a BC
Partners to Acquire Majority of Intelsat
Intelsat, Ltd. announced the signing of a definitive agreement
for the purchase of a majority of the shares of its parent company,
Intelsat Holdings, Ltd., by funds advised by BC Partners (“BCEC
funds”) and certain other investors. The BCEC funds-led group will
acquire approximately 76% of the primary ownership of Intelsat
Holdings, Ltd. in a transaction valuing the Company’s equity at
approximately $5.03 billion. Taking into account approximately $11.4
billion of debt as of March 31, 2007, the enterprise valuation
implied by the transaction is approximately $16.4 billion. The
current shareholders of Intelsat, including funds advised by Apax
Partners, Apollo Management, Madison Dearborn Partners, Permira and
management, are expected to receive upon closing approximately $4.6
billion in cash, and will continue to hold approximately 24% of the
primary ownership of Intelsat Holdings, Ltd.
Intelsat CEO Dave McGlade said, “This transaction highlights the
significant value that Intelsat has created for its shareholders and
the tremendous opportunities the business and employees will enjoy
going forward. The Company has thrived under private equity
ownership, including the 2006 completion of the transformative
PanAmSat combination that firmly established Intelsat’s global
leadership position. As a result, we have a keen appreciation for
the financial and strategic support that a firm such as BC Partners
can provide. We are confident that they will continue to endorse
Intelsat’s objectives for revenue growth and operating
improvements.”
“Intelsat and the FSS sector are in the midst of a cycle of strong
performance,” said Raymond Svider, a Managing Partner of BC
Partners. “Intelsat is the premier FSS satellite operator, with
high-quality assets and a strong global brand. Its valuable cable
and direct-to-home neighborhoods, strength in network applications,
blue chip customer base and solid backlog of long-term contracts
create an attractive investment opportunity. We look forward to
working with and supporting Intelsat’s management team as they
pursue their growth strategies.”
Mr. McGlade is expected to continue to serve as Chief Executive
Officer of the Company, which will remain focused on serving its
global customer base in the media, network services and government
sectors.
Closing of the transaction is expected to occur within six to nine
months, upon the satisfaction of customary conditions, including
appropriate regulatory approvals. As a result of the anticipated
financings, the Company’s debt is expected to increase by
approximately $3.85 billion at closing. BC Partners has obtained
financing commitments from a group of financial institutions led by
affiliates of Credit Suisse, Banc of America Securities and Morgan
Stanley for $5.11 billion, the proceeds of which will be used to
fund the transaction, repay certain indebtedness and pay certain
transaction fees and expenses. This debt will be assumed by a new
entity junior to Intelsat (Bermuda), Ltd. As part of the
transaction, the Company expects to retire approximately $860
million of existing debt at Intelsat (Bermuda), Ltd. and to defease
or retire the $400 million Intelsat, Ltd. 5.25% Senior Notes due
2008.
Credit Suisse is acting as financial advisor to Intelsat in
connection with the transaction. Intelsat’s legal advisors include
Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz, Wiley Rein, and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind,
Wharton & Garrison. Merrill Lynch & Co. and Perella Weinberg
Partners LP are acting as M&A advisors, Latham & Watkins LLP as
legal advisor and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as financial advisor to
BC Partners.
top
b IPSTAR
launches New Product Aimed at Community Broadband Markets
Shin Satellite Public Company Limited, has announced at CommunicAsia
2007 in Singapore, the launch of a new low-cost product named the
IPSTAR maXX. The maXX allows IPSTAR to be efficiently deployed in
multiple-user broadband environments such as for Community Internet
Centers, Multi-dwelling Units (MDU), Internet Cafes, university
campuses and corporate. The product can be seen in CommunicAsia,
Singapore, in Shin Satellite’s Booth, 6H3-01, Hall 6 from June
19-22, 2007.
IPSTAR maXX
The new maXX product functions as an external TCP Accelerator
(TCP/A) allowing many users to transmit high speed data efficiently
to the IPSTAR satellite. Although the TCP Accelerator function is
already built
into every IPSTAR User Terminal, the maXX further enhances this
feature by allowing up to 100 concurrent users to be connected to a
single IPSTAR User Terminal. In addition, the maXX supports industry
standard security protocol, IPSec, to provide highly secure data
links. Additional features include: Quality of Service (QoS) with
fair sharing policy, the ability to aggregate the bandwidth by
connecting to 2 IPSTAR
User Terminals, and failover feature for maximum availability.
Mr. Patompob Suwansiri, Head of Marketing for IPSTAR said, “We are
very excited to launch our new product called the IPSTAR maXX,
signifying “maximum acceleration”, which complements our IPSTAR User
Terminal product line. When combined with the IPSTAR User Terminal
and standard wireless technologies such as WiFi and WiMax, the maXX
enables a low-cost broadband solution for multiple user
environments. This powerful hybrid solution will create an
opportunity to expand our markets even further by lowering the
“total cost of ownership” per user.”
The “maXX” will be available throughout Asia-Pacific in third
quarter of 2007.
top
1 Gilat
Partners with CJSC Global-Teleport, Russia’s Leading Satellite
Service Provider
Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. announced the recent initiation of
operations for Closed Joint Stock Company (CJSC) Global-Teleport’s
latest SkyEdge Hub in Pavlovsk-Passad (near Moscow). CJSC
Global-Teleport already has two other operational Gilat SkyEdge hubs
located in Khabarovsk and in Novosibirsk. The three hubs enable
Global-Teleport to provide services to customers across the entire
Russian Federation.
CJSC Global-Teleport is the largest provider of satellite services
for federal government telecommunications projects in Russia.
Gilat's advanced VSAT technology enables CJSC Global-Teleport to
meet the complex requirements of major operators in Russia such as
the need to fulfill Universal Service Obligations (USOs) bringing
telephony and internet services to citizens in very remote regions
of the country. Gilat's ability to support both mesh and star
topologies on the same network has been a major requirement for
Russia's operators.
In addition to USO projects, CJSC Global-Teleport's SkyEdge networks
support a variety of other government projects including the FGUP
"Russian Post," Ministry of Education projects and more.
“We are very pleased to cooperate with CJSC Global-Teleport in their
mission to provide communications services throughout Russia,” said
Arie Rozichner, Gilat Regional Vice President, Eurasia. “Providing
government, businesses and citizens access to modern communications
in remote areas is a challenge, and Gilat is proud that its
relationship with CJSC Global-Teleport, has helped provide such
services for the world’s largest country. With this cooperation,
Gilat is well-positioned for future global government and federal
telecommunications projects in Russia.”
top
2
VISTA Satellite
Communications, Inc. Signs with Intelsat for Long-term Occasional
Use Capacity
Intelsat Ltd., signed a multi-year contract with space segment and
transmission service provider VISTA Satellite Communications, Inc.
Under the agreement, Intelsat will provide satellite capacity that
supports expansion of VISTA’s occasional-use television offerings.
Through this contract, Intelsat is providing domestic and
international satellite capacity that allows VISTA to deliver more
occasional use satellite time for its clients, including Fortune 500
companies, broadcasters, cable programmers, educational
institutions, government agencies and news organizations.
"We just completed our new state-of-the-art broadcasting facility in
South Florida and needed to increase our transmission bandwidth in
order to better serve our growing customer base,” said Roy Liemer,
President and CEO, VISTA Satellite Communications. “Intelsat’s
flexible satellite and fiber network provides the global
connectivity into key markets, cable and broadcasting neighborhoods
that we need for our global expansion.”
“While other satellite service providers continue to diminish their
occasional use services and offerings, Intelsat and VISTA continue
to build their portfolios. VISTA Satellite Communications is a
premiere network service provider in this arena and we are pleased
to be building this long-term relationship,” said Ron Rosenthal,
Intelsat’s Vice President Broadcast Services, North America.
“Globalization of media is a major trend in the industry today, and
Intelsat is ideally suited to serve customers with global
distribution needs.”
top
3
Comtech Telecommunications Corp. Awarded $1.6 Million Order for
Satellite Communications Equipment
Comtech EF Data Corp., was awarded a $1.6 million order from a
government agency for satellite communications equipment. The
equipment will be deployed to upgrade and extend the agency's
satellite-based network.
Included in the order is a range of Comtech EF Data equipment
tailored to the requirements of government users, including SLM-5650
Satellite Modems, High-Power Outdoor Amplifiers and Redundancy
Switches. The SLM-5650 Satellite Modem is designed to comply with
the strict requirements of the Defense Satellite Communications
System defined in MIL-STD-188-165A, modem types I, II, IV, V and VI.
This high-speed modem supports data rates up to 155 Mbps, and offers
flexible interfaces including Gigabit Ethernet, advanced forward
error correction and higher order modulation. It is compact and
rugged, ideally suited for many government and military
applications.
The High-Power Outdoor Amplifiers are Solid-State Power Amplifiers (SSPAs)
from Comtech EF Data's Outdoor Amplifier line. Part of an extensive
RF product offering, the High-Power Outdoor Amplifiers are rugged in
construction, conservative in thermal design and well-proven in
challenging operating environments.
"This order is another example of the government's confidence in
Comtech to supply equipment for the satellite-based networks of the
future," said Fred Kornberg, President and Chief Executive Officer
of Comtech Telecommunications Corp.
top
4 CapRock Announces
Turnkey VSAT Services for Customers Operating in Libya
CapRock Communications has formed a strategic alliance with
Phoenicia Group Libya LLC to provide turnkey satellite services to
customers with onshore and offshore energy, maritime and
construction operations in Libya. The agreement represents a
significant milestone in CapRock’s ability to provide customers with
reliable communications as they develop and expand their presence in
the African region.
Under the agreement, CapRock will provide a total managed satellite
solution including VSAT equipment and installation, service, on-site
support and 24/7 network monitoring and provisioning. With this
solution, customers will have the option to land their traffic
inside or outside of Libya through CapRock.
“By partnering with CapRock, companies will receive enhanced VSAT
services and state-of-the-art support through CapRock’s dual Network
Operations Centers,” said Phoenicia Group President and CEO and
founder of the Libyan American Business Council, Ryad Sunusi.
The alliance with Phoenicia Group, the leading U.S-Libyan business
and consultancy firm, is through its IT subsidiary, Al-Waha IT &
Telecommunications. Phoenicia Group is the sole licensed private
satellite and telecommunications provider in Libya, and through this
alliance, CapRock will be able to provide global VSAT solutions to
its customers.
“As our customers grow and expand their international operations,
CapRock will continue to meet them where they are with
communications that they can count on,” said CapRock CEO Peter
Shaper. “This alliance enables us to provide our global customers
who have local operations in Libya with the same reliable satellite
communications services they’ve come to expect elsewhere.”
top
5
Asian Satellite Operator broadens its Asian commitment with new
office and staff
ProtoStar, has opened an office in Singapore staffed with veteran
satellite industry executives as the cornerstone of its expanding
Asian operations.
In making the announcement at the CommunicAsia conference in
Singapore, ProtoStar President and CEO Phil Father said that the new
office will be headed by Dr. Eui Koh, former President of the Asia
Pacific Satellite Communications Council (APSCC) and previously an
Asian regional executive with both Intelsat and New Skies Satellite
(NSS). ProtoStar is developing a satellite constellation of
high-powered geostationary (“GEO”) satellites that will provide a
satellite network enabling direct-to-home (DTH) services in Asia.
Father said the Singapore office will be staffed by Mr. Raghu Das,
Vice President of Sales, formerly with Loral Skynet; Steven Smith,
Vice President of Technical Operations, formerly with Intelsat; and
Patricia Chan, Marketing/Customer Support Manager, formerly with NSS.
“Our Singapore office will help us drive sales, marketing programs,
customer support and ground systems as we focus on launching our
high powered satellite services supporting Asia’s rapidly growing
DTH operators,” Father said. “Dr. Koh brings a wealth of satellite
experience and knowledge from his many years of working with Asian
satellite operators and their customers.”
-------
ANZ Teleport & Broadcast Ltd. Launches New Direct-to-Home Platform
on Intelsat System
Intelsat Ltd., announced that New Zealand-based ANZ Teleport &
Broadcast Ltd. selected the Intelsat platform on which to launch a
new direct-to-home television service.
Under the multi-year agreement, Intelsat will provide ANZ Teleport &
Broadcast Ltd. with capacity on the IS-8 satellite, which has high
performance coverage of ANZ’s initial targeted service region in New
Zealand. The IS-8 also has the ability to distribute DTH programming
to other South Pacific nations as ANZ’s business grows.
"As a new provider in the region, we needed to go with the strongest
operator who could supply us with superior capacity today and grow
with us over the long-term,” said Hon. Matt Robson, General Counsel,
ANZ Teleport & Broadcast Ltd. “Intelsat’s IS-8 SW Pacific Beam also
covers other markets beyond New Zealand, giving us the ability to
address new DTH opportunities in a cost-effective manner.”
"Regional programming is one of the leading business growth drivers
for international broadcasters today," said David Ball, Intelsat’s
Regional Vice President, Asia-Pacific. “Our IS-8 satellite provides
strong coverage within the South Pacific region and we are happy
that ANZ Teleport & Broadcast Ltd. views Intelsat as the right
transmission partner for building its near- and long-term business.”
Top
6
Digiturk Platform Boosts Capacity On Eutelsat's W3A Satellite For
New Pay-Tv Services
Eutelsat Communications and Digiturk, have signed a new contract for
capacity on the W3A satellite to support continued expansion of
Turkey's leading pay-TV platform. The new contract, concluded for
four years, is the third signed between Eutelsat and Digiturk since
November 2006. It takes to 11 the total number of transponders
leased for broadcasting services by Digiturk on Eutelsat's
satellites.
Launched in 2000 from Eutelsat's 7 degrees East position, Digiturk's
platform benefits from the high-power regional footprint on
Eutelsat's W3A satellite in order to reach 1.6 million subscribing
satellite homes across Turkey. In addition to its reach of Turkey,
Digiturk offers pay-TV services across Europe and also uses capacity
on ATLANTIC BIRD™ 1 for contribution links back to its studios in
Istanbul.
The pay-TV platform serving Turkey today offers more than 150
television, radio and interactive channels incorporating national
and international programming. Channels recently joining the
platform include Disney Channel Turkey, which has signed a contract
with Digiturk for exclusive carriage of Disney Channel Turkey which
began broadcasting on April 29. Digiturk is also preparing for the
introduction later in 2007 of new HDTV and Video on Demand services
through its capacity on W3A.
"Eutelsat has been the unique satellite provider for Digiturk since
it launched into the pay-TV market in 2000," said Olivier
Milliès-Lacroix, Eutelsat's Commercial Director "We are very pleased
to further strengthen this relationship through additional capacity
on our W3A satellite which is optimised for Direct-to-Home reception
via its unique footprint which reaches into Digiturk's core
markets."
Top
7
Mainstream Data Certifies End II End Communications' Optimal
System for Interoperability, Enters Strategic Alliance
Mainstream Data announced that, after extensive testing at End
II End Communication's Optimization Lab in Charlotte, North
Carolina, it has certified the Optimal family of products for
interoperability with Mainstream Data's No Compromise Digital
Network services. The two companies have entered into a strategic
alliance to jointly market their combined capabilities to enterprise
customers.
Scott Calder, CEO of Mainstream Data, noted that testing proved that
End II End's optimization applications greatly improved the
end-user's experience while using chatty applications such as
Citrix, SAP, and MS Exchange over two-way satellite. "The system
operated flawlessly at data rates of just 16 kbps; we were very
impressed with the performance of End II End's solution."
The two companies are currently collaborating on several enterprise
opportunities in business continuity, resource extraction,
transportation and other sectors. A functional Wide Area Network is
mission-critical for companies in these sectors, but they face a
wide range of connectivity conditions across the globe.
"Mainstream Data's network has a permanent port in our Optimization
Lab," said End II End CEO John X. Dwyer. "Prospective customers can
test their applications in an Optimal VPN over Mainstream Data's
satellite network just by plugging a laptop into the Ethernet port."
Dwyer added, "We are pleased to expand our relationship with
Mainstream as they've been great to work with as a service partner."
---------
NORSAT LAUNCHES CHINESE LANGUAGE VERSION OF ITS TRANSPORTABLE
SATELLITE TERMINAL USER INTERFACE
Norsat International Inc. has launched a Chinese language version of
its LinkControl user interface software at the Communicasia2007
Summit in Singapore. The new version of the LinkControl software is
available for use on all Norsat transportable satellite terminals.
“The Asia-Pacific region represents a major growth opportunity for
mobile satellite communications, and as the only portable satellite
terminal provider that offers a Chinese language user interface, we
believe we are well positioned to establish a strong foothold in the
marketplace,” said Dr. Amiee Chan, President and CEO, Norsat
International Inc. “We are committed to driving growth within Asia.
Going forward, our plan for increasing market penetration and
building a long-term presence is to develop partnerships with local
distributors who have specialized knowledge and access to the
market.”
Top
8
NORSAT LAUNCHES
CHINESE LANGUAGE VERSION OF ITS TRANSPORTABLE SATELLITE TERMINAL
USER INTERFACE
Norsat International Inc. has launched a Chinese language version of
its LinkControl user interface software at the Communicasia2007
Summit in Singapore. The new version of the LinkControl software is
available for use on all Norsat transportable satellite terminals.
“The Asia-Pacific region represents a major growth opportunity for
mobile satellite communications, and as the only portable satellite
terminal provider that offers a Chinese language user interface, we
believe we are well positioned to establish a strong foothold in the
marketplace,” said Dr. Amiee Chan, President and CEO, Norsat
International Inc. “We are committed to driving growth within Asia.
Going forward, our plan for increasing market penetration and
building a long-term presence is to develop partnerships with local
distributors who have specialized knowledge and access to the
market.”
Top
9
SES AMERICOM’s turnkey IP-PRIME™ solution is now commercially
available to North American telecommunications companies.
SES AMERICOM, announced the commercial availability of its Internet
protocol television (IPTV) solution, IP-PRIME™, the most
comprehensive end-to-end and turnkey IPTV solution for
telecommunications companies. After extensive and successful
technical trials with large, medium and small sized telcos across
the United States, IP-PRIME is now available to any North American
telco looking for a fast, cost-effective means to offer their
customers a world-class television service.
SES AMERICOM’s IP-PRIME gives telecommunications companies the
ability to compete and win new subscribers by offering television
together with their other services. Adding television service can be
complex and expensive, yet it is a necessary undertaking for telcos
to complete their triple play portfolio of voice, data and
television services. Telcos of all sizes will find IP-PRIME
minimizes the risk of a complex technical integration, simplifies
difficult program acquisition challenges and lowers their financial
risks for launching a television service.
SES AMERICOM, with more than thirty years of experience in
delivering television signals from programmers to cable and
broadcast networks, has architected a solution that gives telcos and
private network operators everything they need to deliver a
fully-featured television service over existing network
infrastructures. IP-PRIME delivers a complete array of programming
channel options, a carrier-grade headend, a choice of consumer set
top boxes and multiple middleware solutions that make it all work.
Customers benefit from SES AMERICOM’s expertise in television
distribution, helping ensure that customers select a proven
technical solution, thus reducing both the technical risk and
financial cost of deploying a new video service. The IP-PRIME
solution not only delivers high-quality video, it also saves
customers millions of dollars of capital and operational
expenditures when compared to the costs of building their own
service.
“SES AMERICOM has utilized our decades of experience to build an
IPTV solution that is the closest thing to flicking a switch to turn
on service,” said Bill Squadron, senior vice president of media
partnerships at SES AMERICOM. “We invested tens of millions of
dollars and over two years developing IP-PRIME, and put the solution
through extensive testing so we can be sure we’re offering our
customers the most complete, easiest-to-deploy and most
cost-effective path for them to offer their subscribers television
service. The result of our efforts is that SES AMERICOM is the first
company to bring an end-to-end, satellite-based television service
to market built completely on the new MPEG-4 video standard.”
The entire solution is based on the MPEG-4 digital video standard
that offers improved video quality together with greater bandwidth
efficiency over the MPEG-2 standard. The MPEG-4 standard makes
IP-PRIME particularly ideal for enabling networks to accommodate
numerous applications and features, as well as accommodate the
explosive growth in HDTV channels.
The IP-PRIME ecosystem employs open, standards-based technologies
from multiple world-class technology partners. SES AMERICOM tests
and qualifies each third-party technology or middleware component
before integrating it into IP-PRIME. By using open standards and
ensuring interoperability, SES AMERICOM is providing customers with
options, and ensuring that their service is leading edge today and
well into the future.
IP-PRIME comes with existing transport agreements for over 275
television channels and over 100 digital music channels, giving
customers the easiest way to offer a broad range of diverse
programming. This program line up includes over 20 HDTV channels, as
well as pay per view programming and the ability to offer
video-on-demand service. Customers can pick and choose which
channels to include in their line-up, and can easily integrate local
programming.
“Because of SES AMERICOM’s years of leadership and technical
innovation in broadcast television, we selected IP-PRIME as the
exclusive end-to-end IPTV service for our rural telco members,” said
Steve Bing, senior vice president of the National Rural
Telecommunications Cooperative (NRTC). “Our members tell us that
IPTV service will be a critical component of their service
portfolio, and SES AMERICOM is giving them the easiest path to a
very comprehensive service. With IP-PRIME, NRTC members will have
the fastest path to bring to market a complete and technically
advanced television service.”
Top
10 A new
Ukrainian TV channel, STAR TV, is now available free-to-air via
SIRIUS satellite
SES SIRIUS AB is proud to announce that a new television channel,
STAR TV, has begun broadcasting via the SIRIUS satellite system and
is available free-to-air. This means any household with a satellite
dish directed towards the SIRIUS satellite, and with a digital
satellite receiver, can receive this exciting new channel.
Furthermore, STAR TV will also be distributed to all cable networks
in the Ukraine via SIRIUS.
STAR TV is a new TV channel that will offer a mixture of
contemporary music hits, the latest dance music and youth
entertainment programmes, and will include interactive shows,
lifestyle magazines and extreme sports shows, as well as popular
serial dramas.
“We are delighted to have STAR TV on board. We believe this new
channel will quickly prove extremely popular with a younger audience
due to the unique concept and programme content, which has been
designed with them in mind”, Bengt Lindholm, General Manager of the
SES SIRIUS Rep Office in Kiev, said.
“We have been working closely with SIRIUS since 2003 when we began
the radio station Star FM”, Yuriy Liashchenko, director and owner of
STAR TV, said. “Our business is now growing and moving in new
directions. We chose to work with SIRIUS as they allow us to quickly
and without problems or delays develop as and when we want”, added
Liashchenko.
Top
11
TÉLÉCOMS SANS FRONTIÈRES WELCOMES EUTELSAT COMMUNICATIONS AS NEW
PARTNER
Eutelsat Communications, and Télécoms Sans Frontières (TSF)
announced the signature of an agreement whereby Eutelsat becomes an
official partner of TSF to support its humanitarian aid operations
throughout the world. The announcement was made at Eutelsat
headquarters in Paris by Giuliano Berretta, Eutelsat CEO and
Jean-Francois Cazenave, President of Télécoms Sans Frontières.
Based in Pau and with regional offices in Bangkok (Thailand) and
Managua (Nicaragua), Télécoms Sans Frontières is a non-governmental
organisation (NGO) providing emergency telecommunications services.
Since it was set up in 1998 its mission is to supply
telecommunications capabilities for humanitarian aid teams on the
ground, and to help victims restore contact with the outside world
by calling their families and friends. Less than 48 hours after
learning of an emergency, TSF can arrive on the scene anywhere in
the world and deploy telecommunications centres offering broadband
Internet access, voice communications, fax lines and all the IT
equipment needed for a field office.
TSF also develops programmes for deploying a long term
communications centres in regions recovering from man-made and
natural disasters. An example of this is a centre in Niger which
opened in February this year and which uses Skylogic's D-STAR
product and capacity on Eutelsat's W3A satellite to provide ICT
services to local and international aid organisations working with
populations of the region of Dakoro. To give a scale of the benefit
of the new centre, before it was deployed, organisations had to
drive six hours to send an email. Operated by Afrique Télécom, the
centre is equipped with four computers, a printer and scanner linked
to a D-STAR terminal. TSF provides access to all organisations,
local and international NGOs and governmental agencies working in
Dakoro.
"TSF is proud to partner with Eutelsat," declared Jean-François
Cazenave. "This is an important step for TSF's development as it
will enable our teams to stay longer in emergencies. It will also
open new possibilities for TSF to support affected populations in
ongoing emergencies notably in long-term established refugee camps
by deploying long-term communications centres."
Giuliano Berretta responded: "Through our experience with TSF we
have seen how satellites are an absolute core requirement for
efficient recovery operations following natural or man-made
disasters. We are very pleased through this official partnership to
support the leading NGO in emergency telecommunications, whose
commitment to rapid restoration of communications networks plays a
critical role in relief operations around the world".
Top
12
SAT-GE, a new company, to offer satellite capacity across the
Pacific Singapore
GE International Holdings Inc., a holding company for the satellite
businesses of General Electric Company, is now engaged in business
in Asia under the name of SAT-GE. SAT-GE offers unparalleled
satellite capacity across the Pacific region using the GE-23
satellite (former name AMC-23). GE-23 encompasses 6 individual
beams, 5 Ku-band and 1 C-band, that give almost total coverage of
both land mass and ocean from Perth in Australia to Los Angeles in
the USA and from Alaska to South New Zealand. GE-23 offers Ku-band
cross connectivity capability between multiple beams and in C-band,
a single trans-Pacific beam allows simultaneous uplink and downlink
from anywhere within the beam. Manufactured by Alcatel Space, a
series 4100 spacecraft, with a minimum useful life of 15 years,
GE-23 was launched on the 29th of December 2005 and operates from an
orbital slot at 172 degrees east. It is ideally positioned to
deliver internet applications, data and telecommunications services
via VSAT and broadcast programming for cable and satellite
communities. GE-23 is the renamed AMC-23 satellite, which was
recently transferred from SES to GE following the closing of a
broader transaction between GE and SES.
Top
13
Stratos Appointed as Global Distribution Partner for Inmarsat
Satellite Phone Services
Stratos Global Corp. has been appointed as a global Distribution
Partner for Inmarsat's upcoming Satellite Phone Services.
Inmarsat's Satellite Phone Services will offer a competitive
alternative to the handheld, fixed and maritime solutions that are
currently available in the marketplace. The services will offer high
quality voice connectivity via small and affordable equipment with
attractive postpaid and prepaid rate plan options.
Inmarsat's Satellite Phone Services, scheduled to launch early in
the third quarter of this year, will initially be available in most
of the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific regions, where Stratos
is a leading communications provider to both land and maritime
customers. Full global coverage is currently expected by the end of
2008.
Customers using Inmarsat Satellite Phone Services from Stratos will
benefit from the Stratos Advantage, a suite of value-added services
that help make satellite communications more productive and
affordable. Most notable is Dashboard from Stratos with which the
new Inmarsat services will be fully integrated. Dashboard provides
real-time information on the amount of traffic used for voice and
data, and the associated costs, and is currently used by thousands
of Stratos BGAN customers around the globe.
Today's announcement follows Stratos' earlier Distribution Partner
appointments for Inmarsat's SwiftBroadband and FleetBroadband
services which will also become available over the Inmarsat I-4
satellites later this year. The addition of these new services will
bring enhanced choice and performance to all Stratos customers.
"We are excited to add Inmarsat Satellite Phone Services to our
extensive portfolio of communications solutions," said Ronald
Spithout, Stratos Senior Vice President, MSS Marketing and Sales,
Worldwide. " We look forward to enhancing the customer experience
with our suite of specialized, value-added services designed to help
our customers and partners realize financial savings and cost
control."
Top
15
ICO, ITU, and CBC Sign Memorandum of Understanding
ICO Global Communications (Holdings) Limited announced that ICO, the
International Telecommunications Union (ITU), a specialized agency
of the United Nations, and the Commonwealth Business Council (CBC),
an organization which serves to foster cooperation between business
and governments, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
The MOU’s objectives are to establish collaborative linkages between
the Parties in the area of Emergency Telecommunication Systems and
Global Information Systems, and more particularly, for ICO to
provide state and non-state organizations free access to ICO’s F2
orbiting MEO satellite for non-commercial purposes.
ITU Secretary General Hamadoun Toure commented, “The partnership
that we have established with ICO Global Communications and the
Commonwealth Business Council is an important milestone towards
ITU’s effort to save human life. Satellite communication provides a
platform to deliver a wide range of services and applications even
to remote areas. In the digital age, we are able to provide an ICT
lifeline to disaster victims and humanitarian personnel entrusted
with coordinating rescue and relief operations, especially when
terrestrial communications infrastructure is disrupted, overloaded
or destroyed. We thank ICO for being a reliable partner from the
satellite industry and for contributing innovative technologies.”
“ICO strongly supports the goals of the ITU and the CBC, and we are
pleased to be able to contribute ICO’s satellite services to these
efforts,” added J. Timothy Bryan, ICO’s CEO. “ICO’s development and
implementation of S band technology globally, including our
announced vendor initiatives for ICO North America and the ICO P MEO
system, will serve our interests well as we continue to work with
key suppliers to create advanced user terminals to access F2 for
humanitarian and emergency uses.”
“CBC is pleased to work with the ITU and ICO to contribute towards
development and disaster preparedness. What is required for the
future is increased economic empowerment of wider segments of
society, to lift people out of poverty and give them new
opportunity. This can be achieved by bringing technology and
innovation to the service of many. We need to pursue the 'democratisation
of knowledge', by making technology more widely and freely
accessible. By means of tele-education and entrepreneurial
development programmes CBC will equip and prepare global citizens
for economic empowerment and disaster management,” said Dr Mohan
Kaul, Director General, Commonwealth Business Council.
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Space Segment acquisition agreements.