Ka-band has evolved quickly from a concept greeted skeptically by the satellite industry to a transformative innovation for specific applications, notably, consumer and SOHO broadband connectivity via satellite. The progress of Ka-band presents both threats and opportunities to the teleport sector. In its current implementations, Ka-band broadband service is implemented through a small number of regional gateways, which effectively limits it as a teleport opportunity. If more applications transition to Ka-band, it is possible that teleports may see erosion in core businesses such as video. On the opportunity side, the Ka-band market is still emerging, and teleport operators may be able to find new revenue opportunities while protecting their existing business. WTA’s Ka-Band White Paper seeks to alert teleport operators to the threats and opportunities created by the continued growth of Ka-band capacity and applications, and to assess what if anything teleport operators are currently doing in Ka-band. Find out more about WTA research reports and white papers.
Keep an Eye Out – WTA (World Teleport Association) to Publish Ka-band Report in September
August 23rd, 2010MTN Wins Five-Year VSAT Contract Extension with Crystal Cruises
August 12th, 2010Satellite TODAY 08-05-10] MTN Satellite Communications (MTN) has been awarded a five-year contract extension with Crystal Cruises to provide its VSAT satellite communication services, the company announced Aug. 4.
MTN will continue providing Crystal Cruises with a range of satellite communication services for guests and crew, including cellular phone service, OceanPhone crew calling, inbound dialing and MTN Worldwide TV. The agreement calls for each ship to have a guaranteed committed information rate of 1 megabyte with the ability to burst to significantly higher bandwidth levels.
“We’ve been very pleased with MTN’s superior level of service and support aboard the Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony. MTN has consistently delivered the best value proposition for at-sea communication needsm,” Crystal Cruises Director of Systems and Operations Bill Roberts said in a statement.
Financial details of the contract extension were not disclosed.
Iridium Receives Commitments for $1.8 Billion Credit Facility for Construction of Iridium NEXT
August 10th, 2010MCLEAN, Va., Aug 4, 2010 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) — Iridium Communications Inc. (IRDM 10.42, -0.03, -0.29%)announced today that it has received in excess of $1.8 billion of commitments from a syndicate of preeminent international banks in connection with the credit facility that will be used to finance the construction of the company’s next-generation satellite constellation, Iridium NEXT. The facility will bear an interest rate below six percent, the majority of which will be fixed rate and will have a repayment term from 2017 through 2024. Iridium expects to sign the credit facility in September and close shortly thereafter. The closing of the facility will be subject to customary conditions as well as conditions relating to the then-current Euro-to-U.S. dollar exchange rate.
Matt Desch, Iridium’s CEO, commented, “This represents another important milestone for Iridium, and we are extremely pleased with the interest in our facility and corresponding support for Iridium. The development of Iridium NEXT is in full swing with our prime contractor, Thales Alenia Space, and we’re on target to launch the first Iridium NEXT satellites in early 2015.”
About Iridium Communications Inc.
Iridium Communications Inc. (www.iridium.com) is the only mobile satellite service (MSS) company offering coverage over the entire globe. The Iridium constellation of low-Earth orbiting (LEO) cross-linked satellites provides critical voice and data services for areas not served by terrestrial communication networks. Iridium serves commercial markets through a worldwide network of distributors, and provides services to the U.S. Department of Defense and other U.S. and international government agencies. The company’s customers represent a broad spectrum of industry, including maritime, aeronautical, government/defense, public safety, utilities, oil/gas, mining, forestry, heavy equipment and transportation. Iridium has launched a major development program for its next-generation satellite constellation, Iridium NEXT. The company is headquartered in McLean, Va., U.S.A. and trades on the NASDAQ Global Market under the ticker symbols IRDM (common stock), IRDMW ($7.00 warrants), IRDMZ ($11.50 warrants) and IRDMU (units).
AVCOM featured in VIA Satellite’s March issue
May 12th, 2010AVCOM is featured….
AVCOM of Virginia launches new website
November 18th, 2009AVCOM of Virginia, a market leader in affordable, high quality spectrum analyzer solutions, has launched a new website. The website will provide a platform to help support their product sales and support. It includes improved customer service features including a blog and support forum.
