TIWS provides global telecommunication services for fixed and mobile carriers, ISPs and content providers including Telecomunicacoes de Sao Paulo (Telesp). The SkyEdge II network will enable TIWS to deliver satellite broadband services including corporate VPN and Internet connectivity throughout Brazil.

“In just 42 days we plan to begin launching and deploying our second-generation satellite constellation, years ahead of our primary competition,” said Tony Navarra, President, Global Operations for Globalstar, Inc. “Once the new constellation is fully deployed next year, we expect that competitive advantage will have expanded to as many as six years or more. We will also once again reliably provide the world’s finest quality mobile satellite voice and fastest mobile satellite handset data services to commercial and government customers in more than 120 countries. Combined with our affordable and award-winning suite of consumer retail SPOT products, Globalstar will unquestionably offer the world’s most extensive lineup of high quality mobile satellite services to the broadest range of commercial and retail consumer customers around the globe.”

A total of four launches carrying six satellites each will be conducted by launch services provider Arianespace using the Soyuz launch vehicle which has been used to successfully launch Globalstar satellites on eight previous occasions. The Company plans to integrate the 24 new second-generation satellites with the eight first-generation satellites that were launched in 2007, to form a 32 satellite constellation. The new constellation is expected to secure Globalstar’s space segment beyond 2025.

Once the six new Globalstar satellites are in operational orbit, the most immediate service improvement will benefit those customers who use the Company’s voice and Duplex data services. With each subsequent launch, these customers can expect a progressive return to the high reliability and service quality enjoyed before 2007.

Once fully deployed the advanced second-generation constellation and next-generation ground network are designed to provide Globalstar customers with enhanced services featuring increased data speeds of up to 256 kbps in a flexible Internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS) configuration. Products and services supported are expected to include: push-to-talk and multicasting, advanced messaging capabilities such as multimedia messaging or MMS, mobile video, geo-location services, multi-band and multi-mode handsets, and data devices with GPS integration. The second-generation satellites are also designed to support Globalstar’s current lineup of voice, Duplex and Simplex data products and services including the Company’s lineup of SPOT retail consumer products.

First Ascent is a joint venture of Eddie Bauer and Whittaker Mountaineering. All mountain guides for the First Ascent team are provided by Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. (RMI).

On May 24th, the Eddie Bauer First Ascent team completed the expedition, which featured Leif Whittaker and RMI guide Dave Hahn. Leif Whittaker retraced American and family history when he reached the Everest summit 47 years after his father Jim became the first American to do so on May 1, 1963. Expedition leader Hahn reached the Everest summit for the 12th time, more than any non-Sherpa in history.

Stratos and its Channel Partner Remote Satellite Systems International joined forces to provide the BGAN system that enabled the nine expedition members to maintain contact with their project team and upload photos, video and dispatches to the First Ascent Blog (http://blog.firstascent.com/).

BGAN uses portable, lightweight terminals to provide video (guaranteed up to 384 kbps streaming), high-speed data (up to 492 kbps) and voice connectivity anywhere in the world. Stratos Dashboard, the foundation of The Stratos Advantage value-added services, was used to monitor BGAN airtime usage during the expedition.

This Everest expedition was a perfect demonstration of Stratos ChatCard Data with a BGAN system. Stratos ChatCard Data enables each BGAN user to expand the use of their prepaid Stratos ChatCard to include Internet access. It also allows users to control their Internet costs on an individual basis.

With Stratos ChatCard Data, each user’s costs are calculated separately and charged via the Stratos ChatCard, a prepaid calling card that can easily be reloaded online with a credit card. It can be used on all Inmarsat and Iridium terminals, including BGAN and FleetBroadband.

“BGAN has proven to be a convenient, reliable communications tool on two trips to Everest and one trip on Mt. Aconcagua over the past two years, and we look forward to using it on our Mt. Vinson expedition this fall,” said RMI Operations Manager Jeff Martin. “For this year’s Everest trip, Stratos ChatCard Data made BGAN deployment even easier because each expedition member was in control of their own use. This was far more convenient than last year’s expedition, when we manually kept track of each person’s usage – which can be difficult at sea level, let alone high atop Everest Base Camp.”

The modular solution combines high-bandwidth broadcast contribution feeds with BGAN-type newsgathering for new remote connectivity applications. When combined with the Advent Mantis antenna, the NewsLite unit becomes a two-box sub-23-kilogram solution.

“NewsLite is highly configurable and more versatile than traditional suitcase and manpack solutions and will significantly reduce operating costs. NewsLite includes the latest enhancements to our Advanced Mobile Gateway functionality to enable high speed Internet access and two-way office network extension into the field; while IP-over-ASI means more bandwidth efficient file transfer over satellite,” Vislink spokeswoman Ashley Dove said in a statement.

Signing this important milestone contract with Niclas Ingeström, CIO, Stena Line IT services, Tore Morten Olsen, CEO, Marlink commented, “To provide free WiFi Internet access puts Stena in a strong competitive position. To achieve this they have purchased a significant upgrade of the system bandwidth, with access to 8 Mbps satellite closed user group capacity, which will give their passengers total contact throughout their voyage. We have worked with Stena for some years breaking new ground as we have developed unique services. They were our first customer to provide pay-per-use on our Internet@Sea Prepaid Surf service. We are delighted that we can continue to innovate with our partners and look forward to more exciting developments in the future.”

Marlink will upgrade the ship-to-shore network on the entire Stena Line fleet of fast ferries, traditional combi ferries, RoPax freight and passenger ferries and its pure cargo ships operating in Scandinavia and the North and Irish Seas. The fleet includes the world’s largest Superferry, Stena Hollandica, which sails between Hoek van Holland and Harwich. Marlink’s Sealink(TM) service will provide administration of LAN-LAN services between ships and land, TV reception in the Nordic region and company ship-to-shore networking with terrestrial back up and rerouting functionality at Marlink’s Eik Teleport. The service will offer 3rd party bandwidth access and IP management, SealinkT Prepaid Talk and Eik Internet access.

Stena Line carried over 15 million passengers in 2009 together with 3.3 million cars and 1.6 million freight units. The company has already commenced promotion of its latest market leading offering: Free WiFi Internet access and can now provide mobile coverage for the entire crossing between its busy Harwich (UK) to the Hook of Holland route. The new contract with Marlink is effective for the next 4 years.

“Taking delivery of these three new satellites completes a milestone achievement for Globalstar as we can now proceed, on schedule, with preparations for next month’s inaugural second-generation satellite launch,” said Tony Navarra, President, Global Operations for Globalstar, Inc. “When our new constellation is fully deployed we will once again reliably provide the world’s finest quality mobile satellite voice and fastest mobile satellite handset data services to commercial and government customers in more than 120 countries. Combined with our affordable and award-winning suite of consumer retail SPOT products we will be uniquely positioned to offer the world’s most extensive lineup of high quality mobile satellite services to the broadest range of customers around the globe.”

A total of four launches carrying six satellites each will be conducted by launch services provider Arianespace using the Soyuz launch vehicle which has been used to successfully launch Globalstar satellites on eight previous occasions. The Company plans to integrate the 24 new second-generation satellites with the eight first-generation satellites that were launched in 2007, to form a 32 satellite constellation. The new constellation is expected to secure Globalstar’s space segment beyond 2025.

Once the six new Globalstar satellites are in operational orbit, the most immediate service improvement will benefit those customers who use the Company’s voice and Duplex data services. With each subsequent launch, these customers can expect a progressive return to the high reliability and service quality enjoyed before 2007.

Once fully deployed the advanced second-generation constellation and next-generation ground network are designed to provide Globalstar customers with enhanced services featuring increased data speeds of up to 256 kbps in a flexible Internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS) configuration. Products and services supported are expected to include: push-to-talk and multicasting, advanced messaging capabilities such as multimedia messaging or MMS, mobile video, geo-location services, multi-band and multi-mode handsets, and data devices with GPS integration. The second-generation satellites are also designed to support Globalstar’s current lineup of voice, Duplex and Simplex data products and services including the Company’s lineup of Spot retail consumer products.

The few businesses which prosper during a recession are those whose characteristics are particularly well suited to hard times such as debt collectors, insolvency practitioners and discount retailers like Poundland.

So it is a bit of a surprise to find a high-technology business which has positively thrived during the recent global recession. In the last two years Inmarsat (LSE: ISAT), the provider of satellite telecommunications services, has managed to increase its turnover by 80% whilst its earnings per share have risen by two-thirds.
Recession. What recession?

Inmarsat’s performance is no fluke; the company is still growing strongly as its results for the first half of 2010 showed, with earnings per share increasing by over 40% compared to the same period in 2009.

If Inmarsat can produce this sort of performance during a recession, a big question is much better might the company’s performance be when the world economy starts to power ahead?

Naturally this means that Inmarsat’s shares aren’t cheap and this is reflected in a PE ratio of 31. But since Inmarsat’s sales, profits and dividend have doubled since it floated on the stockmarket in 2005, realistically you its shares wouldn’t be sitting in the bargain bin!

The business

Inmarsat owns and operates a network of eleven geostationary satellites through which its customers make satellite telephones calls and access the internet from almost anywhere on the surface of the Earth. Consequently its main customers are organisations which operate in what the company describes as “the remote environment market” such as the military, mining and oil companies, aid agencies and shipping (both commercial and recreational).

You can find more background information on Inmarsat in my article from last December.

In June Inmarsat started selling its first global handheld satellite telephone, the IsatPhone Pro, to good reviews. Intriguingly commentators on sailing websites have remarked that the IsatPhone Pro’s calling costs can sometimes be cheaper than those of some conventional mobile phone networks.

While the current range of satellite phones won’t replace most people’s mobile phones, if only because they won’t fit into your jeans or shirt pocket, it’s quite possible that they may directly compete with mobile phones one day.

Inmarsat’s satellite network represents a considerable barrier to entry for potential competitors as they would need to establish a similar network, or lease space on other satellites, which would take a lot of time to establish (and cost a lot). Consequently Inmarsat and its major competitors, Globalstar, Iridium and Thurya, have a big foothold in the market which makes it difficult for newcomers to dislodge them.

When comparing 2009 with 2008 you should bear in mind that Inmarsat’s 2008 after-tax earnings received a massive boost thanks to a deferred tax rebate which meant that the company ended up with a net tax receipt of $161.6 million. To get a clearer picture of the underlying business for 2009, it’s better to look at the adjusted diluted eps which increased from 39c from 32c

Inmarsat’s results for the first half of 2010 were released on 6 August and these were excellent, with sales up by 12% whilst diluted earnings per share rose by 41% and the interim dividend was increased by 10% to 14c.

Inmarsat’s shares performed well in the first half of 2010, rising from 700p in January to over 820p in July but they have fallen back with the rest of the market to the current price of about 670p, which is roughly where they stood last December.

The prospects

To keep its network up-to-date Inmarsat has to regularly launch new satellites to replace its older models. Its three earliest satellites, the Inmarsat-2 series, are expected to cease operating within the next two years, but Inmarsat is planning three more launches to complement its most recent satellite, Inmarsat-4 F3, which came into service in 2009.

A dilemma for investors is that Inmarsat’s shares have never been cheap. The historic P/E ratio (diluted eps) of 31 tells us that the stock market expects to see a substantial improvement in profits over the next few years (merely adequate results will not be enough for the market).

However the demand for satellite telecommunications should continue increase as the world becomes ever more interconnected, which means that Inmarsat’s profits are likely to grow substantially in the next few years. Consequently some investors are perfectly happy to pay up for what looks to be a very full share price and no doubt deters many others.

www.fool.co.uk

Alsumaria’s homepage…DualFlow modems give Alsumaria TV the ability to deliver MPEG-4 live streaming and to store and forward video files. The Newtec solution provides comprehensive control of the quality of service and higher dedicated throughput than traditional VSAT (shared MF-TDMA) systems, together with lower delay, higher availability and better throughput. DualFlow allows broadcasters to transport IP over satellite in the most efficient way, either separately or in combination with traditional ASI live streams on the same carrier. DualFlow supports both IP and ASI interfaces, allowing broadcasters to make the transition to IP connectivity at any time. When used on a modem, DualFlow fully enables two-way IP interactivity over satellite, making it possible to introduce new services into the broadcast workflows, such as real-time interviews, VoIP coordination channels, file upload and download, and remote access to tapeless production infrastructures. By turning DSNG vans into remote offices, DualFlow increases the productivity of the remote teams.

Company vice-president product management and innovation Christian Körfgen tells ATI and Flightglobal that the German flag carrier envisages offering broadband on everything from intra-European flights of four to fives hours in duration to even “half-hour flights”.

A former customer of defunct Connexion by Boeing (CBB), Lufthansa is poised to re-launch its FlyNet-branded in-flight Internet service on overseas flights. The carrier is working in partnership with Panasonic Avionics, which has also been tasked to fit its high-speed Ku-band satellite-based eXConnect service to the long-haul aircraft that are not presently fitted with CBB antennas in Lufthansa’s fleet. Lufthansa will also offer mobile connectivity to passengers via Panasonic partner AeroMobile.

Körfgen says Lufthansa expects to offer the same type of services on its narrowbody aircraft as it will offer on its long-haul fleet, although the carrier has not picked a provider as yet. “There are different possibilities, such as satellite or possibly terrestrial. We are looking at it quite sharply,” he says.

The carrier is open to partnering with a company other than Panasonic, but also sings the praises of the in-flight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC) manufacturer as well as its work on reigniting CBB for Lufthansa.

“Up until now, it has been an impressive job that Panasonic did in that area, regarding the complexity of the whole system. We are quite confident of being out there quite soon,” says Körfgen.

The carrier is currently testing in-flight Internet on four aircraft – two Airbus A340s and two A330s.

“We hope as soon as we finish our testing we hope that [the re-launch] is going to be still this year, but we want to be sure that it’s working correctly, that we have the right upstream and downstream volumes, and that the satellite connection is working properly without any interruptions at all,” says the Lufthansa executive.

A High Speed Internet Service without Wires

Whilst it may look similar to a viable concept for city-wide mobile internet plans in the city, the idea of satellite internet service is often hard for people to grasp. Since the connections around cities function with hotspots or towers channeling a signal, you can’t obtain here in a remote location. At this tip, you will require to have a satellite dish to obtain the signal needed for high speed service. It might be a small scary for some people to picture getting a dish on the roof for internet, other than it is no dissimilar from the extremely general satellite television packages.

The dissimilarity with satellite broadband is the place where the dish connects a house PC. One time the communication is sent to the satellite hovering near the equator, an entrance is contacted for information from the internet. Here is an inherent delay in this procedure, since a satellite has to resend the information back to a house computer to create it work. Nonetheless, for people who require high speed internet right to use other than are method off the grid, this microscopic wait time has proven to be not much of a problem.

The New King of house Entertainment

Whilst it may have taken a few years to catch on, here is not much to argument the primary part satellite television has taken in modern house entertainment solutions. You can observe the impact by simply noting how a lot of homes with right to use to cable lines have selected to go with satellite service. Much similar to a satellite internet link, this service guarantees a wealth of programming that could just not create it to your television set or else. You can be watching a TV show from Latin America one minute and turn over over to a soccer game from Australia moments shortly. For sports fans, a lot of satellite subscribers switched over when they found out they could observe all of their favorite teams’ games.

Of course, you possibly didn’t plan to go to a vacation house to just have high speed internet and dynamic TV programming, let without help to a location far out in the country or in the mountains. Using the satellite internet link on it’s possess could be a method to stay linked plus have some entertainment options at your disposal. While it doesn’t match up to the large screen experience, watching some shows on a house computer via the internet can positively do the job in a pinch.