Focus: Telecom

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.

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently launched an inquiry into allegations that multiple satellite fleet operators, including Intelsat, have been purportedly abusing their market position.

Sea Launch and Eutelsat announced the finalization of an agreement to launch the Eutelsat 3B spacecraft 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.

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.

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.

JetBlue Airways is more than doubling its contract commitment to $20 million for in-flight connectivity services, called Fly-Fi powered by Exede Internet, while ViaSat will bill for bandwidth charges based on the service take rate for each flight

The U.S. House Armed Services Committee is addressing concerns on foreign commercial satellite services, under a measure recently passing through committee – H.R. 1960, the National Defense Authorization Bill for

Astrium has just renewed a partnership contract with Télécoms Sans Frontières (TSF) to continue satellite communications support for disaster and emergency relief missions across the world

SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation announced that it has entered into an agreement with satellite manufacturer Space Systems/Loral (SSL) for the construction of its new communications satellite JCSAT 14

Inmarsat, a provider of mobile satellite communications services will partner with Satcom Direct, a provider of satellite voice, fax, datalink and Internet communications solutions, to take its GX Aviation proposition […]

Gigasat has announced the signing of a contract with the New Zealand Ministry of Defense. This new deal is for the supply of Wideband Global Satcom (WGS) certified flyaway satellite […]

Eutelsat Communications is partnering with Slovenia’s Telekom Slovenije to offer high-speed satellite broadband to the almost 90,000 homes that remain unserved by broadband networks in rural areas of the country. […]

Astrium Services has enhanced its hybrid communications network offering for mining companies operating in remote areas. The service improvements follow an extension of Astrium Services’ MPLS capabilities through a new […]

Yahsat has selected Astrium Services Government to offer Yahsat’s Military Ka-band service to the U.S. government. The service will allow any U.S. government or Department of Defense end user to […]

Earlier this month, SpeedCast announced it was launching a new Ka-band service to serve key North Africa and Middle East markets. The company, which used to be owned by AsiaSat, […]

PlanetiQ, a commercial provider of satellite data used for weather forecasting, space weather prediction, and climate monitoring worldwide, announced it has hired Timothy Puckorius

Satmex 8 at SSL facilities prior to shipping to launch base. Image credit: SSL [Satellite TODAY 06-11-13] Satmex has seen increased revenue and successfully grew its backlog during the first […]

Astrium has been awarded the payload module contract for the European Space Agency’s (ESA) future astronomy mission Euclid, due for launch in 2020

The role of High Throughput Satellites (HTS) in Asia is still to be determined. While the demand for broadband services based on satellite is there, rainfade and the regulatory environment […]

Asia Broadcast Satellite (ABS) has selected Henry Au-Yeung to be its new chief network officer (CNO).

Satellite service provider atrexx has added a new service platform to its product portfolio, specifically targeted at meeting the broadband demand in Libya and Afghanistan. Two Ka-Band spot beams of […]

Satellite communications will lead the way for broadcast, broadband, and a cellular backhaul within Asia, according to ETL Systems, an RF distribution equipment design and manufacture firm.

Mobile 3G networks in Africa are set to benefit from the new-generation Newtec modems ...

Globalstar announced the completion of Jarvinian's testing of TLPS, a wireless broadband technology using new carrier-grade equipment manufactured by Ruckus Wireless ...