Staff Writer

Fiber-optic and satellite operator Vyvx Inc. announced Jan. 8 that it completed its purchase of MGS Services Inc., Viacom Inc.’s [VIA] broadcast adver tising distribution provider. MGS duplicates commercials and […]

Tel Aviv, Israel-based VSAT manufacturer Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. [GILTF] completed its purchase of Melbourne, Fla.-based paging and satellite hardware manufacturer Skydata Inc. Gilat paid with approxi mately 8 percent […]

Haven’t seen enough DBS ads recently? Philadelphia-based Primestar Partners plans to uncork a $150 million marketing campaign this spring to lead up to its planned launch of 65 additional channels […]

The Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association (SBCA), working with a local retailer from Meade, Kansas, announced Jan. 15 it petitioned the FCC to preempt an "aggressive" Meade ordinance limiting satellite […]

Hot on the heels of last month’s launch of the third Inmarsat 3 satellite, the KPN Group, the Dutch telecommunications giant, has launched a worldwide campaign to promote its Altus […]

Last month, Chatsworth, Calif.-based Schaeffer Magnetics Inc. delivered two solar array drive assemblies, related electronic controls and a lens-cover actuator to TRW Inc. [TRW], which is building the Lewis remote […]

Horsham, Penn.-based Toner Cable Equipment Inc. announced that it now is a distributor of Ortel Corp.’s [ORTL] 3100/4100-series fiber optic link system, which enables satellite anten nas to be located […]

Echostar Communications Corp. [DISH] released its latest settop box on Jan. 8, and plans to begin retailing the new unit in February for $499. The receiver, dubbed Echostar 5000, features […]

DBS subscribership increased by 83.7 percent, or 2 million new subscribers, in 1996, according to newly released figures from the Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association. There are now more than […]

The Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association (SBCA) elected Patricia Ruggieri, Sony Electronics Inc.’s national marketing manager-DSS products, as chairwoman-reception systems segment of its manufacturer’s commit tee. SBCA also named Ruggieri […]

Keystone Communications Corp. announced it has leased three additional C-band transponders aboard the Galaxy 4 spacecraft to expand its occasional-use C-band transponder capacity by 50 percent. The new transponders will […]

Richmond, British Columbia-based Radarsat International and the Canadian Space Agency signed an agreement with Japanese space agency NASDA whereby NASDA will receive remote sensing data from Canada’s Radarsat satellite at […]

The Argentine Nahuelsat consortium said last week that Princeton, N.J.- based GE American Communications Inc. [GE] agreed to buy a stake in the Latin American satellite venture. GE Americom, a […]

Hughes Communications Inc. [GMH] has upgraded its web site, introducing new customer service and information resources. One new section includes the bi annual Sun outages that can impact every satellite […]

Globalstar L.P. [GSTRF] announced last week it had awarded Government Systems Inc. a five-year, $15 million network services contract to provide end- to-end managed data services for the Globalstar Data […]

SSE Telecom Inc. [SSET] has named Tom Breeden vice president, business development. He previously served as vice president and general manager of SSE DataCom. (SSE Telecom, 47823 Westinghouse Drive, Fremont, […]

Telecommunications executives now can receive daily business news and analysis at COMMUNICATIONS TODAY (www.CommToday.com), a new online news and information service launched TODAY, by Phillips Business Information, Inc. The web […]

The U.S. Air Force last month narrowed to two the field of companies vying for the right to develop the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV). Following a 15-month process, Lockheed […]

Henniker, N.H.-based MPN Components Inc.’s new GPS Pro Map features software from Blue Marble Geographics. The unit is compatible with most GPS handheld receivers for office or field mapping applications, […]

Litton Guidance & Control Systems division [LIT] recently won a contract for replacement navigation equipment for the U.K. Royal Navy’s Sea Harrier ship-borne aircraft. The company’s LN-100G INS/GPS product, which […]

Navigation Technologies (NavTech) recently licensed its navigable map data base to Comdata RoTec for use in a routing and scheduling system. The NavTech products used are LoadPlanner, ServicePlanner and R.S.V.P. […]

Trimble Navigation’s [TRMB] 8100 GPS Navigation Management System received the FAA’s Supplemental Type Certification. The units are being installed in Eastern Australia Airlines‘ aircraft. (Lea Ann McNabb, Trimble, 408/481-7808.)

A new study from Mountain View, Calif.-based Frost & Sullivan titled "World Airport Ground Equipment Markets" envisions a huge market for GPS-based landing systems. The study says that the biggest […]

Racal Avionics‘s contract to upgrade all of the Royal Navy’s front-line helicopters with GPS has increased in value, the company said. The new contract will make the total contract worth […]

Rockwell International‘s [ROK] new Collins Flight2 Systems product line provides autonomous traffic capability, weather and terrain awareness, seamless navigation and guidance from take off to landing for fixed- and rotary-wing […]

Smiths Industries Aerospace recorded a 12 percent increase in profits for the fiscal year that ended in August. The company recorded profits of $70.2 million on sales of $584.5 million […]

Chicago-based Global Technology Communications Inc.’s "Navigating Your Way to Profits Through GPS-Wireless Integration" will be March 19-20 in Chicago. Topics include new markets and applica tions, service providers, who will […]

Alexandria, Va.-based Institute of Navigation’s (ION) National Technical Meeting will be Jan. 14-16 at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel in Santa Monica, Calif. Topics include the Wide Area Augmentation […]

The Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association’s (CEMA) 1997 International Winter Consumer Electronics Show (CES) will feature an ITS pavilion. The Winter CES show will be Jan. 9-12 at the Sands Expo […]

The first test of the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) with GPS guidance apparently was a bust, reports GPNN’s sister publication DEFENSE DAILY. The U.S. Air Force said that the […]