Up In The Air

Texas-based systems integrator Proactive Communications Inc., or PCI, has been using satellite technology to integrate camp communications of US government personnel in the Middle East. It has established a partnership with Australian satellite specialist, NewSat Ltd, to use the Adelaide teleport facility specifically for mission critical communications purposes.

What PCI does is convert data, which comes in the form of radio signals, into data streams through IP addresses. Once this is accomplished, the IP data streams are backhauled or transmitted over a satellite orbiting the earth to a telecommunications port facility, in this case the station located in Adelaide. It is essential for military personnel to rely on a systems integrator company because in military camps, the communications systems vary.

PCI comes into the frame by integrating all these systems and networks to make sure that communications are working properly for use by medical staff, emergency technicians, soldiers, and even construction staff. Regions of conflict often have damaged terrestrial infrastructure so wireless communications modes, often through satellite, is crucial for the success of any military operation.

The reason why Proactive is using teleport services in Australia is due to the geographic advantages of the said country. Australia’s location in the Southern Hemisphere allows for better coverage since it has optimal look angles into both Africa and the Middle East.

Teleport facilities housed in the state of South Australia are located in a remote region which makes them less prone to frequency interference common in stations operating near crowded, urban regions. The remoteness of the state allows the ground stations to connect to a greater number of satellites in the sky. South Australia also enjoys low rainfall and mild weather conditions suited for teleport facilities. No major earthquakes occur in the area too.

At present, more and more companies outside of the defence industry are turning to teleport facilities in Australia because of its geographic advantages. US-based organizations find these ground stations down-under appealing because Australia, as an allied country, shares similar foreign policies as Washington.

In fact, during the Satellite 2012 event, which was held in the US capital, the Australian ambassador to the use recognized the satellite sector down under for distinguishing itself in the global stage. With demand for satellite capacity increasing, operators based in Australia are looking to supply these needs by focusing on innovative technologies, and aggressively launching new infrastructure, including commercial satellites running on the new Ka band spectrum.

The Australian federal government has been keen on underpinning the nation’s strength in satellite technology in restructuring its space policy. Whereas the country has lagged behind Europe and the US in terms of international space activity, it’s looking to refocus efforts with the “Satellite Utilisation Policy”, a legislation supporting the growth of the nation’s satellite industry.

NewSat is gaining more clients in the Middle East.  The company announced that a South Asian satellite reseller serving the Middle East has signed a satellite capacity deal. The payload on the upcoming Jabiru-1 Ka band satellite will mainly serve the client’s Afghan market. The recent deal has increased the pre-sold capacity on Jabiru-1 to more than $600 million. NewSat said it cannot reveal the name of the satellite carrier, citing satellite and competitive reasons.

Jabiru-1 is now in its sixth month of production. Lockheed Martin is expected to complete the Ka band satellite by 2014. Arianespace has been contracted to launch the satellite. 

Read More

(Source: release-news.com)

via MARKET WATCH

HERNDON, Va., June 19, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — VT iDirect, Inc. (iDirect), a company of VT Systems, Inc. (VT Systems), today announced that Bentley Walker Ltd., one of the largest VSAT network operators in Europe, purchased a Universal 15000 series hub to enhance the company’s satellite service offerings in Iraq and Afghanistan. Bentley Walker’s new hub will run on Avanti’s Ka-band HYLAS 2 satellite, which is set to launch in June and will open up significant new satellite capacity throughout the Middle East and Africa. iDirect is a world leader in satellite-based IP communications technology.

Read more on this satellite industry development

The SES-5 satellite was designed and built for SES by Space Systems/Loral (SS/L), a leading manufacturer of commercial satellites. The spacecraft, to be positioned at the orbital slot of 5 degrees East, features 36 active Ku-band transponders and up to 24 active C-band transponders. It will feature two Ku-band beams, one serving customers in the Nordic and Baltic countries and the other one serving Sub-Saharan Africa as well as two C-band beams, one with global coverage and one with hemispheric coverage over Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The satellite provides Ka-band uplink capability, allowing for flexible operations between Europe and Africa. SES-5 is designed to deliver high performance and extensive coverage for Direct-to-Home (DTH) services, broadband, maritime communications, GSM backhaul, and VSAT applications in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Continue reading

(Source: marketwatch.com)

Arab FTA Sat TV channels grow by 19% in 2011

The number of FTA satellite channels in the Arab World increased by 19.3% between April 2011 and March 2012 to reach 642 channels (fully operational channels reached 565). Arab Advisors Group research revealed that the highest percentage of the analyzed FTA satellite channels were privately owned general channels.

Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, host the highest number of FTA satellite channels in the Arab World.

Read More

(Source: ameinfo.com)