Television might well be the world’s most universal technology. Almost the entire surface of the planet now has TV signal coverage, with television sets in over 1.4 billion households worldwide, representing 98% of dwellings in developed countries and nearly 73% in the developing world.

CASBAA, in association with Campaign Asia Pacific, will hold its inaugural TV Upfront – The Singapore Screenings on Tuesday, December 13, 2011 at the Goodwood Park Hotel, Singapore. A half-day networking and preview experience for media buyers, agency heads and clients and led by the Asia TV Advertising Coalition (ATAC), the invitation-only presentations will promote pay-TV as an effective promotional tool for companies looking to maximize marketing budgets.

High Throughput Satellites (HTS) will increasingly be a key addition to the offshore communications industry’s portfolio, as energy-sector interests demand more broadband for less cost. The projection of strong demand for HTS solutions was one of several prominent topics explored during the “GVF Oil & Gas Communications South East Asia” conference (O&GCSEA2011) held 22-23 November at the Crowne Plaza Mutiara Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

A quick look at the supply numbers seems to indicate that the previously hot satellite market in Sub-Saharan Africa has the potential to become an oversupply fiasco for the FSS industry. During the run up of the African market, satellite operators of every stripe decided to launch new capacity into the region with NSR estimating over 300 TPEs of new and replacement C- and Ku-band capacity will be launched in the coming two years for Sub-Saharan Africa alone.

NSR’s Global Direct-to-Home (DTH) Markets, 4th Edition study finds the DTH market continues to drive satellite demand and revenue worldwide amidst a troubling economic climate and increasing competition. DTH services utilized 950 Ku-Band 36 MHz Transponder Equivalents (TPEs) in 2010. In the same year, DTH platforms delivered almost 16,900 SD, HD, and 3D television channels to nearly 140 million subscribers, and generated over $75 billion in subscription revenues.

The  Global VSAT Forum (GVF) has launched a global campaign to assure that communications customers will continue to have unfettered access to Ka-Band spectrum for delivery of state-of-the-art consumer, government and enterprise solutions.

New York City, November 3, 2011 by Robert Bell

As interactivity becomes an essential component of the television experience, how will it affect the satellite business? For one thing, there is the lingering concern that, sooner or later, a ubiquitous high-speed Internet will take over many of the applications currently delivered via satellite.

London, UK, November 3, 2011 by Howard Farr

How is the buying and selling of satellite space and managed services changing? Is it purely transactional and becoming more commoditized? Will a no commission, web-based marketplace catch on where the buyer and seller can find each other instantaneously and for a much reduced cost of sale?

Economic stagnation and financial uncertainty across U.S. and European markets, the continuing significant political unrest manifest in the “Arab Spring”, the litany of manmade conflicts and natural disasters across the globe (including serious flooding in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and the Philippines), concerns over hydrocarbon-based energy supplies, consumption, prices, and climate change impact – short-, medium-, and longer-term problems, and justified news headline-grabbers all!

The global pay TV market, including telco IPTV, cable and satellite video services, totaled $125 billion in the first half of 2011  and is forecast by Infonetics Research to grow to $353 billion by 2015. according toits Pay TV Services and Subscribers report, which forecasts and analyzes the telco Internet protocol television (IPTV), cable video, and satellite video services markets.