CASBAA returns to Thailand to host an in depth forum examining the multichannel TV industry in the country with Thailand in View 2013, 30 May at Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld.

SpeedCast Ltd today announced the buyout of Pactel International, a satellite communications service provider based in Australia. Pactel provides satellite communications solutions throughout Australia and the Pacific.  The company focuses on servicing its customers’ requirements for Internet, private networking and voice services.  Founded in 1999, Pactel is headquartered in Sydney, Australia, and has additional offices in Perth, Australia and Jakarta, Indonesia.   

The 2013 edition of ITU’s flagship regulatory report ‘Trends in Telecommunication Reform’, released today, highlights the increasingly global nature of information and communication technology (ICT) regulation and the crucial link between effective regulation of the ICT sector and the range, quality and affordability of ICT services available to consumers and business users alike.

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After months of eager anticipation, Intelsat Global Holdings S.A has finally announced details of its initial public offering this year. Intelsat said it was offering 21.74 million common shares and 3 million Series A mandatory convertible junior non-voting preferred shares in its IPO. 

Intelsat has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase an additional 3,260,869 common shares and an additional 450,000 preferred shares. 

ITU Telecom World 2013 is continuing the ‘one conversation that matters’ this year in Thailand under the theme ‘Embracing Change in a Digital World’. This is supported by a new website launched today to complement the event’s focus on high quality discussion and debate.

Preparations are underway for ITU Telecom World 2013, which will take place in Bangkok, 19 – 22 November, where we will build on the success and findings of last year’s event in Dubai.

Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SingTel) is conducting a strategic review of its Optus Satellite business to optimize value for its shareholders. SingTel said it has appointed Credit Suisse and Morgan Stanley as financial advisors to assist with the review. 

Industry officials attending the Satellite 2013 conference in Washington DC last week speculated that APT Satellite of Hong Kong, partly owned by ChinaSat, and Eutelsat of Paris could both be potential bidders for the Optus assets if they are bidded out.

The way content is now delivered has rapidly advanced in leaps and bounds. Demand from viewers for better content on multiple platforms has prompted many producers in Asia to seek ways to produce good and right content that has global appeal. With the massive amount of content out there, good quality content has become essential in order to stand out among the competition, as well as pull in and retain viewers’ attention.

 According to Euroconsult's newly released research report,Government Space Markets, World Prospects to 2022, government spending on space reached a peak in 2012 of $72.9 billion, a non-negligible increase compared to 2011 which followed two consecutive years of minimal growth. This upswing is attributed to increased activity of countries such as Russia, China, India and new world or regional leaders who compensated for budget uncertainties affecting North America and Europe. Euroconsult expects global government expenditures on space to decrease due to fiscal policies exerting continuous pressure on public finances; improvement is not expected before 2015.

Asia Satellite Telecommunications Holdings Limited reported on Friday turnover rose 10% to US$242.8 million (HK$1.884 billion) in 2012 while net profit grew by 11% to US$117.8 million (HK$914.491 million).

AsiaSat said its consolidated turnover in 2012 increased by US$21.5 million (HK$167 million) after the company disposed of its entire interest in SpeedCast, its 100% wholly owned VSAT operation, in September 2012. The sale resulted in a gain of US$15.33 million (HK$119 million) in the company’s net profit for 2012.