PR NEWS

Satellite Companies Have Opportunities

The Middle East and Africa markets have been positioned as two of the world’s most dynamic regions for broadcast and broadband communications by a recent study conducted by Eutelsat.

The study highlights the room for massive growth for companies operating in the satellite technology segment to provide applications such as backbone connectivity and VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol), according to Dubai World Trade CentreDubai World Trade Centre, the organiser of Satellite Mena, the largest exhibition for the satellite industry in the Middle East.

Backed by the increasing popularity of ethnic programming in the region, the study forecasts strong demand for satellite transponders in broadcasting applications is expected in the coming years.

Cable and TV broadcasting, consumer broadband internet services, wireless telephone, data services, and direct radio are other service that will be in demand across the regions, it informed.

Convergence remains a key driver for the growth of the satellite industry, as integration of information and communication technology is increasingly being demanded by government and businesses across all sectors to remain competitive in a global market.

“Satellite technology is quickly defining how individuals and organisations across the region receive and transfer data and 2010 looks to be a defining year for the satellite industry,” the statement quoted Helal Saeed Almarri, CEO, Dubai World Trade CentreDubai World Trade Centre, as saying.

“Satellite Mena is designed to help service providers showcase their technology to a targeted audience. Companies vying for market supremacy in a rapidly growing industry will again appreciate a dedicated platform to network and explore business opportunities,” informed Almarri. The Middle East remains one of the fastest growing ICT markets in the world. This growth is further fuelled by state-of-the-art technology provided by the likes of Arab Satellite CommunicationsArab Satellite Communications

“Satellite Mena is the benchmark exhibition in the region for us to demonstrate our product and service portfolio,” said Khalid bin Ahmed Balkheyour, President and CEO of ArabsatArabsat. “Today we are one of the world’s top satellite operators, and by far the leading satellite services provider in the Arab World, carrying 350+ TV channels and 160+ Radio stations, reaching tens of millions of homes in more than 100 countries across the Middle East, Africa and Europe, including an audience of more than 164 million viewers within the 21 Arab countries alone,” informed Balkheyour.

Having recently launched Dubai-sat 1 to orbit, the UAE is one of the leading countries in the Middle East when it comes to satellite technology. The growth of the country is largely fuelled by the modernisation and transformation of the communication sector, and YahsatYahsat has played an integral role in facilitating this growth.

“YahsatYahsat is uniquely positioned as the first fixed satellite operator from the UAE, tuned into the needs of the region. With a wide portfolio of voice, data, video, and internet connectivity solutions, Yahsat satellitesYahsat satellites are designed based on market requirements and future applications,” commented Jassem Al Zaabi, CEO of YahsatYahsat.

“YahsatYahsat participated in Cabsat & Satellite Mena 2009. Our presence in the 2010 event reiterates that we consider Cabsat and Satellite Mena a strategic platform to meet business partners seeking complete range of satellite services, appoint service partners, forge business ties, strengthen and further relationships in the satellite market,” informed Jassem Al Zaabi.

Satellite Mena, which is held alongside Cabsat Mena, has become the industry networking platform to explore business opportunities, formulate strategies and create partnerships for video, voice, data and IP communications over satellite.

Eutelsat expands Russian presence

Eutelsat and Intersputnik, the International Organisation of Space Communications, have inked a long-term agreement for 16 transponders at Eutelsat’s 36 degrees East video neighbourhood.

Valid for the entire on-orbit life of W7, which has been co-positioned with W4, it will guarantee long-term capacity for digital TV and broadband services in Russia.

In particular, it will provide new resources for the Gazprom Media Group, which operates the DTH platforms NTV Plus and Tricolor.

With co-location of W4 and W7, Eutelsat has effectively doubled its broadcasting capability at 36 degrees East, which covers Russia and Ukraine.

Eutelsat cements relationship with Albania’s Tring Communications for broadcasting and broadband services

Tring Communications, a subsidiary of Albanian Satellite Communications (ASC), one of the leading television and telecommunications service providers in Albania, is strengthening its established relationship with Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) through the signature of a distribution contract for the Tooway(TM) consumer broadband service.

The Tooway(TM) contract was signed with Skylogic, Eutelsat’s broadband affiliate.
In addition to expanding its portfolio of digital services with a satellite broadband offer, ASC’s Tring Communications has renewed and expanded its capacity on the W2 satellite with a multi-year contract signed with Eutelsat for broadcasting its Tring Digital pay-TV platform. Launched last year from Eutelsat’s specialist 16degrees East neighbourhood for the Balkan region, Tring Digital offers satellite homes in Albania the opportunity to access 22 channels, including Tring’s flaghip channels Tring Serial, Tring Super and Tring World. Tring Digital already serves 30,000 homes and has a target in 2010 to expand with 50,000 additional subscribers.

 
Tring Communications’ selection of the Tooway(TM) broadband service enables the company to deliver broadband across Albania, notably to homes and businesses in areas beyond range of its terrestrial infrastructure. Operating totally independently from telephony networks, Tooway(TM) is the first satellite offer in Europe to provide broadband speeds and costs comparable to ADSL. The service consists of a satellite dish and a modem connected to a PC, giving customers immediate broadband access with 3.6 Mbps on the downlink to user PCs and 384 kbps on the uplink to Eutelsat’s EUROBIRD(TM) 3 satellite.

 
Tooway(TM) is based on Eutelsat’s satellite coverage, the commercial and operating experience of Skylogic and SurfBeam(R) technology developed by ViaSat, a leading technology company already powering the Internet for over 400,000 satellite homes in North America. In 2010, Eutelsat will expand Tooway(TM) with additional broadband access speeds up to 10Mbps. These revolutionary broadband speeds will come from the launch of KA-SAT, Eutelsat’s dedicated new satellite specifically designed for broadband delivery in Europe.