November 2015

Thomas Choi, co-founder and CEO of ABS [Via Satellite 11-10-2015] ABS is bringing what could be a step-change to satellite telecommunications by ushering in what it calls Ultra-High Throughput (UTS) capacity with its future satellites. ABS CEO Tom Choi told Via Satellite that the operator’s next satellite, ABS 8, will feature this new technology, and…

Photo: Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company [Via Satellite 11-10-2015] Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company (ADMA-OPCO), a major producer of oil and gas from the offshore areas of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, has signed a contract with Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat) to provide enterprise-grade network connectivity to its rigs through the UAE national…

Space control office. Photo: U.S. Air Force [Via Satellite 11-10-2015] The United States Air Force awarded Harris Corporation a $40 million, nine-month extension of the network and space operations and maintenance contract. The company will support the Air Force satellite control network at two network control locations in the U.S. and at antenna sites throughout…

Guam Remote Ground Terminal (GRGT). Photo: NASA [Via Satellite 11-10-2015] General Dynamics and a consortium of industry partners have finished Increment A4 of NASA’s Space Network Ground Segment Sustainment (SGSS) program A4. This increment includes the ground antenna and associated control systems that are housed in a space Network Operations Center (NOC). The team also…

Optus Thuraya SatSleeve+ Photo: Optus [Via Satellite 11-10-2015] Optus Satellite is providing Thuraya’s SatSleeve+ and SatSleeve Hotspot to customers in Australia, enabling mobile coverage across the entire country where line of sight to the satellite exists. SatSleeve+ connects to a range of iOS and Android devices from Apple, Samsung, HTC, LG, Sony and Huawei, and…

Photo: Panasonic [Via Satellite 11-09-2015] Communications service providers with exposure to multiple markets are tapping into other growth opportunities to shore up their businesses while the oil and gas market contracts. Several players in the energy market underwent consolidation in the past year or two, opening up opportunities in more verticals than oil and gas.…

Etihad Airways is partnering with Yahsat to trial high-speed IFC on board its A320. Photo: Etihad [Via Satellite 11-09-2015] Yahsat, the United Arab Emirates-based satellite operator, has announced its plan to test high-speed, in-flight satellite connectivity using an Etihad Airways Airbus A320. The collaboration will allow both UAE companies to work together to trial in-flight…

Inmarsat headquarters. Photo: Matt Biddulph (Flickr) [Via Satellite 11-09-2015] Inmarsat reported considerable growth in aviation during the company’s third quarter, outpacing other segments in new revenue. Aviation revenue increased 57.5 percent from $11.9 million during the third quarter of 2014, to $32.6 million in Q3 2015, which ended Sept. 30. This contributed to total revenues…

Doha, Qatar. Photo: Jimmy Baikovicius (Flickr) [Via Satellite 11-09-2015] As of October 2015 four satellite pay-TV operators broadcasting from the Arab World — Orbit Showtime Network (OSN), beIN Sports, Al Majd and MyHD — offered a combined total of 280 channels, according to Arab Advisor’s Group. Based on the research group’s new “Satellite pay-TV Operators…

[Via Satellite 11-09-2015] Comtech Telecommunications subsidiary Comtech Xicom Technology has received a $1.7 million contract from a major U.S. system integrator to supply 500-Watt Ka-band Traveling Wave Tube Amplifiers (TWTAs) for High Throughput Satellite (HTS) gateways. These high-power amplifiers will be used to expand existing European infrastructure and add gateway facilities in Africa. Comtech Xicom manufactures tube-based and solid-state…