SES’s Astra 2G satellite has been successfully launched on an ILS Proton Breeze M booster at 03:37:49 Baikonur time (22:37:49 CET and 16:37:49 EST on December 27th). After a nine-hour, 12-minute mission, the Breeze M upper stage of the Proton rocket successfully released the Astra 2G satellite into geostationary transfer orbit. Astra 2G will be […]

California-based satellite broadband operator ViaSat says it intends to offer an unlimited bandwidth service to subscribers once its upcoming ViaSat-2 is in orbit. Launch of ViaSat-2 is due in mid-2016. VCEO Mark Dankberg said his intention is to challenge cable and DSL service providers which are often unable to manage demand from users for higher […]

Ofcom has published its first in the UK since the 4G auction in 2013. The research measured the performance of 4G and 3G services on smartphones from the four main mobile operators – EE, O2, Three and Vodafone – in Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London and Manchester. Helping to improve mobile coverage and quality of service […]

Charlie Ergen will get 60 per cent of new restructured equity in wireless company LightSquared, currently in Chapter 11, according to a deal agreed in the US Bankruptcy Court has announced. LightSquared is the somewhat troubled wireless business looking to develop a US 4G system that’s backed and integrated with satellite coverage.  However, back in […]

Satellite giant SES looks as if it is modifying its expectations. For a start it North America revenues are flat, according to its results released on Oct 31st. It is also suffering a downturn in its ‘governmental’ business now that the US military business is being trimmed because of US budget cuts. SES CEO Karim […]

According to findings from consulting and analyst firm Euroconsult, High Throughput Satellites (HTS) continue to proliferate in 2014 in terms of supply additions (+109 Gbps), system investments (nine new orders) and demand take-up (+40 Gbps). This trend should accelerate considering the 100+ projected new HTS system (payload and satellite) launches over the next decade. As […]

Satellite operator SES is linking with Global Eagle Entertainment (GEE) to provide bandwidth for in-flight connectivity to airlines around the world.  GEE supplies aircraft with WiFi, movies and TV to some 150 airlines around the world. GEE’s “Row 44” division serves more than 520 aircraft including those of Southwest Airlines, Icelandair, Norwegian Air, Transaero, mango, […]

A report from LS Telecom reveals a mobile and wireless industry that is driving hard to gain access to C-Band and other satellite frequencies for expansion of its services while leaving 30 per cent of its existing allocated spectrum unused in most regions of the world. In filings and presentations to national regulators in the […]

French Space Agency CNES has signed a contract with STMicroelectronics and Thales Alenia Space to design new low-cost chipsets for use in consumer terminals looking to use satellite broadband.  The chip, dubbed “Astragan”, will permit video and data download speeds of 10 megabits/second. The contract is worth some €7.5 million, with STM and Thales co-investing […]

Vizocom, a provider of integrated satellite broadband solutions, has selected the Eutelsat 21B satellite operated by Eutelsat Communications to implement a reliable and flexible connectivity service in countries with harsh and challenging environments and limited terrestrial infrastructure. Vizocom’s new AfricAsia Satellite Services will take advantage of two high-power service areas of the Eutelsat 21B satellite […]