News Analysis

Johannesburg, South Africa, October 8, 2013 — Fox International Channels (FIC), a 21st Century Fox company, is buying Setanta Africa, the broadcaster whose television channel bouquet takes football, rugby, martial arts and other sports to a million homes in sub-Saharan Africa.

Melville, N.Y., October 8, 2013 — Comtech Telecommunications Corp.'s fourth-quarter earnings fell 35 percent after posting sales declines throughout its operations, most notably in its mobile data communications segment. Comtech said net sales dropped to $84.4 million for the fourth quarter and $319.8 million for full year of fiscal 2013 ended July 31, 2013, compared to $112.8 million and $425.1 million for the same periods in fiscal 2012.

Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, October 3, 2013 — Netgem announced consolidated revenues of €24.1 million (US$32.84 million) for the third quarter of 2013 taking its nine-month consolidated revenue to €57.9 million (US$78.9 million).

Scottsdale, Ariz., October 3, 2013--The ability to deliver high quality, high definition video streams across home area networks to devices using multiple formats and multiple screen sizes is crucial to the success of content and service providers. Pay-TV providers, particularly cable providers looking to avoid becoming simply a "dumb" pipe, are increasingly implementing plans to provide content to consumers via multiple types of devices within and outside of the home, according to MRG.

Rochelle Park, NJ, October 1, 2013 – ORBCOMM Inc., a provider of Machine-to-Machine (M2M) solutions, today announced that it has completed the acquisition of Comtech Mobile Datacom Corporation’s (Comtech) Sensor Enabled Notification System (SENS) operation, which includes satellite hardware, network technology and web platforms. SENS is a market leader in providing one-way satellite products and services to more than 20,000 subscribers worldwide.

The October 2013 issue of  the  Satellite Executive Briefing  focusing sponsored by Newtec is now available.  Featuring:

Satellite Industry Remains Stable.. For now by Elisabeth Tweedie

Case Study: Remote Monitoring of Leased Equipment

A Ripening 'Satellite Nation'  by Lou Zacharilla 

ICT and the Hydrocarbons MarketPlace by Martin Jarrold

plus Conference report on VSAT 2013, IndustryBriefs, Market Briefs, Executive Moves, Vital Statistics and Satellite Markets and Research 25^TM Stock Index  and many more.   Click here to download the issue

Hampshire, U.K., October 1, 2013 — Sydney-based Macquarie Group Limited ,  a global investment banking and diversified financial services company, is reported to be auctioning off its 25 percent stake in Arqiva, a telecommunications company that provides infrastructure and broadcast transmission facilities in the United Kingdom and Ireland. 

Englewood, Colo., September 30, 2013--Vivendi and EchoStar Corp. announced today that EchoStar Technologies LLC and Vivendi subsidiary GVT have entered into negotiations to form a joint venture for pay TV services in Brazil.

by Peter Galace

Los Angeles, Calif., September 27, 2013--Given the fast changing configuration of the satellite-cable TV market, is the merger of DirecTV and its chief rival Dish Network now appropriate and sensible?  The answer is a clear “yes” from both companies. 

Miami, FL, Sept. 23, 2013 — Emerging Markets Communications (EMC), a satellite and terrestrial communications solution provider and satcom technology manufacturer, has acquired STM and its affiliate entities Global IP and Vodanet Brasil.