E-letter: News Feed

Consumer groups and broadcasters took aim at News Corp’s [NYSE: NWS] proposed acquisition of Hughes Electronics [NYSE: GMH] last week by demanding that restrictions be placed on the combined organization […]

The Inspiration Networks (INSP), a Christian content programmer, has agreed to use PanAmSat [Nasdaq: SPOT] to deliver its message nationwide. The Charlotte, N.C.-based programmer has signed a long-term transponder lease […]

By Jimmy Schaeffler The cable versus satellite battlefield was featured during a panel discussion at the recently held National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) conference in Chicago (see SN, June […]

Princeton, N.J.-based SES Americom officials contend that their aggressive schedule for deploying new and replacement satellites makes good business sense, despite the general industry view that there is excess satellite […]

Alcatel Space received two contracts worth a combined $340 million to build communications satellites based on its Spacebus 3000B3 platform. One order, worth $190 million, was received from Brazilian satellite […]

Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems, a unit of Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT], has been awarded a contract to build two communications satellites for SES Astra, a unit of SES Global […]

France’s Arianespace and Italy’s ELV have signed a collaboration agreement that would enable Vega rocket launches at Europe’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. ELV, as industrial prime contractor, will be […]

Hughes Network Systems (HNS) has signed an agreement to supply TM SAT, a privately owned Russian satellite service provider, with a DirecWay broadband satellite network. That network would include a […]

Satellite telephone usage in post-war Iraq is on the rise as U.S. and coalition forces take control of the country, with thousands of users making more than 1 million calls […]

The International Telecommunication Union’s World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) wrapped up its first week in Geneva with an ambitious agenda of spectrum-related initiatives. Among the list of 48 agenda items is […]

By Thomas W. Watts EchoStar Communications [Nasdaq: DISH] and DirecTV have had a fantastic run. In less than 10 years, they have captured 20 million of America’s 100 million TV […]

The UK is experiencing one of the fastest growth rates in broadband use, although the take-up rates for satellite broadband remain low. These were two of the main conclusions of […]

Europe will become a more important market for conditional access vendor (CA) The Kudelski Group this year. This is the view of CEO André Kudelski, who cites the recent contract […]

Intelsat is confident its entrance into the satellite pay-TV market in Hong Kong will be a success through its joint venture with Television Broadcasts (TVB). The venture, called Galaxy Satellite […]

105.5 degreesE: Asiasat 3S D The new domestic and international Pakistani TV channel, PTV National, has launched with a free-to-air service on 4108 MHz vertical, SR 6666, FEC 3/4, VPID […]

Despite the fact that it is shifting an impressive 100,000 units a month, it appears UK digital terrestrial television (DTT) alternative Freeview is not having an impact on satellite pay-TV […]

WorldSpace has high hopes for satellite radio in Europe. The success of XM Satellite Radio [Nasdaq: XMSR] and Sirius Satellite Radio [Nasdaq: SIRI] in the United States has shown that […]

Alcatel Space has received two contracts worth a combined $340 million to build communications satellites based on its Spacebus 3000B3 platform. One order, worth $190 million, was received from Brazilian […]

The High Court in Hong Kong ruled June 11 found five defendants guilty of importing and trading in unauthorized satellite TV signal decoding equipment. In the ruling, a judge granted […]

Paris-based Alcatel Space has signed a 148 million euro ($173 million) contract with KT Corp. [NYSE: KTC] and the Korean Agency for Defense Development to build Koreasat 5 – a […]

Canada’s MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates [TSX: MDA] has been awarded the first phase of a multi-million dollar contract by an unidentified prime contractor in the United States to work on […]

Marcelo Sant’Anna has been named general manager of Loral Skynet do Brasil, the Brazilian subsidiary of New York-based satellite communications firm Loral Space & Communications [NYSE: LOR]. Sant’Anna will be […]

On June 7, a Proton K rocket successfully placed SES Americom’s AMC-9 satellite into geostationary orbit at 85 degrees West Longitude. The launch occurred at 4:15 a.m. local time (6:15 […]

General Technologies has launched satellite broadband services in the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe following a six-month pilot phase. General Technologies aims to provide services to all types […]

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has awarded more than C$3 million (US$2.2 million) in contracts to nine Canadian companies to develop uses for satellite-based Earth Observation data and applications. The […]

Hughes Network Systems (HNS), a Germantown, Md.-based satellite broadband unit of Hughes Electronics Corp. [NYSE: GMH], has launched a new satellite broadband program that will enable tenants of shopping centers […]

Mexican carrier Aero Mexico has ordered avionics and in-flight entertainment systems from Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based Rockwell Collins [NYSE: COL] for 11 new Boeing 737-700 aircraft. The avionics package includes a […]

CHICAGO–Direct broadcast satellite (DBS) service providers are looking to add sports programming to their lineups in an effort to entice subscribers away from cable TV. Both Hughes Electronics’ [NYSE: GMH] […]

The Federal Aviation Administration – along with other aviation agencies around the world – is moving ahead with implementation of the Future Air Navigation System (FANS), which uses satellite communication […]

CHICAGO–Bundled product offerings that feature video, broadband, data and new interactive services will help cable TV operators gain a significant competitive advantage over the satellite TV industry, cable industry leaders […]