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.

The World Teleport Association today released Satellite Operator Benchmarks 2013, the third annual WTA global study. The study tracks, rates, and compares the operational and commercial performance of satellite operators, as experienced by teleport operators. The objective of the annual study, now in its third year, is to strengthen the global industry by encouraging self-improvement among all operating companies.

IPTV subscribers experienced strong growth in 2012. The success of IPTV, particularly in Asia, is due to strong growth in maturing markets like China and South Korea. Currently, China has the most IPTV subscribers worldwide and that trend will likely continue. The fastest growing IPTV regions continue to be emerging markets like Latin America and the Middle East/Africa which today have relatively few IPTV services, but hold great promise in the future, according to a new report by MRG Research Group. 

Inmarsat plc has reported a drop in its full year 2012 profit before income tax to US $293.6 million from US$366.9 million last year after revenues dried up from the ill-fated LightSquared plan to create a new mobile network in the US.

Profit to equity holders also decreased to US$217.1 million or $0.48 per share fromUS $249.3 million or US$0.54 per share last year. Adjusted profit per share was $0.60 compared to $0.53 prior year.

The number of satellite transponders required by Indian TV broadcasters and DTH operators is expected to double or triple over the next five years, according to a new report from CASBAA, the apex Asian association of the cable and satellite television industry. Entitled “Easing India’s Capacity Crunch,” CASBAA’s report was released today at the CASBAA India Forum 2013 in New Delhi. Developed with knowledge support from PwC India, it forecasts that transponders required by the DTH industry will rise from 73 in 2012 to more than 220 in 2017 to meet burgeoning demands by Indian consumers.