize.

Come what may the kid’s market is looking promising and according to Pantvaidya the market has grown from 10 to 25 per cent in two years and estimates that 2006-2009 will prove to be the years of expansion in the kid’s space and of course growth in the ad pie. Disney is of course clear on its ‘localization’ strategy that lends itself to animation, live action and on-ground events as being the way forward.

With a specific agenda on the cards for each channel, will 2007 witness a bunch of kid’s quarreling in the sand? Bhosle thinks otherwise, “It’s rather myopic for players to compete within this small space; the huge fight will be to continue getting kids from other channels onto the kid’s channels.”

“We believe that healthy competition will help the genre grow and channels will deliver quality entertainment to their audience. It’s the kind of content that makes all the difference and develops loyalty to a channel. A lot more original content in terms of movies and series is planned for the year. We will also provide a platform for content that other people make, through acquisitions. Besides quality programming, we will also try to build up on the events of 2006,” avers Tata.

The playing field is ready, it is now left to see whether the kid’s market in India will mature to the extent that more than just two players are in the game, but rather multiple teams each delivering their expertise to keep kids glued!

February 7, 2007

Insat-4B to launch on 10 March

MUMBAI: The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro)-built INSAT-4B, which is mainly meant for direct-to-home (dth) television services, is slated for launch from the European spaceport of Kourou in French Guiana on 10 March.

The Rs 3 billion telecom satellite, which is identical to INSAT-4A, carries 12 Ku-band and 12 C-band transponders. European space consortium Arianespace will carry out the launch. It will cost around $ 50 million, according to a press release.

As had been reported last month by Indiantelevision.com one likely customer for the KU band transponders is Kalanithi Maran’s Sun Group, which had booked space last year on the failed Insat-4C for its DTH venture Sun Direct.

Sun TV had booked six transponders for DTH and one for DSNG (digital satellite news gathering) on Insat-4C.

February 5, 2007
Pyramid Saimira inks JV with Malaysian co. to set up theatre chain

MUMBAI: Pyramid Saimira Theatre Ltd has entered into a joint venture with Kuala Lumpur based film distribution company M/s. Asian Integrated Industries Sdn. Bhd to set up a theatre chain in Malaysia with 150 multiplexes and single screen theatres in Malaysia.

An official announcement issued stated that the JV will be called as “Pyramid Saimira Entertainment Malaysia Sdn Bhd” (subject to approval of concerned authorities) in which both of them shall hold 50 per cent – 50 per cent each.

The investment in the proposed JV will be 2400 million INR (200 million RM) in which both the parties will contribute equally. The goal is to achieve this in next 2-3 years.

Currently, the partnership involves acquiring three screen multiplexes immediately and aiming to operate 10 multiplexes by March 2007.

The new JV will distribute Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam movies, Chinese and Hollywood films and other contents across Malaysia on theatres / DVD / DTH and other methods of exploitation.

Additionally, the JV will create an Eco system for local Malay, Tamil and Chinese film production using local talents and be a catalyst in distributing the same both inside Malaysia and outside Malaysia.

The Indian digital technology Pyramid Saimira will provide the back-end resources to the JV for Digital display of contents in Malaysia by leveraging its domain expertise and infrastructure currently being established in India, adds the release.

The company will also try to exploit all the upcoming community centers in Malaysia by operating theatres as well as convention halls with video conferencing and family entertainment.

February 5, 2007
Atari to bring video game ‘Godzilla: Unleashed’ to Wii, Nintendo DS & PSP

MUMBAI: Atari, Inc., third-party video game publisher has announced the development of Godzilla: Unleashed, a giant fighting monsters game which will tear its way onto Wii, Nintendo DS and PSP (PlayStation Portable) system in fall 2007.

“We are building on the famous Godzilla franchise by focusing on multiple story paths, devastating urban destruction, and utilizing the most imposing creatures in film history, all in one hard-hitting fighting game,” said Atari, Inc director – marketing Rick Mehler. “In Godzilla: Unleashed for the Wii, players will tap into their inner monster powers when using the system’s wireless, motion-sensing controller.”

Godzilla: Unleashed is a fighting game on a giant scale. The game stars the legendary Godzilla and a slew of the most renowned monsters of all-time. Gamers are challenged to ultimately save the planet from mayhem and destruction. Set in urban arenas, Godzilla: Unleashed’s interactive 3D cityscapes, big destructible buildings, soaring skyscrapers and towering alien formations provide the backdrop to epic worldwide destruction, informs an official release.

Players will claw, kick, stomp, throw and blast their way through the streets of major world cities in order to claim the beastly title: King of the Monsters. In addition to a fully reinvented combat system, Godzilla: Unleashed will feature an non-linear storyline which will allow players to influence how the story unfolds through their choices within battles.

February 1, 2007
Broadcasting Bill to be fair and open: Dasmunsi

NEW DELHI: “Investors in the broadcast sector must realise that the government’s policy is open, and when the (broadcasting) bill is ready, the world will see and realise this,” said information and broadcasting minister PR Dasmunsi at the inauguration of the three-day Broadcast Engineering Society Expo 2007 today.

Dasmunsi said, “There is a huge potential for development of broadcasting in India and we have a lot of advanced technologies available with us. What we need to have is proper selection of technologies suiting our requirements.”
I&B secretary SK Arora, in his remarks said that in devising a regulatory framework, the interest of the consumer is foremost in government’s mind. The business models have to suit the large number of our consumers. Policy framework and the business models have to be in sync to cater to the consumer interest, he added.

Sharing with his audience the excitement of living in this amazing age of broadcasting revolution, he stressed nevertheless that the government would ensure a level playing field for all, and more than that, not allow most of the consumers to be deprived of the benefits of technology. Prices need to be controlled to keep them affordable.

“We must allow full play of technology, business and management to take shape successfully,” he said, adding, “the regulatory regime is crucial for the success of innovative ideas and products.”

He had a critique of the government sector too, which, he said, lacked management skills. “The public sector must realise the commercial aspects, and be acutely conscious of working out systems to facilitate innovations and business models to become successful,” Arora held.

He stressed that the core philosophy of the government was simple: the consumer. “Everyone must keep this in mind,” he added for good measure.

Prasar Bharati’s experience in introducing newer technologies (TV, FM radio, DTH, now digitalisation and mobile TV) has helped develop the regulatory environment.

“We have depended on the technological expertise of Prasar Bharati while designing the regulatory regime,” he explained.

He felt that though the regulatory framework must have adequate provision for segmentation and exploitation of the market by investors, the business models they develop must be appropriate and new technology is carried to the people at affordable prices.

The inauguration ceremony also saw BES president AS Guin, David Astley, secretary general of AsiaPacific Broadcasting Union, and Roger Crumpton, CEO of International Association of Broadcast Manufacturers address the more than 300 persons attending the function.

‘BROADCASTING MULTI-FACETED, MULTI-DIMENSIONAL’

In his keynote address, Crumpton said that broadcasting is not only a multifaceted affair, as the title for this year’s Expo suggested, but a multidimensional one, in which the engineering challenges were just huge.

Especially in India, he added, explaining that whereas only 19 per cent of the people in the US and 20 per cent in the UK were under 15, the figure is 35 per cent for India, and with this population the multiplicity of platforms is not important: content is everything.

“It does not matter on what platform they are accessing it, but they want it where and when they choose and what they choose. This is the young demographics we are dealing with, which is cash-positive and time-negative,” Crumpton said.

What was important in his speech was that he made presentations of when the first TV sets came and then the first colour TV sets came and it all seemed to people like him, and these are the people who are having to design technologies and content, so this aging generation of experts need to be in synch with the young demographics facing them.

The challenge is that for this generation, there must be a clear agenda for creation and delivery of content, which will be constantly repurposed in real time, a situation where broadcasting will face this problem. Because there is a paradigm shift from tapes-based programming to file-based one, he explained.

“There has to be a radical shift,” Crumpton argued, “for training, qualifying and accreditation systems.”

And he saw a huge opportunity for India. He says this paradigm shift, combined with an ageing skilled workforce in the West has already started creating problems of skill shortages in the globally $11 billion broadcasting market, which is also facing revenue streaming threats from telecom and IPTV.

February 1, 2007
BES Expo booming and globally accepted

NEW DELHI: All the stalls at the BES Expo 2007, to be inaugurated on 1 February, are packed. BES estimates it would need to add 20 per cent more space in the coming year, a significant rise in global visibility for the lone Indian broadcast engineering show, says AS Guin, President, BES at a press conference here today.

Three hundred participants are here this year, among them 16 which are coming here for the first time, Guin, who is also All India Radio’s engineer-in-chief, states.
In fact, two major participants, Joseline Josiah of Unesco’s adviser in communication and information in Asia and Ed Homan, director of operations, Ideal Systems Asia Pacific, specifically mentioned that it is the phenomenal growth of BES as an organisation, just one among the three broadcast engineering institutes in the world, that made them participate in this year’s Expo.

Homan made a brief but sharp point in stating that there were earlier only two major such Expos, IBC and NAB. “The fact that people like us have decided to come here is because BES has earned tremendous respect as an institution and is seen globally for the tremendous work they have done in the field.

Though Josiah’s project on community radio is the socially most exciting among the ones to be showcased here during the three-day exposition, Nokia stole the show, as a partner of Doordarshan’s project on mobile television project that is under trials at the moment.

In fact, Pawan Gandhi, Nokia’s Singapore based head of mobile TV and Video Experience division, was practically mobbed by the media for a dekko at the mobile set he was carrying to demonstrate the ongoing project under trial. The crystal clear image and the easy channel surfing system surprised many.

Gandhi said that the system could carry ten channels per band and in its dialogue with DD, they have felt it necessary to run at least 30 channels. The sets are at the moment not available in India, and the ones launched in Vietnam costs $700 to 800, and is a high-end product.

Guin added that, as in the case of DD’s DTH, DD Direct Plus, which initially cost a packet per household, so in the case of DD’s mobile TV project, “prices are bound to come down as the demand rises,” hence, those who want will be able to afford this equipment in the coming days.

Ashish Bhatnagar, honourary secretary of BES, said: “The government has silently ushered in a revolution in the form of community radio to be operated by NGOs.” He said that this is among the most promising projects in hand and will see thousands of radio centres coming up across the country.

The government’s programme with Unesco is to make people aware and empower and train them to handle radio stations on their way, Adhikary added.

Josiah, asked to address the media, spoke of an amazing range of products, especially those with multiple facilities, including what she described as “more than a radio”, rather a community multimedia centre with provisions for radio, Internet and other forms of communication.

Josiah said that Unesco has been working for the past 30 years in the field of community radio and developed models relevant to various countries and cultures. These will be on show at the pavilion and there will be presentations and demonstrations.

Another advancement BES is seeking to make is to help launch broadcast engineering courses in universities, under affiliation to the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, the apex body in the region.

Dialogue is going on this, Guin said, and the BES hopes to see this happen very soon. Guin also said that though the BEShas been holding these Expos for the past 12 years, from this 13th year, they would send reports to the government about participation and developments and results achieved at the fairs.

The expo will be inaugurated by information and broadcasting minister Priya Ranjan Das Munshi tomorrow, at Hall No. 7D, Pragati Maidan, Delhi.

January 31, 2007
‘TOI’ ties up with Tata Sky for marketing in Delhi

NEW DELHI: While the long awaited JV between Hindustan Times and Times of India may not have surprised anyone, another marketing exercise by TOI could: it is a so-far unannounced tie-up between TOI and Tata Sky for the marketing of its DTH service in Delhi-NCR.

The deal is that Tata Sky is going to sell and collect the monthly subscription fees from their customers through the circulation department of TOI, now termed as Report and Market Development, or RMD department.

Sources in TOI refused to comment. But while it is being said that a deal was signed earlier this month, Tata Sky CEO Vikram Kaushik told indiantelevision.com: “There is a lot of discussion with not just TOI but beyond that also, but nothing has been finalised as yet.”

Tata Sky has been running a business module so far that involves selling its dishes and STBs through shops selling mobile phones and electronics equipment, especially TV sets. But that does not seem enough.

They receive a large volume of orders and requests over the telephones which operate through BPOs. “If they have to land their own sellers to service all the new demands, it will be hugely costly and eat into their slender margins of selling boxes, especially due to the competition,” a source told indiantelevision.com, adding that each box is a one-time sale only.

Which is why, Tata Sky, these sources reveal, has said that TOI’s newspaper vendors can be used to get feedback from those who called. The plan is that since TOI has a massive network of newspaper sellers, they could be coordinated through the paper’s RMD people. “The callers’ addresses are going to be passed on to the vendors who would make actual contact with the interested persons, thus saving Tata Sky the effort, time and cost.

Similarly, Tata Sky has reportedly told the paper’s bosses that it alone has 200,000 DTH homes in the entire Delhi-NCR region, a lot of them being in the group housing societies in outlying areas of the NCR, like Gurgaon, Rohini, Ghaziabad and so forth.

Tata Sky has proposed that the vendors also be used to collect the monthly charges for the card, which is a prepaid one.

“They wanted to avoid the ‘cablewallah’ experience, where the cable operator’s grounds-man comes for the monthly rental and is sent back to come on another day. In any case, just as in the case of first-contact before a person buys a Tata Sky set, for collecting the monthly charges as well, the same inexpensive network of unskilled newspaper vending staff could be used.

In fact, Tata Sky has convinced TOI that even if a fraction of the total monthly charge for each card is retained by TOI as collection fee, that is a substantial amount per month with Tata Sky having 200,000 users and the number growing. The system would be smooth and make business sense to both the paper and the DTH operator.

It is not clear that this system would be tried in the other cities where TOI is read. It is believed that even in places where there is no TOI edition, but the company has bought other local papers, this system could be tried later.

January 31, 2007
Space Systems/Loral wins contract to build satellites for Echostar & Intelsat

MUMBAI: Space Systems/Loral (SS/L), a subsidiary of Loral Space and Communications and provider of high-power commercial satellites, has announced that it has been awarded a contract to manufacture a new direct broadcast satellite (DBS) for EchoStar Orbital Corporation II, a subsidiary of EchoStar Communications Corporation. EchoStar XIV will provide expanded services and flexibility for Dish Network’s more than 13 million direct-to-home (DTH) television subscribers.

“Our long-term relationship with EchoStar is an endorsement of the performance, reliability and service that our company provides,” said Space Systems/Loral president John Celli. “With an ever-increasing amount of programming options, it is an exciting time for the DTH industry and Space Systems/Loral is well positioned to help EchoStar meet its growing demand for advanced services.”

There are currently three SS/L-built satellites on orbit in the EchoStar fleet.

“As the fastest-growing pay-TV provider in the nation and an innovator in advanced services such as HDTV, we need the power and capacity that a satellite from Space Systems/Loral can provide,” said EchoStar vice president of Space Programs Rohan Zaveri.

In addition, the company has also recently announced that Intelsat Corporation has awarded SS/L a contract to manufacture Intelsat 14, a new, high-power C- and Ku-band fixed satellite service (FSS) satellite.

“This contract underscores our long-standing relationship with Intelsat,” said Celli. “This new project provides SS/L the opportunity to demonstrate our success in combining heritage, space-proven satellite technology with new innovation. We are pleased to be awarded the contract for this important new member of Intelsat’s global fleet.”

Intelsat 14, to be located at 45 degrees West longitude, will be the 44th Space Systems/Loral satellite built over the past four decades for Intelsat, the world’s largest fixed satellite services operator. The satellite will carry 40 C-band and 22 Ku-band transponders across four different beams, covering the Americas, Europe and Africa, informs an official release.

Intelsat 14 will have a design life of 15 years and will replace the PAS-1R satellite when the new satellite is delivered in 2009. Intelsat 14 is the first satellite awarded to SS/L in 2007. The company received seven satellite awards in 2006 from a wide variety of customers, including FSS operators, direct-to-home and satellite radio service providers.

January 29, 2007