September 2015

Onlime satellite dishes. Photo: Onlime [Via Satellite 09-10-2015] Onlime has upgraded its 15-meter C-band antenna connected to Measat’s Africasat 1a with a high power C-band modular High Power Amplifier (HPA) from General Dynamics Satcom Technologies. The new HPA allows for a switchless redundancy, configurable Radio Frequency (RF) output power, and extremely low Mean Time to…

Artist’s rendition of ABS 3A. Photo: Boeing [Via Satellite 09-10-2015] The all-electric satellite ABS 3A, built by Boeing for Asia Broadcast Satellite (ABS), is operational following an on-orbit handover on Aug. 31. The satellite, based on the Boeing 702 Small Platform (SP), launched on March 1 with Eutelsat 115 West B aboard a SpaceX Falcon…

Artist’s rendition of Hispasat 1e. Photo: Hispasat [Via Satellite 09-10-2015] Hispasat has launched a new permanent service, offering 4K TV transmissions using High Dynamic Range (HDR) format. The service is now available through the European beams of Hispasat 1E, and launched in collaboration with Cellnex Telecom, Dolby, RTVE and Thomson Video Networks. The goal of…

Intelsat EpicNG’s coverage map with its first two satellites. Photo: Intelsat [Via Satellite 09-10-2015] Television and Radio Broadcasting Network of Armenia (TRBNA) has partnered with Intelsat to implement a Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) network on Intelsat 33e, the second scheduled satellite in Intelsat’s next generation High Throughput Satellite (HTS) fleet, Intelsat EpicNG. The broadcaster will use…

IDC Headquarters. Photo: Google Maps screen capture [Via Satellite 09-09-2015] International Datacasting Corporation (IDC) is on the mend after an agreement for Pico Digital to acquire its broadcast products business fell through. The company’s shareholders rejected the transaction in June, resulting in a series of fees and stunted business opportunities. Though revenues continue to be…

The new Harris-built antenna for GOES-R satellites. Photo: Harris Corp. [Via Satellite 09-09-2015] Harris Corporation, the prime contractor and system integrator for the ground segment dedicated to the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites-R (GOES-R) series, has finished the first of six 16.4-meter antennas. The antenna is operational and is serving as the primary link to the…

Light Lines. Photo: Nathan Harper (Flickr) [Via Satellite 09-09-2015] Singtel, Orange, Deutsche Telekom, and Telefonica have teamed up their startup arms, Singtel Innov8, Orange Fab, hub:raum, and Telefonica Open Future, respectively, to link the startup ecosystems across Southeast Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. The partnership will enable selected startups to tap into…

SES’ Digital Network Operation (DINO). Photo: SES [Via Satellite 09-09-2015] SES’ wholly owned subsidiary SES Platform Services has launched Liquid VOD, a new solution for Video-on-Demand (VoD) over satellite, and Lucid OVP, and Online Video Platform (OVP) for broadcasters, platform operators and Over-the-Top (OTT) players looking to launch online video offerings. Liquid VOD enables VoD…

The Hylas 2 satellite. Photo: Avanti [Via Satellite 09-09-2015] Avanti Communications and Global Invacom, in partnership with Microsoft and the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) program, are demonstrating satellite broadcasting using standard IP-enabled networks such as Ethernet or Wi-Fi. The home platform uses the SAT>IP protocol to offer up to…

A cell phone tower. Photo: Ryan Greenberg (Flickr) [Via Satellite 09-08-2015] High Throughput Satellite (HTS) services are poised to catalyze growth in cellular backhaul, according to a recent study from Euroconsult. The research firm expects HTS will contribute significantly to more than $1 billion in capacity revenues by 2025 in its “Prospects for Cellular Backhaul in…