Focus: Telecom

Thuraya Telecommunications Company announced a strengthened alliance with Astrium Services through the launch of IP+, SatSleeve and Maritime Broadband in Asia.

n an effort to connect people in rural and remote areas, help fill coverage gaps, and bring people back online after disasters, Google will release 30 high-tech balloons in the first trial of Project Loon.

Eutelsat has launched a new tool for accurate pointing of satellite antennas for consumers, installers, VSAT operators as well as news agencies, broadcasters and service operators carrying out newsgathering operations.

SES announced that the company’s President and CEO Romain Bausch plans to step down from his position at the next annual general meeting of shareholders in April 2014.

Alphasat has left Astrium’s facilities in Toulouse after completion of its final integration and test campaign. The satellite is now en route to Kourou, French Guyana, to be prepared for its launch aboard an Arianespace Ariane 5 rocket, scheduled for the end of July.

ViaSat is launching Exede Voice, becoming the first satellite Internet service provider to offer U.S. residential telephone service.

DISH and nTelos Holding Corp. have now deployed broadband service near Waynesboro and Afton, Va. using wireless spectrum in the 2.5 GHz range.

While Hughes and ViaSat have placed orders for High Throughput Satellites (HTS) in recent months, officials at Space Systems/Loral (SSL) said they also expect there will be additional orders this year for HTS as demand continues to increase.

Northrop Grumman recently delivered the first of approximately 20 electronics units for the fourth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite payload, allowing the integration and test phase of production to get under way.

Astrium took its commitment to the “ALM with Africa” initiative a step further this week. The program’s first pilot phase is launched in Porto Novo, Benin, with a comprehensive workshop to open the dialogue between participating parties and identify industrial and training needs.