News Analysis

Broadband at Sea – New Opportunities for Maritime VSAT

by Alan Gottlieb

Inmarsat’s new, Fleet Broadband services is facing never anticipated competition.  Its huge investment in its i4 satellite system and its revenue stream are being challenged by the proliferation of Ku Band deep ocean coverage and new hybrid VSAT/L Band solutions as well as by Iridium’s new OpenPort service. For those merchant shipping users that demand high capacity broadband, typically large fleet owners, rising demand for fixed priced broadband is making Inmarsat’s “pay-by-the-byte” services unaffordable at high usage levels and price-challenged at low usage levels. OpenPortsm offers volume based 128 Kbs service will be available at a cost significantly lower than Inmarsat.

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ISCe Industry Awards Presented to Globecomm’s Hershberg, ATCi and Boeing

San Diego, CA, June 12, 2008--The annual ISCe Industry Awards for Lifetime Achievement, Innovation and  Industry Leadership was presented to Globecomm Systems Chairman and CEO, David Hershberg, ATCi and Boeing, respectively at a gala dinner during the 7thannual ISCe Conference and Expo in San Diego, California.

 

 

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Musey and Team Reach Summit of Mt. Everest!

Summit, Mt. Everest, Nepal, May 27, 2008 – J. Armand Musey and his climbing team successfully reached the 29,028-foot summit of Mt. Everest, capping an arduous six-week expedition over the most challenging terrain in the world.

 

 

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Hannover Fairs USA, Inc. Unveils Action-Packed Program for ISCe 2008

Long Beach, CA, May 7, 2008 – Hannover Fairs USA, Inc.announced today the conference program for its 7th annual ISCe International Conference and Exhibition.  ISCe 2008, scheduled for June 10-12 in San Diego, Calif., will focus on “Access to SATCOM for the Next Decade.” The conference will feature a unique combination of three of the most important communications events for the commercial satellite, military and government markets under one roof.

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Musey to Scale Mt. Everest for Charity

New York, NY, March 25, 2008 — After building a successful career on Wall Street as one of the foremost satellite and telecommunications industry analysts,  J. Armand Musey will leave tomorrow on an expedition to scale Mt. Everest in an adventure that will both complete a personal goal and raise funds for the American Red Cross' International Response Fund (IRF). 

 

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The Future of Broadcasting is Here, Now

by Dan Freyer

Its NAB time again, and as you read this many of us in the industry will be gearing up for that lovely confab in the city of lost wages. I have one recommendation: check out satellite HD, MPEG-4, transcoding, and DVB-S2 products.

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IPTV in the Sky: Risks and ChallengeAhead, But IPTV is Alive and Well on the Satellite Platform

by Howard Greenfield

IPTV continues to offer a mix of opportunities and challenges. As telecoms sprint to become video network operators, broadcast, media, and satellite companies everywhere are placing their bets on what’s around the corner.

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What can the FCC Do Now with the Sirius-XM Satellite Radio Mess?

by Jimmy Schaeffler, The Carmel Group

Many, if not most, who I consulted with through the many months leading to the March 24, 2008, U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Sirius-XM merger-to-monopoly decision, believed it would favor the merger. But just about everyone was nonplussed by the form it took. This is because not only were there no conditions, caveats, or concerns expressed, but the rationale used to justify it was just plain bizarre. Indeed, this satellite radio decision gives new (and derisive) meaning to the words “monopoly,” “competition” and “antitrust regulation” in America.

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Military and Government Market to Continue Reliance on Commercial Satellite Sector

 by Virgil Labrador, Editor-in-Chief

With all the fears of a recession and a tightening financial market hanging over the satellite industry in 2008, one  particular market that has provided a good revenue stream for the industry in recent years may remain constant or even continue to grow.

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