March 2015

NovelSat NS3000 satellite modem. Photo: NovelSat [Via Satellite 03-11-2015] NovelSat released an upgrade for the Satellite Modem Operating System (SMOS) for the NovelSat NS3000 and NS300 satellite modems. The improvement addresses challenges more specific to higher frequencies, such as Ka band, that are more susceptible to attenuation from weather fluctuations. The “weather-proofing” software upgrade is…

Telekom Austria Group. Photo: Telekom Austria Group [Via Satellite 03-10-2015] Telekom Austria believes its satellite broadband service in Austria, as well as Central and Eastern Europe, where the telco operates, has the potential to reach up to a third of households in these territories. The opportunity is likely to be smaller in Austria, which has…

President Kikwete of Tanzania (right) being interviewed by AzamTV’s Tido Mhando. Photo: Eutelsat [Via Satellite 03-10-2015] Azam Media signed a new deal with Eutelsat for capacity on the Eutelsat 7B satellite to continue growing its new pay-TV platform AzamTV. The platform carries 55 channels, providing television content to 200,000 subscribers across Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania,…

A Globecomm-built teleport. Photo: Globecomm [Via Satellite 03-10-2015] UAE-based teleport operator du awarded Globecomm a multimillion-dollar contract to build a new teleport for the company to relocate. The new facility, also located in the UAE, will host more than 50 Earth stations supporting C, Ku and Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) frequencies with satellite antennas ranging…

The Costa Diadema, a ship in Carnival Cruise’s fleet. Photo: Carnival Cruise Line [Via Satellite 03-10-2015] Harris CapRock is delivering increased bandwidth levels to Carnival Cruise Line ships in an effort to enhance fleet-wide Internet access and keep up with increasing customer demand. As part of the program, Carnival is offering passengers a range of…

Thuraya Headquarters. Photo: Thuraya [Via Satellite 03-10-2015] SpeedCast has established a distributor agreement with Thuraya to expand its satellite mobility solutions and mobility product portfolio. Under the agreement, SpeedCast will now have access to Thuraya’s portfolio of mobile satellite products and services, including Thuraya SatSleeve, XT satellite phones, and land and maritime broadband terminals. The…

Russian Express AM5 satellite rendering. Photo: Wikipedia [Via Satellite 03-10-2015] Russian integrator Ka-Internet has delivered a Hughes Jupiter System to the Russian Satellite Communication Company (RSCC). RSCC will use the system as its platform for high-performance satellite broadband services in Siberia and the Far East. Ka-Internet installed a Jupiter Gateway at the Russian operator’s Satellite…

Sami Boustany, CEO of Yahlive. Photo: Yahlive [Via Satellite 03-10-2015] UAE-based satellite broadcasting company YahLive’s latest survey has revealed the viewing habits of the Farsi speaking community. Global market research company IPSOS conducted the survey, which consisted of several thousand interviews in Farsi. The survey found that content from YahLive, which services markets in the…

Martin Coleman, executive director of the satellite Interference Reduction Group (IRG). Photo: IRG [Via Satellite 03-09-2015] The satellite Interference Reduction Group (IRG) plans to shift its focus this year to concentrate more heavily on mitigating VSAT interference. Martin Coleman, executive director of IRG, told Via Satellite that while carrier ID, which works by embedding a…

An aerial view of Oshima-Mura, Japan, 11 days after a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami in 2001. Photo: U.S. Navy/ Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Dylan McCord [Via Satellite 03-09-2015] Boeing announced an equity stake in Softbank Satellite Planning Corp., a division of the Tokyo-based Softbank Group, to help create concepts for a national…