Focus: Telecom

Global mobile data traffic expanded to 69 percent in 2012 and is anticipated to grow to 72 percent in 2013 to reach 23,000 Petabytes.

Global satellite operator Telesat has announced that Axesat, a provider of VSAT services in South America, has signed a long-term contract for capacity on Telesat’s new Anik G1 satellite.

Asia Broadcast Satellite (ABS) is one of the most talked about operators on the planet, and has been on an aggressive growth curve. The company sees Africa as an important part of the equation as it looks to diversify its revenue base. In April this year, ABS appointed Felix Damiba, as its new managing director for Africa.

International Launch Services (ILS) recently announced that communications satellite SES-6 will be launched on June 3, 2013 at 5:18 p.m. EDT from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.

International Datacasting Corporation (IDC) has announced that its new President and CEO Doug Lowther has been appointed to the corporation’s board of directors.

DISH has updated its recently released set-top application, which now delivers on-screen social content relevant to the show or channel a viewer is watching.

Within five years, North America is expected to lose its status as the number one region for in-flight entertainment (IFE) content to the rapidly expanding Asia-Pacific region.

Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel), one of Southeast Asia’s largest telecom companies, has started the sale of Optus Satellite, its Australian satellite unit, seeking more than AU$2 billion ($1.9 billion). SingTel Seeks to Sell Optus Satellite for $2 Billion

SAVIS Tegnologia has selected Advantech Wireless to provide a geographically redundant military satellite communication network system for SISFRON, the largest border security program in Latin America.

Intel, the world’s largest semiconductor chipmaker, has signed an agreement with ST-Ericsson that extends Intel’s investment in positioning technology.