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The first issue of Downlink marks a call to action – summer is half over, business plans for 2008 either are ahead, on track, or need a little shot of adrenalin and planning for next year's SATELLITE 2009 should be coming up to the top of the "to do" list.
Times may have been tough of late, but there is no evidence of a downturn in the global markets for satellite-enabled communications. New satellites have been launched, more are on the manifest, spacecraft manufacturing facilities are operating at a heady pace and planners are dreaming up new applications and new services to complement robust order books and anticipated business.
It's been said that statistics can prove just about anything – I'll leave it to you to make conclusions from these compelling numbers. SATELLITE 2008 posted the following milestones: More than 9,000 attendees from 65 countries around the world came to Washington, D.C. a few months ago to meet with 270 companies spread across the exhibit floor at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The increase in attendance year over year was more than ten percent. Meanwhile, 38 conference sessions offered knowledge, intelligence and key understanding across broadcast, enterprise, military, finance, MSS, teleport and international markets, featuring approximately 300 top marketplace leaders as speakers.
Of the attendees polled, more than 60 percent reported that they would purchase a product or service from a SATELLITE 2008 exhibitor before the end of the summer. Another 28 percent said they would do so within a year. Nearly half of the attendees said that SATELLITE is the only satellite-enabled communications trade show on their calendar.
Thousands of SATELLITE 2008 visitors took advantage of non-stop networking opportunities, participating in everything from a pro hockey game downtown to the conference welcome reception to the famous SSPI Gala to the WTA and WSBR luncheons to the annual Satellite Executive of the Year shindig. Add into that mix the popular agenda of privately-hosted bashes and hospitality suites and for a shining week in Washington the world satellite community was bombarded with choices – meeting old friends, making new ones, exploring new technologies and new products, and conducting real and serious business all the while.
For me, these statistics just reinforce what we old-timers have known for years – SATELLITE is the biggest, the best, the most innovative and the most targeted conference and exhibition for the worldwide satellite-enabled communications community. With the exhibit hall for SATELLITE 2009 already nearly at capacity, it’s time to make decisions that will affect your presence in the marketplace for years to come. Sign up to attend, reserve your booth space, participate in the speaker nomination process and join us in Washington next March.
I’ll be there to greet you, and I’ll order up warm weather and springtime sunshine for our meeting.
Registration for SATELLITE 2009 will be available in August.
Sign up for Updates to receive notification when registration is open.
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Have an idea for a session at SATELLITE 2009? Know someone who would make a great speaker? Let us know!
Exhibitors and members of the satellite-enabled communications marketplace are welcome to nominate end users, colleagues, or self for speaking opportunities at SATELLITE 2009. All submissions must be received by August 15, 2008. Visit www.SATELLITE2009.com/call and complete the Call for Presentations form.
The SATELLITE conference consists mainly of panel sessions led by technology end-users, top-level executives in the satellite marketplace and experts. The SATELLITE conference is intended to feature content that will best serve the enterprise, military, emergency response, broadcast and commercial markets within the satellite community. Presentations should primarily focus on technologies and solutions, and case studies are also welcome. Sales pitches or commercial presentations should be avoided.
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As the satellite-enabled communications landscape continues to evolve and grow, so too does the SATELLITE 2009 exhibit hall show floor. Already, hundreds of companies have reserved their exhibit space at what is shaping up to be the largest event in our 28-year history. The show floor is currently 87% sold-out - a testament to just how valuable the SATELLITE experience has become. Prime locations on the show floor are going fast - if you’ve waited to secure your exhibit space for the 2009 show, now is the time to lock in the best available location. Please click here to view our current exhibit hall floor plan, and call or email me today to strategically position your company at the largest, most dynamic event in the global satellite-enabled communications market!
SATELLITE 2009 would like to extend a warm welcome to our first-time exhibitors:
For more information on exhibiting or to reserve your booth space, contact Michael Cassinelli, Exhibit Sales Manager, at 301-354-1691 or by email at mcassinelli@accessintel.com.
The SATELLITE conference is a networking hotspot for powerful professionals in the global satellite-enabled communications marketplace. SATELLITE 2009 will bring together top military officials, C-level executives, broadcasters, as well as engineers working on satellite-enabled networks, and will feature a variety of networking events.
Society of Satellite Professionals International (SSPI) Gala
6:30pm-10:30pm Wednesday, March 25
Grand Hyatt Hotel, 1000 H St. NW, Washington, D.C.
SSPI will host its 25th annual Black Tie Reception and Dinner at the Grand Hyatt, Washington. The Gala is the industry’s preeminent social and networking event of the year. For tickets, go to www.sspigala.com or contact jhoil@sspi.org (703) 534-0885.
For more networking opportunities, visit www.SATELLITE2009.com.
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The SATELLITE 2009 Press Room is where you will find the latest news, trends and product launches.
Here is a recent headline:
Scott Chase and Access Intelligence Agree to Extend Contract through 2010
Rockville, Md. – May 12, 2008 – Access Intelligence, LLC, a full service B2B information and marketing solutions provider, is pleased to announce that Scott Chase has agreed to serve as Conference Chairman for the SATELLITE Conference and Exhibition through 2010.
Chase entered the satellite industry as a PR executive with Communications Satellite Corporation (COMSAT) in 1981, after leaving The Washington Post where he was a news staffer for five years. In 1986 Chase was hired by Phillips Publishing (PBI) as associate editor of Satellite News, and soon became the editor of Via Satellite magazine.
Read more
Read all press releases
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SATELLITE 2009 is a proud member of the U.S. Department of Commerce International Buyer Program, which encourages the export of U.S. made products by matching international buyers with domestic firms. SATELLITE 2009 and the Department of Commerce will provide a comprehensive international business center, The Center for Global Commerce, for international attendees at the show which will include matching services, private meeting rooms and business services. For more information, an official letter of invitation or visa details, visit www.SATELLITE2009.com/international/ibp.
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Hughes Signs Broadband Deals With AEN, Primus
Hughes Communications Inc. will provide the broadband satellite backbone America's Emergency Network Inc. (AEN)’s video-Internet emergency communications network, Hughes announced July 17.
Hughes’ Spaceway 3 satellite will allow AEN to transmit up to three simultaneous video streams from any location in the United States, southern Canada, Puerto Rico and several major Latin American cities. The video can be delivered to TV outlets or to publicly available Web pages. In the future, these side-by-side video streams will be sent directly to cell phone, PDAs and other mobile devices. This will enable emergency managers and other officials to transmit to the public real-time emergency information through a variety of delivery platforms.
Separately, Hughes signed an agreement that will allow Primus Telecommunications Inc. to resell HughesNet broadband satellite Internet service to Primus’ small- and medium-sized business customers in the continental United States and Puerto Rico.
TASI To Develop Pair Of Imagery Satellites For 4C Controls
4C Controls selected Thales Alenia Space Italia (TASI) as prime contractor for the delivery of two high-resolution imagery satellites, 4C announced July 17.
The contract will be for the first two satellites and related ground segment for 4C’s planned Earth Observation Multi Satellite Program.
The two satellites are expected to be equipped with a very high-resolution synthetic aperture radar. The first satellite is planned to be in orbit by end of 2011.
SUIRG Registers Opposition To UTC Ku-Band Request
The Satellite Users Interference Reduction Group (SUIRG), has filed a position paper with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) opposing a request to allow terrestrial services in Ku-band.
The Utilities Telecom Council (UTC) has asked the FCC to allow terrestrial fixed services to operate in the 14.0-14.5 gigahertz band. SUIRG claims the proposed action poses a spectrum threat to satellite’s use Ku-band.
"The Ku-band is critical for VSATs, SNG (satellite newsgathering) and mobile satellite services,” Bob Ames, president of SUIRG, said in a statement. “The UTC has failed to show compellingly that the proposed operations will not cause unacceptable interference to the incumbent satellite services operating in that frequency."
SES Astra Wins German Cable Business
SES Astra signed a capacity deal intended to boost a number of independent cable operators in Germany, the company said July 16.
The long-term agreement with KabelDienstLeistungsgesellschaft (KDL), a company representing independent German cable operators, provide two transponders at SES Astra’s new orbital position at 31.5° East to transmit digital free-to-air TV to their networks. KDL is the first customer using transponder capacity at this position.
The independent cable operators provide TV signals from their own headends to several million German households. The cooperation with SES Astra enables KDL to offer the cable operators an optimized access package to digital TV channels, called the transponder optimized program package. The service, scheduled for launch Oct. 8, allows a simple and efficient feed of 22 digital free-to-air TV channels into the networks.
In addition to the contracted capacity, Astra Platform Services will provide technical services to KDL via its play-out center in Unterföhring, near Munich.
"SES Astra has established itself as the prime supplier of signals to cable headends in Germany,” Alexander Oudendijk, chief commercial officer of SES Astra, said in a statement. “With this cooperation, we have found a strong partner to drive the necessary digitalization of the cable networks. We are also very pleased to have closed the first capacity contract for our new orbital position at 31.5 degrees East. This new position will allow us to significantly enlarge and diversify our offer to customers across Europe."
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