Thales signed a binding agreement to acquire LiveTV, JetBlue’s fully-owned subsidiary for a total of US$ 400 million dollars. The sale which is subject to regulatory and other approvals is expected to be completed in mid-2014.

ORBCOMM Inc. a provider of Machine-to-Machine (M2M) solutions, today announced that it has completed the acquisition of Euroscan Holdings, B.V, a supplier of refrigerated transportation temperature compliance recording systems. Based in the Netherlands, Euroscan’s integrated turn-key systems are used worldwide to ensure the safe and secure transportation of food and pharmaceuticals by monitoring and assuring temperature compliance throughout the supply chain.

CET Teleport is merging  with the Limeline Group and all of the companies in the two organizations are to be rebranded under the "Onlime Group." The expanded business will have offices in Germany, UK, India, Sierra Leone, Angola, DR Congo, South Africa and UAE, with several more in the pipeline.

Arab Satellite Communication Organization (Arabsat) and Telesat Canada (Telesat) have signed a strategic commercial agreement under which Telesat will utilize a lifetime Ku-band payload on a the new satellite Hellas-sat-4.  The new satellite’s RFP is going to the market in March as part of Arabsat’s RFP for its 6th generation satellites. The RFP will incorporate the design and manufacture of four new satellites.

Inmarsat plc today reported consolidated preliminary financial results for the year ended 31 December 31, 2013. 
Inmarsat reported Adjusted total revenues of  US$ 1,249.6m (2012: $1,277.6m) and Adjusted EBITDA of US$ 639.8m (2012: $642.8m).

Total Inmarsat Global MSS revenue was US$ 762.4m up 3.3% (2012: $738.0m). Profit before tax US$ 189.1m (2012: $293.6m). Adjusted profit before tax was US$ 365.3m up 8.6% (2012: $336.4m) . The company giave a dividend of 28.82 US cents up 5% from 2012.

CABSAT, the leading professional content management event in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA), will debut the cutting-edge Content Delivery Hub – a dedicated platform for multiscreen digital entertainment solutions, turn-key content sourcing, management and marketing of content – during the event’s 20th anniversary celebrations at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) next week.

HISPASAT, the Spanish satellite operator, reported 201.4 million euros in revenues in 2013, a increase of  0.57% from 2012. Excluding the adverse exchange rate effect, this increase would have been 4.35%, mainly due to the increased sales results from markets outside of Spain.  

The Latin American market accounted for 55.6% of revenues per space capacity (+2.4% from 2012), while Europe and North Africa represented 44.4% (-2.2% from 2012). In 2008, before the economic crisis, these percentages were 31.5% and 68.5%, respectively.

UK-based Set-top box manufacturer Pace reported a 2.7% increase in revenues to  US$ 2,469.2 m  from 2012: US $2,403.4m in 2012.  Adjusted EBITA was  up 22.5% to US$ 193.6 m from  US$ 158.1m in 2012. 

Pace said it expected revenue of about US$ 2.70 billion this year, with an operating margin of around 8.5 per cent.

Pace CEO Mike Pulli said the firm had a “sustainable high level of cash generation,” made good strategic progress and said there is “significant opportunity for further improvement.”

In 2013 ABI Research estimates one out of every ten pay TV households had access to applications on the set-top box – applications include news and information services, service provider specific apps, OTT video, games, and music services. By 2019 nearly 40% of pay TV households should have access to similar services and features. Video will remain the focus for entertainment applications - consumers’ penchant for OTT video underscores the importance of video and how operator application libraries will evolve.

This month’s column provides updated information about the GVF MENASAT @ CABSAT 2014 – Satellite Interference Summit, which will take place at the Dubai International Conference & Exhibition Centre (DICEC), in Meeting Room Al-Ain F (above Halls 1 and 2), on 12th and 13th March.