News Analysis

Fornebu, Norway, July 24, 2013 — Telenor has reported a return to revenue growth after strong performances in India, Thailand and Sweden. In the second quarter of 2013 Telenor Group reported revenues of US$4.37 billion (NOK 25.7 billion), representing an organic revenue growth of 2 percent. The company saw zero organic revenue growth in the first quarter.

Mexico City, Mexico, July 19, 2013- Mexican satellite opeartor  Satélites Mexicanos, S.A. de C.V. (Satmex) is reported up for sale, according to various media reports quoting surces familiar with the matter.Satmex has reportedly hired Credit Suisse Group AG and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. to represent them in the sale.

According to sources quoted by the Wall Street Journal, the company is currently in its second round of bidding, with around five bidders including private-equity firms and “strategic” corporate bidders.

by Peter Galace

Moscow, Russia, July 19, 2013--Russian officials have suspended all launches of Proton rockets following the July 2 launch failure of a Proton M rocket carrying three GLONASS navigational satellites into space.  The Russian Federal Space Agency, commonly called Roscosmos, announced last week that a Russian State Commission has been established and has started investigating the potential causes of the failure.

Dulles, Va., July 18, 2013--Orbital Sciences Corp. reported lower second quarter revenue by 10 percent, but better profit margins improved its bottom line. Second quarter revenue dropped to US$ 333.1 million, down 10 percent from the second quarter of 2012. Net income rose to US$16.3 million, or 27 cents per share, compared to US$ 14.6 million, or 25 cents per share, as the company benefited from lower interest expenses after refinancing debt last year.

Petah Tikva, Israel, July 18, 2013--Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd.  today announced that it has revised its management objective targets for 2013. Revenue for 2013 is now expected to be between US$ 335 million to US$ 345 million as compared to the previously stated range of US$ 350 million to US$360 million and EBITDA is expected to be approximately 7% as compared to 9%.

London, UK, July 16, 2013--The European Union’s Digital Agenda calls for every citizen and business to have access to broadband that provides at least 2 megabits per second by 2013. Today that’s largely possible. In fact more than 99% of the population of the EU can get ten times that. “Now that twenty megabit bandwidths are commonly on offer and some tariffs offer customers unlimited data the case for satellite broadband has, in our view, reached a tipping point,” says Oliver Johnson, Chief Executive at Point Topic.

Cambridge, UK, July 15, 2013--Amino Technologies reported on Monday flat revenue of GBP20.1 million pounds (US$30.36 million) for the half year that ended May 31, but said its pretax profit rose to GBP2.6 million (US$3.93 million) from £200,000 (US$302,140) as the company benefited from rebates totalling GBP1.7 million (US$2.57 million) on duties paid on international product sales.

The July-August 2013 issue of  the  Satellite Executive Briefing  focusing on the Latin American Satellite Market sponsored by Hispamar is now available.  Featuring:

Brazil Leads the Way in the Hot Latin American Market  by Virgil Labrador

The 'Invisibility Cloak' Antenna to Alter the Satellite Market Reality by Rajiv Hazaray

Back and Forth with Globecomm CEO David Hershberg by Lou Zacharila

China's Space Program Shifts into High Gear by Peter Galace

plus Conference Reports from Entertainment in the Internet Age and World Telecommunications Policy Forum; IndustryBriefs, Market Briefs, Executive Moves, Vital Statistics and Satellite Markets and Research 25^TM Stock Index  and many more.

 Click here to read or download the issue

New York, NY, July 12, 2013 — In a sudden twist of events, 21st Century Fox, NBCUniversal and The Walt Disney Co. stopped the bidding of Hulu and jointly announced that they will maintain their respective ownership positions in the video company. In a statement, the owners said they agreed to provide cash infusion of $750 million to propel future growth.

New York, NY, July 10, 2013--The increase in digital distribution and the continued shift to mobile devices for the delivery of all communications and content, is helping drive revenues for media and telecom companies, according to a recent poll of industry
executives by KPMG.