New for 2008! SATELLITE 2008 has partnered with GSA Schedules, Inc., experts in GSA Schedule Contracting for more than 25 years, to give your company a clear advantage in the extremely competitive government marketplace. This interactive panel session will be led by Lynn de Seve, President of GSA Schedules, Inc.

This session will cover:

• How to get on a GSA contract

• Benefits of the GSA program

• Setting up dealers under the GSA program

• Learn about GSA e-Tools
• New rules for services on GSA schedule contracts
• Current GSA contracts calling for satellite-enabled communications

A brief question and answer session will follow the presentation. This session is free and is open to all exhibiting companies.

MSS operators in 2008 will have to deliver on their promises of innovative new capabilities which can address a much wider market than the niches MSS has served to date. With the launch of ICO and TerreStar’s new satellites, we will see whether ATC really is the magic bullet that has attracted so much attention on Wall Street. Virtually all players need to raise more financing to fund their business plans. Will the markets cooperate, or is the cycle of bankruptcies we saw in late 1990s doomed to repeat itself? Hear what the CEOs have to say about their plans, and why they believe in the future of MSS.

FIND SOUGHT-AFTER SOLUTIONS - Dozens of new products are unveiled during the SATELLITE Exhibition. Whether its voice, video, data, or all three, the SATELLITE Exhibition showcases the products and solutions you need to ensure your communications are cost-effective, mobile, global and secure.

CONNECT WITH COLLEAGUES - With more than 8,000 in attendance, plus 270 exhibiting companies, you'll see old friends and make new during the SATELLITE Conference and Exhibition.

DISCOVER NEW TECHNOLOGY - Get up close and hands on with hundreds of products, new technologies. Comparison shop as you walk the show floor and discover what technology will enhance your business.

Plan your visit to the SATELLITE Exhibition and contact exhibitors before the event here.

Interconnecting satellite with terrestrial networks to provide advanced, uninterruptible services for telco customers is the next step in providing risk mitigation in telecom networks. In non-stop telco networks, the satellite fail-over fully complements the terrestrial network, increasing total network availability and mitigating the risk of outages.

Fueled in large measure by oil revenues, Arab entrepreneurs are making preparations to launch satellites and deploy new networks to serve a diverse array of enterprises in an increasingly deregulated marketplace. But… how are satellite service providers addressing the severe capacity crunch afflicting the region? And to what extent is the Middle Eastern market “potential” dominated by the conflict in Iraq? These and other tough questions will be answered by front-line experts during this hard-hitting session.

The military has been a key customer and arguably the single most important technology innovator in satellite communications with initiatives sponsored by the U.S.-based DARPA as well as other government agencies around the globe. For current and future implementations of “Netcentric Warfare” as well as the expected rise in intelligence gathering and reconnaissance missions in many of the globe’s hotspots and emerging flashpoints, COTM solutions for air, land and sea will become integral components of the network architecture. This session will examine the requirements for bandwidth, security protocols, terminal equipment, antenna systems, frequency bands, encryption and other emerging requirements the military will demand to implement a coherent and highly secure network umbrella for use by the future warfighter and other mobile assets.

The World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-07) in Geneva in late 2007 tackled issues of progress in the provision of telecom services worldwide, and the concurrent demands on limited radio frequency spectrum. How did satellite fare, and what are the dimensions of future battles over spectrum and allocations? What can be done now to maximize the progress made by advocates of satellite, and how can the industry maximize positive impacts of the decisions made in Geneva?

In 2008 we will see new North American MSS satellites launched by both ICO and TerreStar, whose funding was predicated on the value of their spectrum assets and the expectation that Ancillary Terrestrial Components (ATCs) would enable this value to be realized. ICO and TerreStar are taking different approaches to the market, with ICO focusing initially on delivering mobile video services to cars, and TerreStar on enabling interoperable first responder communications via its 4G wireless chipset. Mobile Satellite Ventures is following close behind, with its ongoing WiMAX trial and satellite launches set for 2009/10. However, all three of the companies need to raise more money to launch full commercial services and pay for their ground spare satellites. This panel session will discuss how regulators will view these new services, what benefits will be realized by end users, and, most importantly, which of the three approaches will deliver the greatest value to investors.

Don’t miss the marquee event of SATELLITE 2008! Via Satellite magazine presents its Satellite Executive of the Year 2007, honoring the top satellite industry executive who made significant business impact in the global satellite arena. Tickets to the event are included with your SATELLITE 2008 conference registration fee.

Asia, where regulatory and other obstacles have prevented the satellite industry from realizing its full potential for decades, is now home to the second largest regional deployment of consumer-class VSATs in the world. Further, Asian satcom interests are leveraging recent gains by investing in satellite programs in other growth regions like Africa and the Middle East. And foreign investment continues to flow into Asia, enabling the launch of new platforms and services. This session will deliver progress reports from the top players.

The U.S. Department of State’s International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) continue to present a significant hurdle for the U.S. commercial satellite industry while, conversely, opening up opportunities for aggressive non-U.S. vendors. The progressive evolution of manufacturing and launch capabilities in China, India, and other countries, and already well-developed consulting expertise outside of the U.S., is increasing pressure on the competitiveness and profitability of the U.S. commercial satellite industry. U.S. industry does not question the paramount importance of U.S. national security. But does the ITAR, and its current administration, enhance U.S. national security? Or, paradoxically, does the ITAR and its current administration actually harm U.S. national security?

Satellite business television has been around for awhile, but it is changing and growing. Let's talk about what real corporate satellite users are doing with their networks. Let's ask them about why it is successful in their company and what they see as the real benefits and reasons to deploy corporate satellite networking technologies. Join us for this open discussion with corporate satellite users and together we can learn from their experiences.

Service diversification pressures have prompted telephone companies to bet on IP television, and satellite broadcast economics combined with the virtualization advantage of IP has given birth to new satellite-IPTV distribution models. There is, however, concern that despite satellites’ natural virtues for video distribution, demand for satellite-based services could be challenged by a wide range of factors. This panel will provide insight into real world satellite-IPTV cases and determine if satellite-IPTV is ready for primetime. Is the B2B U.S. model transferable to other regions? Are there niche-market opportunities for satellite service providers? Can satellite players better enable small telcos to capitalize on the IPTV differentiation promise, and is IP distribution also applicable to cable operators? Hear from the leading players about their experiences and expectations for the satellite IPTV play.

Broadband demand from mobile platforms is surging, with deployment of new MSS and mobile VSAT technologies on ships, trains and planes set to generate hundreds of millions of dollars over the next few years. Inmarsat’s land-based BGAN service, introduced in 2006, has achieved far wider use than any of Inmarsat’s previous generations of high speed data terminals, and its maritime and aeronautical variants are set for launch in late 2007. However, increasing attention is also being paid to mobile VSATs, whose cheaper bandwidth can offset their more expensive terminal costs. Despite the failure of Connexion, satellite operators are pushing forward with maritime Ku-band coverage, and equipment manufacturers are developing smaller terminals. Further competition is expected in 2008 from Iridium’s new broadband maritime terminal. Who will come out on top? Can Inmarsat’s recent rapid growth continue, or will its dominant market position be eroded? Hear from all the leading players about their expectations for the next generation of satellite-delivered mobile broadband.

Resurging economies, demand for e-government networks, and sustained downward price pressure on bandwidth are but a few of the key variables driving satcom markets in Latin America and the Caribbean. Meanwhile, though, there have been growing pains: Some local satellite and network operators have taken a financial beating in recent years, and there are whispers of further consolidation. Terrestrial wireless deployments are on the rise. Do these represent new opportunities, or additional challenges? To find out, don’t miss this session.

This international session will present updates on the current and forecast future trends in the European and Middle Eastern Military Satellite Communications market, including undersupply in commercial markets and progress on alternate frequencies such as X-, Ka- and S-band. Speakers will touch on end user requirements such as the surge in requirements for UAV satellite datalinks and Comms on the Move and Pause for Ground Forces.

This session will present data to show trends for development in satellite communications, including use of transponders, growth of demand for various services, the actual fraction of transponders in revenue producing service, and numbers of subscribers to various MSS systems, DARS, DBS, broadband, and other applications. New data collected specifically for presentation at SATELLITE 2008 will be interpreted, and benchmarks will be set.

Through initial success of S-DMB services in Korea and usage of satellite capacity to distribute mobile content, satellite players are turning their attention to emerging mobile multimedia distribution models. Now, the pending launch of S-band capacity in Europe, recent ratification of DVB-SH, trials between broadband wireless providers and ATC players, and a greater volume of satellite deals to backhaul mobile video content all point to an industry poised to break away from hype and show real revenue. This panel will explore the growth opportunities for mobile video via satellite, in all distribution models, and identify how satellite companies will benefit from this multimedia application.

For the first time in history, Africa has begun launching locally-owned satellites, and there are more birds on order. Scores of local network operators are providing unprecedented levels of service for GSM backhaul, energy interests, military, banking, retail, disaster preparedness, humanitarian & aid, and a host of other well-funded markets. However, local experts predict that, with nearly a dozen new Africa fiber projects planned, bandwidth could be commoditized within five years. Attend this dynamic session to hear how the satellite industry is positioning itself to remain competitive in Africa’s dynamic marketplace.

The global roster of satellite manufacturers continues to grow even as competition tightens and the marketplace warns of a slow-down beginning after 2010. Chief executives of the leading firms in the United States and Europe, divided by fierce competition, may find themselves united in discrete attempts to fend off the market inroads already evident from Russia, China, India. What does the future hold for the historic industry leaders, and how will they meet external challenges while maintaining product lines that deliver value?

Mobile Satellite Services have played a leading role in the response to disasters both in the US and overseas. The FCC has also cited the need for emergency backup communications provided by MSS as a key factor in justifying ATC authorizations and has even mandated the inclusion of satellite capability in terminals for the new 700MHz public-private partnership. European regulators have also highlighted the role that new 2GHz MSS networks could play in emergency response. This panel will examine the requirements of first responders and what MSS providers must do to expand this market in the future.

Digital signage is a modern means to broadcast messages for consumer information, safety purposes and public services. However, communicating the right message to the right place has proven to be the most important factor for success across retail, banking and entertainment markets. With many recent network deployments delivered via satellite, what is the current state of the business? What are the effectiveness and success metrics for the business, and how does satellite measure up? Are satellite solutions offering returns all along the value chain? What technology mix is best for each market segment? This panel will look at these and other key questions facing the digital signage via satellite market.