The opening plenary session of the IBC2010 conference will feature an address by Sir Michael Lyons, the chairman of the BBC Trust, on the future of public service broadcasting.

The CASBAA Convention 2010 to be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Hong Kong on October 25th – 28th will be focusing on digital content delivery. This year’s theme is “Unlock Your Networks” and it aims to connect the dots between Platforms, Channels, Technologies and Partnerships.

The GVF's global VSAT Certification Program, which was cited recently in the SSPI's Industry Innovator awards ceremony,  is making vital inroads in the maritime satellite space.

In a previous column I noted the GVF VSAT installation training curriculum because it includes a focus on the deployment of systems used in the maritime environment, and would be included in one of the program sessions of the forthcoming GVF Broadband Maritime Europe conference in London on 28th and 29th June (www.uk-emp.co.uk/BMEu.Ldn.2010/).

With almost 3.8 billion people, the Asia-Pacific accounts for over 60 percent of the world population. China and India alone has about 40 percent of the world’s total. Given the rising incomes and improving economic conditions, Asia continues to draw satellite service vendors and equipment manufacturers who are always on the lookout for new opportunities.

Over 60 carriers, advertising agencies, broadcasters, handset manufacturers and application developers gathered at the CASBAA annual CXO Mobility Summit in Hong Kong on May 19 to measure the latest developments in mobile TV and a future roadmap in Asia.

Providers hesitating about getting involved with Rural Access Network initiatives in the region would do well to consider the experience of providers under the Australian broadband subsidy scheme. Even though the challenges faced in developing countries is likely to be far greater, our expectation is that this first mover advantage will be repeated and with greater returns than in Australia. We therefore encourage providers to engage in these initiatives sooner rather than later, whilst putting in place strategies to mitigate downside risks. 

The Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia will kick off the 10th  anniversary of the CASBAA Singapore Satellite Industry Forum on June 14th at the Shangri-La Hotel with a dynamic program – themed "More Than Bandwidth" – with an unrivalled list of clients, operators, satellite manufacturers and launch providers.  

The Asia Pacific satellite transponder market is the most vibrant in the world with hundreds of new TV channels and related platforms ready to launch in support of the world’s largest and most dynamic pay-TV and mobile services sectors.

Over the last few years I have been devoting a not insignificant percentage of my work energies to activities linked to the offshore and maritime sectors – strategically important customers of satellite industry equipment vendors, service providers, and operators. If you are a regular reader of this column, you will know all about the GVF Oil & Gas Communications Europe event that is taking place in Aberdeen, Scotland, as I write; and, about the forthcoming Broadband Maritime Europe 2010 conference that will take place in London, England, 28-29 June.

At the 2010 NAB Show, World Teleport Association was co-producer of the Destination Broadband Theater in the Upper South Hall. In 16 panel sessions over three days, we focused on two closely-related topics: delivering and monetizing video content delivered over broadband, and how traditional television distribution is evolving in response to the broadband revolution.  

Much attention is being paid to consumer broadband service via satellite as this has the potential to match the US penetration of DTH TV and Satellite Radio (DARS). However, there is still a very substantial ongoing business using various types of VSATs to serve commercial and govern-ment needs in developed and developing regions of the world. After all, satellite communications is the best alternative if modern terrestrial infrastructure is not available.