News Analysis

The January-February 2019 issue of  the Satellite Executive Briefing magazine  focusing on a Year-end review of the top stories and key trends in the global satellite industry  sponsored by The Spaceconnection Featuring:

Opportunities in the Satellite Ground Segment Market by Dan Freyer

Developments in the 5G Ecosystem by Elisabeth Tweedie

Guess Who is 'Minding the Gap'? by Lou Zacharilla

The Satellite Value-Add in Geneva and Dubai by Martin Jarrold

Executive Spotlight interview with Mitja Lovsin, General Manager, STN

PLUS Mergers and Acquisitions, Executive Moves, Market Briefs, Vital Statistics  and many more. Click here to read or download the file

By Lou Zacharilla*

New York City, January 3, 2019--I cannot say truthfully that the taste of kava will rival Veuve Clicquot, a smooth Italian Amarone or a glass of New York City tap water for that matter.  But kava does give you a sedating buzz that is a combination of novocaine on top of an hour of Zen meditation.

by Dan Freyer

Los Angeles, Calif, January 3, 2019--The Satellite Executive Briefing spoke with executives from large and emerging ground equipment supplies about challenges and opportunities they are seeing in global and European markets.

Hong Kong, December 17, 2018--Speedcast International today announced that on December 14, 2018 it completed the acquisition of Globecomm Systems for cash consideration of US$ 134 million net of cash acquired.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Dec. 16, 2018 – Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat), a satellite operator based in the United Arab Emirates and wholly owned by Mubadala Investment Company (Mubadala), and Hughes Network Systems (Hughes), a subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (EchoStar) (NASDAQ: SATS), today announced the completion of a joint venture arrangement to provide greater access to commercial Ka-band satellite broadband services across Africa, the Middle East and Southwest Asia.

Montréal, QC, Canada, December 10, 2018– XipLink, the technology leader in Wireless Link Optimization is proud to announce the acquisition and subsequent closing on certain assets of Sevis Systems designed to optimize cellular traffic onto IP-based backhaul links. Specifically, XipLink is acquiring the 6000 series product line for circuit oriented (E1/T1) base station connections, the 7000 series for IP base station connections and all related intellectual property associated with these products. Sevis Systems will continue to focus on their core signaling solutions unrelated to the cellular backhaul business.

Melville, N.Y., Dec. 6, 2018 — Comtech Telecommunications Corp. (NASDAQ: CMTL) today reported its operating results for the first fiscal quarter ended October 31, 2018 and updated its fiscal 2019 guidance.Comtech said net sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2019 were US$ 160.8 million as compared to the US$ 121.6 million achieved during the first quarter of fiscal 2018. It also recorded bookings during the first quarter of fiscal 2019 worth $157.4 million, with a company-wide book-to-bill ratio (a measure defined as bookings divided by net sales) of 0.98. The company said backlog as of October 31, 2018 reflects a near record high of US$ 627.3 million.

by Robert Bell

New York, NY, December 5, 2018--Professional basketball great Koby Bryant once said “Everything negative – pressure, challenges – is all an opportunity for me to rise.” That is the story of 2018 for the global teleport industry.  It has been navigating a period of unprecedented change in market demands, applications, pricing, costs and investment needs – and it has been creating opportunities for a new wave of growth in the process.  Or as comic legend Milton Berle put it, “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.”

by Elisabeth Tweedie, Associate Editor

London, UK, December 5, 2018--A year-end summary of key events is always a difficult task. How to select, which ones to highlight out of the many things that have happened and are still unfolding? This article focuses on Europe, the Middle East and Africa, (EMEA), so I have to start with Yahsat and Thuraya.

by Peter I. Galace, Associate Editor

Manila, Philippines, December 5, 2018--Fueled by a surge in global satellite transponder demand that is expected to reach US$ 28.65 billion by 2026, the Asia Pacific satellite industry, propped up by a projected 5.6% regional economic growth in 2018 and 2019, continues to be on the roll.  Today, there is a rush for High Throughput Satellite (HTS) with the opening of new opportunities and capabilities in numerous vertical markets across the region to fulfil the growing connectivity demands well into the future.