People
Spectrum Astro
Promotes New Executives
Spectrum Astro promoted Daren Iverson to vice president of contracts and finance and CFO. His new duties include the oversight and management of Spectrum’s financial and contractual affairs involving approval of customer contracts and procurements, cost analysis, corporate/program finance and accounting operations. Iverson joined the company in 1996 and most recently served as director of contracts.
The company also promoted Shari Weisbach to director of contracts. In her new position, she will be responsible for all customer contracts, including program finance and scheduling activities, and will be involved in the day-to-day financial operations. Weisbach joined Spectrum in 2001 as the business manager for the SBIRS Low program.
Services
ATSI
Completes Asia Pacific Network
Application Technology Strategy Inc. (ATSI) completed a project to extend the services and reach of the private broadcast network of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The Church built one of the most extensive private satellite broadcasting networks reaching more than 5,000 worldwide locations.
ATSI directly assisted the headquarters of the Church, Bonneville Satellite (a division of Bonneville International), and Brigham Young University to develop and implement the newest section of the network, the entire Asia Pacific region.
In addition to full-motion digital video MPEG 2 transmission, the network is upgradable for two-way high-speed data communications using VSAT technology.
GLOBECAST
Launches New Satellite Platforms
Globecast launched a series of new transatlantic satellite platforms via Eutelsat’s expanded fleet.
Globecast’s Atlantic Bird 3 (C-band) Platform at 5 degreesW offers customers a solution from Europe to reach the European continent, the United States East Coast, Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia with one hop. It allows for applications such as TV and radio channel distribution, IP connectivity, plus delivery for corporate networks with multiple receiving sites across Africa and the Indian Ocean. The Ku-band platform provides one-hop access from either the United States or Europe to the entire European continent, the Middle East and North Africa for direct-to-home, cable headend delivery, IP connectivity and corporate network distribution.
Globecast’s Atlantic Bird 1 (Ku-band) platform at 12.5 degreesW offers programmers a dedicated transatlantic ad hoc gateway reaching Europe and the Middle East, the East Coast of North America and full continental coverage of South America. Useful for news, special events and sport contributions, Globecast’s network broadcast mode ensures simultaneous program delivery to all three continents with one uplink.
KVH INDUSTRIES
Equips Luxury Vehicles
California-based Becker Automotive Design, a luxury sport utility vehicle (SUV) conversion firm, added the power of satellite TV and high-speed mobile Internet access to its SUV limousines. Using the TracVision satellite TV and TracNet mobile Internet systems from KVH Industries, Becker Automotive Design now offers its executive business and celebrity clients connectivity with more than 300 channels of news, entertainment and audio, as well as two-way mobile Internet access.
PANAMSAT
Expands Satellite Coverage
Panamsat Corp. successfully completed the final customer transition to its Galaxy 3C satellite, making the spacecraft the 22nd in its global fleet. Operating at 95 degreesW, with 24 C-band and 52 Ku-band transponders, Galaxy 3C will support some of the world’s video and telecommunications powerhouses for its operations across North America, South America and the Caribbean.
Contracts
ECHOSTAR
Delivers BTV Service
Echostar Communications Corp. and its Dish Network Business Solutions will deliver business television for H.H. Gregg, a retailer of home appliances and consumer electronics and a Dish Network satellite TV retailer.
H.H. Gregg will deliver strategic communications and training broadcasts to all sales managers and store personnel in 45 locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and Ohio using Dish Network satellite TV equipment. H.H. Gregg will broadcast approximately four hours a week of training broadcasts to announce new and upcoming products to its employees.
ENCODA SYSTEMS
Upgrades Alliance Atlantis
Encoda Systems upgraded Toronto-based Alliance Atlantis to the latest version of Encoda’s Paradigm management system. In a single integrated system, Paradigm delivers management solutions for traffic, programming, material management and finance for Alliance Atlantis’ Broadcast Group.
Paradigm modules installed at Alliance Atlantis are Traffix, Program Control and Material Manager.
GILAT
Wins Contract In Colombia
Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. won a contract from the Colombian government for two Compartel projects, including the installation and operation of 500 telecenters that will provide Internet connectivity and telephony services in cities and towns throughout Colombia and a 3,000-site fixed rural satellite telephony network. The total value of the contracts is approximately $65 million.
The telecenters project works by Gilat’s Skystar 360 degreesE broadband VSAT platform, while the telephony project will deploy the company’s DialAw@y IP telephony and Internet platform.
GLOBECAST
Welcomes Jordan TV
Jordan TV launched broadcast service in America via the Globecast WorldTV Direct-to-Home platform on Telstar 5.
Jordan TV, the international satellite service of the Jordan Radio and Television Corp., broadcasts 24/7 live from Amman to all Arab countries, southern Europe, Turkey, West Iran and parts of Africa. The Arabic-language satcaster is now available in North America free to air exclusively on Globecast WorldTV.
IJET
Partners With Roadpost
iJet Travel Intelligence, a travel risk management company, and Roadpost Inc., a global communications solutions company, formed a strategic partnership to help business travelers stay connected. iJet and Roadpost customers can access iJet’s destination briefings online and iJet’s real-time travel alerts on Roadpost’s cellular and satellite phones in more than 140 countries.
Through the integration of iJet’s Worldlink service and Roadpost’s wireless communication services, travelers receive real-time, itinerary-based alerts about events and conditions that may impact their trips.
INTELSAT
Signs Deal With Vodacom
Intelsat South Africa (Pty) Ltd. signed a five-year contract with Vodacom International to provide satellite capacity to enable Vodacom’s expansion of mobile telecommunications services to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique and Tanzania.
Intelsat is providing capacity on its 904 satellite at 60 degreesE to carry the telecommunications traffic generated to and from more than 20 base stations and switching centers around and inside the African countries, as well as into the public switched network.
ND SATCOM
Wins WAN Contract
ND Satcom AG won a contract to provide a major North American broadcaster with a satellite based network for managing media contribution through its North American broadcast infrastructure.
The wide area network will be implemented throughout the next six months and will significantly improve the existing satellite backbone. ND Satcom will be responsible for the provisioning, integration, testing and commissioning of the overall system.
PETROCOM
Signs Agreement With Cox Sports
Petroleum Communications Inc. (Petrocom) signed a multi-year agreement with Cox Communications Louisiana LLC to supply satellite uplink services to broadcast Cox Sports Television, the company’s new 24-hour regional sports network.
Cox Sports Television recently announced a 10-year exclusive telecast agreement with the NBA’s New Orleans Hornets. Other agreements to air programming include the New Orleans Saints as well as college football, basketball, baseball and other sporting events from ESPN Syndication.
SIRIUS
Outfits Hertz Rental Cars
Sirius Satellite Radio service is now available in a range of rental cars from Hertz at major airport locations in California and Florida.
Sirius and Hertz will initially make available approximately 20,000 Sirius units for renters of Ford Motor Co.’s Taurus, Windstar, Expedition, Explorer, Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis models.
SKYSTREAM NETWORKS
Signs Deal With BT
Skystream Networks signed a deal with BT Broadcast Services (BTBS). Under the agreement, BTBS will deploy Skystream’s Edge Media 5000 Routers for its interactive corporate TV service, BT Enfocast.
BT Enfocast brings together the interactive elements of the Internet and broadcast technology to enhance fundamental business processes such as training, internal communications, and investor, partner and customer relations.
SPOT IMAGE
Signs Raytheon As New Partner
Spot Image S.A. and Raytheon Australia signed a three-year channel partnership contract for exclusive Spot distribution rights to all Australian clients. This includes the distribution of all Spot products and services to government, commercial and academic markets.
Raytheon will manage the reception, archiving and processing of Spot telemetry from the Spot 2, 4 and 5 satellites using an Australian-based receiving station. This includes the installation of a Spot 5 terminal for reception and high-speed processing of imagery from the latest satellite.
STANDARD COMMUNICATIONS
Supports SNG In The Middle East
Standard Communications received new orders for its L1000 low delay video encoder/modulator used in satellite news gathering and for its SDR422CI Omni Digital receivers. A major news organization used the encoder for on-location feeds from locations in the Middle East during the tense moments in October and November.
TAMPA MICROWAVE
Wins A Five Year Supply Contract
Tampa Microwave Inc. won a five year IDIQ contract by Spawar, of Charleston, SC, to supply tri-band satellite simulators. The simulators will be used for training personnel on the operation of various tri-band satellite terminals. If fully funded throughout a five year period the contract value will be $2.7 million.
L-3 SATELLITE NETWORKS
Acquires Wolf Coach
L-3 Satellite Networks has purchased Wolf Coach, an Auburn, MA, privately-held company that is one of the leading integrators of complex communications systems into vehicles specifically designed for military, civil and first responder use. Satellite Networks occasionally partnered with Wolf Coach to integrate its satellite communications systems into vehicles for some of its customers.
Technology
ANALYTICAL GRAPHICS
Releases STK/Scheduler
Analytical Graphics Inc. (AGI) and business partner Orbit Logic Inc. released the STK/Scheduler, a commercially available software enabling spacecraft engineers and operators to schedule all aspects of operations. STK/Scheduler uses tasks, resources and events generated by AGI’s Satellite Tool Kit (STK) to produce scheduling solutions based on configurable figures of merit.
This new scheduling software is applicable to a variety of tasks throughout the aerospace industry including satellite and ground station scheduling; system architecture design; missile defense evaluation; astronomical observation planning; and consumable resource sizing. (Analytical Graphics Inc., 40 General Warren Blvd., Malvern, PA 19355-1245; Tel: 610/578-1000; Fax: 610/578-1001; Web: http://www.stk.com)
CROSS TECHNOLOGIES
Debuts Translator Product
Cross Technologies introduced its new RF to RF frequency translator. The Series 2083 converts 70 MHz to 140 MHz (-07) or 140 MHz to 70 MHz (-14) with no spectrum inversion, low group delay and flat frequency response. It offers selectable gain of 0 or -10 dB with BNC female connectors, and a chassis which is 1RU X 14". (Cross Technologies, 6170 Shiloh Rd., Alpharetta, GA 30005; Tel: 770/886-8005; Fax: 770/886-7964; Web: http://www.crosstechnologies.com)
DETERMINISTIC NETWORKS
Introduces New Line Of Software
Deterministic Networks Inc. introduced the first two offerings in its new line of NetworkJustice Internet traffic-engineering products.
Deterministic’s new NetworkJustice Traffic Analyzer is scalable software that collects critical performance and usage data over time. This data enables network managers to determine the most effective traffic-control policies and predict trends in the networks traffic patterns.
NetworkJustice FairShare is a scalable quality of service software that guarantees fairness among users and applications while strictly controlling available bandwidth.
The new products are useful for ISPs in the wireless, DSL, satellite and cable markets. (Deterministic Networks, 245M Mt. Hermon Rd., #140, Scotts Valley, CA 95066; Tel: 831/421-0388; Fax: 831/421-0394; Web: http://www.deterministicnetworks.com)
IDIRECT
Introduces Latest Software
iDirect Inc. unveiled its newest software, version 3.1. By offering new features such as iGuard security, VoIP performance, innovative quality of service capabilities and a network management system, iDirect serves satellite network operators and large enterprise customers requiring IP over satellite networking capabilities.
Software Version 3.1 adds special support to address the real-time requirements of voice traffic, such as latency and jitter and iGuard allows critical business communications to be securely transmitted in IP format over the satellite segment, allowing secure RF transmission. (iDirect Inc., 10803 Parkridge Blvd., Reston, VA 20191; Tel: 703/648-8000; Fax: 703/648-8379; Web: http://www.idirect.net)
KVH INDUSTRIES
Presents TracNet 2.0
KVH Industries introduced its new, faster TracNet 2.0 mobile high-speed Internet system. TracNet 2.0 offers an expanded array of features making it one of the most versatile mobile broadband Internet systems available to mariners throughout North America, according to the company. Among these enhancements are standard coverage that now includes Alaskan and Caribbean waters, KVH’s integrated Velocity Acceleration software that significantly boosts transmission speeds, and the ability to maintain a two-way Internet connection even when the TracVision antenna is being used for satellite TV reception. (50 Enterprise Center, Middletown, RI 02842; Tel: 401/847-3327; Fax: 401/849-0045; Web: http://www.kvh.com)
NEWPOINT
Offers New Compass Product
Newpoint Technologies released Compass 5.0d. This product introduces many new features and enhancements into the Compass product, such as the Compass Macro Recorder. With this feature, operators can begin to record a session, then go into the Compass displays and exercise a number of commands for setting up a feed, test environment or a service. As they execute each command, the Macro Recorder records each step of the process. When the operator is complete, they can stop recording and the session is saved in the form of a script. (Newpoint Technologies Inc., 13 Red Roof Lane, Salem, NH 03079-2929; Tel: 603/898-1110; Fax: 603/898-1113; Web: http://www.newpointtech.com)
SDTV
Rolls Out Production Vehicle
SDTV introduced "ExpandoLink", one of the nation’s first expanding digital production trucks with satellite uplink.
With a 50 foot tractor-trailer, ExpandoLink’s design, layout and versatility make this truck a complete solution for multi-camera live remote events, according to the company. (SDTV, 4004 La Salle St., San Diego, CA 92110; Tel: 619/293-7777; Fax: 619/223-3626; Web: http://www.sdtv.com)
