Alcatel Alenia Space Signs Harris Corp. For Commercial Antenna Contract

Harris Corp. has been awarded a contract by Alcatel Alenia Space to supply a 12-meter S-band antenna for Eutelsat’s W2A satellite, Harris announced.
W2A, expected to be in orbit by early 2009, is the first European satellite infrastructure designed for broadcasting video, radio and data to mobile devices and vehicle receivers.

Faria WatchDog Chooses Quake Global Modem For Vessel Monitoring System

Faria WatchDog Inc. has chosen Quake Global Inc.’s Q9612 modem to provide two-way satellite communications for its vessel monitoring system.
The modem is a dual-mode transceiver product that will report position and data when out of range of shore towers. When vessels are within the range of shore towers, WatchDog uses the Cingular GSM network.
The unit provides text messaging, mandated position reporting and activity code declarations, catch and notification forms, and e-mail.

Intelsat Enlisted For South African Mobile Broadcast TV Trial

Direct-to-home TV provider MultiChoice has selected Intelsat to support its mobile broadcast TV trials in the South African metropolitan areas of Johannesburg, Soweto, Pretoria and Cape Town.
The trial aims to refine transmission of digital video broadcasting to handheld technology while better understanding the viewing patterns and content preferences of subscribers for mobile TV.
MultiChoice will uplink 10 to 12 channels of sports, entertainment, news, music and specially developed “made for mobile” content to Intelsat’s IS-902 satellite, which will distribute the content to multiple terrestrial transmitter sites throughout the trial region.

MLB, DirecTV Extend, Expand Multi-Year Content Agreement

Major League Baseball (MLB) and satellite provider DirecTV announced a seven-year agreement to continue carriage rights to the MLB Extra Innings subscription package of out-of-market games, and include the launch of the MLB Channel as part of DirecTV’s basic package, DirecTV announced.
As part of the agreement, DirecTV will become a minority partner in the MLB Channel and work with MLB to develop the network, which is scheduled to be launched in 2009.
MLB and DirecTV included a provision to offer MLB Extra Innings to In Demand and Dish Network.

NewCom Adds SES Americom To Communications Offerings

NewCom International signed a marketing agreement to add SES Americom’s Redisat to NewCom’s communications offerings available across the Southeast United States.
NewCom, a Miami-based teleport operator, will offer Redisat’s always-on, satellite-delivered emergency broadband connection to communications service providers and businesses serving markets including hospitals, banks, hotels and utilities companies, via the AMC-6 satellite.

Telesat Canada Will Assist Pakistan, Vietnam With Satellite Launches

Telesat Canada has been signed by the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission, Pakistan’s national space agency, to assist in the procurement and 2010 launch of the Paksat-1R satellite to replace Paksat-1.
Telesat will initiate, evaluate and recommend manufacturer proposals for the satellite while providing technical and commercial advisors during negotiations. The operator also will help oversee the construction of the new satellite and monitor the launch as well as in-orbit testing.
Separately, Telesat signed a contract to aid in the launch of Vietnam’s first telecommunications satellite.
Under the contract with state-owned Post and Telecommunication Group, Telesat will provide technical consulting and supervise the manufacturing and installation process for Vinasat-1. The satellite is being built by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems and is scheduled to be placed into orbit in the second quarter of 2008 by Arianespace.
VinaSat-1 will carry 20 C- and Ku-band transponders to radio, television and telephone transmission services for Vietnam and the Asia Pacific region.

Shin Satellite Gains IPSTAR New Zealand Deal

Shin Satellite’s subsidiary, IPStar New Zealand, has signed a deal with BayCity Communications to become the exclusive national service operator for IPStar services throughout New Zealand.
BayCity will be responsible for the wholesale supply of all IPStar products and services, including broadband Internet access, bandwidth, user terminals and other value-added services including Voice Over Internet Protocol and IPTV.
The 12-year contract commits BayCity to a minimum purchase of IPStar bandwidth and user terminals valued at more than 100 million New Zealand dollars ($69.3 million).

TBS Taps Eutelsat For European Cable Reach

Turner Broadcasting System Inc. (TBS) has selected Eutelsat Communications to supply capacity and services for delivering three entertainment channels to cable networks in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Luxembourg, Eutelsat announced. Eutelsat will provide a broadcasting package to include multiplexing, encryption and uplinking as well as transmission to cable markets in continental Europe.