September 2015

Stefan Kunz, vice president of business and distribution services at Sky Deutschland. Photo: Sky Deutschland [Via Satellite 09-28-2015] Sky Deutschland, the major DTH operator in Germany and Austria, is likely to be one of the leaders in providing Ultra-HD channels and services in Europe. The operator had already run some early trials and will likely…

Photo: ViaSat [Via Satellite 09-28-2015] ViaSat has received its first Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) from the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for its in-cabin distribution system. This is the first of two significant STCs ViaSat expects to obtain for In-Flight Entertainment and Connectivity (IFEC), with the second STC anticipated in Q1 2016 for its…

Joe Simon. Photo: Folio [Via Satellite 09-28-2015] Encompass Digital Media has appointed Joe Simon as its Chief Operating Officer (COO). In this role, Simon will oversee the company’s operations, products and technology. Previously, Simon served as Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Viacom. He led worldwide technology, Web development and operations for all of the company’s…

Eutelsat 115 West B orbit process. Photo: Eutelsat [Via Satellite 09-28-2015] Eutelsat 115 West B, the first all-electric satellite of Eutelsat Communications’ global fleet, has completed the ascent to geostationary orbit and today began in-orbit tests. Eutelsat’s new satellite is scheduled to enter full commercial service in mid-October, one month ahead of schedule. Eutelsat 115…

AQYR AN/PRS-12 Shown Deployed. Photo: PRNewsFoto/AQYR Technologies. [Via Satellite 09-28-2015] AQYR Technologies received a $100 million Indefinite-Delivery/Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) production contract to provide Global Broadcast Service (GBS) Rucksack Portable Receive Suites (AN/PRS-12) and Suitcase Portable Receive Suites (AN/PRS-11), spares, training, support, and engineering services to the U.S. Air Force and other branches of the military. This sole-source award…

Joe Calderelli, CEO at CPI International. Photo: CPI International [Via Satellite 09-25-2015] Communications and Power Industries (CPI) International’s corporate-level purchase of ASC Signal, a manufacturer of advanced satellite communications, radar and high-frequency antennas and controllers, from former owner Resilience Capital Partners, brings much greater antenna capabilities to CPI, which provides high tech products for the satellite industry and others. CPI’s Malibu…

Orange engineer installs network equipment on board. Photo: Orange Business Services / Business Wire [Via Satellite 09-25-2015] Orange Business Services has released a fully industrialized product to deliver key communications functionality and connectivity required at sea. Maritime Connect allows shipping companies to integrate their fleet into the corporate network and provide Internet access for crew…

An artist’s rendition of Intelsat 20, the satellite with which Intelsat 36 will colocate. Photo: Intelsat [Via Satellite 09-25-2015] Sentech, a broadcasting signal distributor in Africa, has extended its contract with Intelsat for multiple years. Sentech will continue to leverage Ku-band capacity on Intelsat 20 at 68.5 degrees east to cost-effectively expand and enhance its…

SES 15 Ku-band HTS footprint. Photo: SES [Via Satellite 09-25-2015] SES Government Solutions (SES GS) will support the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) on the ground as well as in space. Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems selected of SES GS to build two GEO Uplink Subsystem stations to support the next…

Evolution X3 Satellite Router. Photo: iDirect [Via Satellite 09-25-2015] VT iDirect announced the release of Layer 2 over Satellite (L2oS), a new feature set within the iDirect Evolution platform, allowing satellite to work more seamlessly with other telecommunications access technologies. Service providers are able to use L2oS to simplify deployment of a satellite network and effectively…