Sep 30, 2009, post by Satellite News
Telesat, the world’s fourth largest fixed satellite services operator, informed that it has completed agreements for new satellite capacity with two of its key clients, Bell TV and EchoStar Corporation (Nasdaq: SATS).
Bell TV, the leading provider of direct-to-home services in Canada, has agreed to utilize a new Telesat direct broadcast satellite which is scheduled for construction beginning in the first quarter of 2010. The new satellite will augment Bell TV’s capacity and capabilities at its prime orbital locations of 82 and 91 degrees West. EchoStar, which had previously contracted for half the capacity of Telesat’s new Nimiq 5 satellite, has now committed to use the entire available Nimiq 5 payload for the anticipated 15-year life of the satellite.
“We are very pleased to have entered into arrangements that meet the strategic requirements of Bell TV and EchoStar, two longstanding and important Telesat customers,” said Dan Goldberg, Telesat’s President and CEO. “We look forward to the launch of Nimiq 5 scheduled for later today and beginning construction on the new satellite for Bell TV early next year.”
Nimiq 5 is scheduled for launch on a Proton rocket September 18th from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan (September 17th in Ottawa) and is intended to operate in geostationary orbit from 72.7 degrees West. EchoStar expects to provide capacity from Nimiq 5, which has 32 high-powered Ku-band transponders, to its customer, DISH Network L.L.C., a wholly owned subsidiary of DISH Network Corporation, for the delivery of direct-to-home television services.
Sep 30, 2009, post by Satellite News
The Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) informed that Subhash Chandra, the Chairman and Founder of Zee Entertainment Enterprises in India, will be a keynote participant in the CASBAA Convention 2009 in Hong Kong on November 4th.
Chandra, a change-making pioneer for India’s booming pay-TV market, will feature in an “In Conversation” segment of the Convention 2009 programme with Steve Marcopoto, President of Turner International Asia Pacific.
According to CASBAA, Zee Entertainment Enterprises helped to spearhead the Indian television miracle which now has more than 500 million viewers worldwide. Analysts have long described Chandra as ‘Starting to think where others stop’.
With 28 pay-TV channels in India and network distribution in more than 167 countries plus investments in DTH, cable operators, newspapers, theme parks and movie theatres, Subhash Chandra will deliver extraordinary insights into the development of the Indian media and telecoms market.
Subhash Chandra will top a bill that already includes Ronnie Screwvala, CEO and Founder, UTV Software Communications and Lalit Modi, Chairman & Commissioner of the wildly popular Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket series. “This will be a truly spectacular week in Hong Kong,” informed Marcel Fenez, the Chairman of CASBAA.
Capped by a Bollywood themed CASBAA Charity Ball, the Convention 2009 will also feature an in-depth plenary session examining the Indian TV market of today and tomorrow for subscription and advertising supported services. Tony Worthington, Global Head of TMT, Standard Chartered; Anurradha Prasad, Chairperson, BAG Network; Jagjit Singh Kohli, MD and CEO, Digicable Network; Rahul Johri, SVP & GM, Discovery Networks AP and Jagi Mangat Panda, MD, Ortel Communications will be among the panelists.
The CASBAA Convention 2009 is supported by more than 100 sponsors and partners including the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau (CEDB) of the HKSAR Government; AGB Nielsen Media Research; Al Jazeera; Arianespace; AsiaSat; Bloomberg Television; Celestial Movies; CNBC Asia; Comcast Int’l Media Group; Discovery Networks AP; Disney-ABC Int’l TV; Eurosport; GlobeCast; Harmonic; HBO Asia; Invest Hong Kong; MEASAT Satellite Systems; MGM Channel; NDS Group Ltd; Newtec; Qualcomm MediaFLO Technologies; Oracle Communications; Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison; Playboy TV Int’l; PricewaterhouseCoopers; SES World Skies; Sony Pictures Television; Synovate; Tiger Gate Entertainment; Trace; Travel Channel; Turner Int’l and TV5MONDE.
Sep 30, 2009, post by Satellite News
Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES), the global leader in broadband satellite networks and services, today informed that its HughesNet Managed Network Services offering now supports government telework initiatives. By delivering a single comprehensive solution encompassing multiple broadband technologies, HughesNet Managed Network Services ensures uniformly high-quality and secure services at all locations, enabling agencies to streamline administrative processes and lower costs.
“Telework initiatives are recognized as a high priority by the Obama administration, which has challenged agencies to streamline their operations and spend fewer taxpayer dollars,” said Tony Bardo, assistant vice president for government solutions at Hughes. “HughesNet Managed Network Services is an essential solution to help them deliver on both of these objectives. It supports incremental telework programs, resulting in increased employee productivity and enhanced continuity of operations by ensuring employees remain connected during an emergency; and it allows agencies to lower costs by outsourcing network services to a single trusted vendor rather than trying to manage an array of providers responding to inquiries.”
