Apscc monthly Newsletter November 2011

Wednesday, 18 January 2012, Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa, Honolulu, Hawaii

October 3, 2011 - Globecomm Systems Inc has won multiple contracts valued at approximately US$4 million to provide US Government end-users with Ku and X band aeronautical services. It has also launched airborne managed network services offering for broadband access to airborne platforms. Combining its teleports, satellite capacity, terrestrial backbone, Network Operations Center and 24x7 Help Desk, Globecomm will deliver the same quality voice, data and video services and support to aircraft that it provides to land-and maritime-based end-users. These services enable the US Government to transmit large amounts of data to and from aircraft for multiple applications.

October 4, 2011 - ASC Signal Corporation has been awarded a US$3.8 million sub-contract by L-3 Communications Systems-West to build a dual-band antenna system to support global data collection and dissemination worldwide for the U.S. Navy MQ-4C Broad Area Maritime Surveillance Unmanned Aircraft System (BAMS UAS) program. The advanced antenna terminals will be designed to meet the stringent ARSTRAT (Army Forces Strategic Command) standards required to operate with the U.S. Department of Defense’s Wideband Global Satcom (WGS) constellation. ASC Signal will provide L-3 Communications Systems-West with precision-tracking antenna systems that communicate with the WGS satellites in both the X- and Ka-band frequencies, enabling full operational capability by the BAMS UAS over large maritime distances for long periods of time.

October 4, 2011 - Stratos Global has expanded its maritime service-delivery capabilities by opening Global Installation & Service Centers (GIS Centers) in four major maritime regions. The Stratos GIS Centers in Rotterdam, Hong Kong, Singapore and Lafayette, Louisiana provide complete managed-communications services for ship owners and ship-management companies worldwide. The GIS Centers are staffed with fully trained Stratos Field Engineers who can draw upon a network of certified Stratos Installation Partners to provide installation, onboard maintenance and ongoing support for the Stratos portfolio of satellite-based communications products. The portfolio includes Inmarsat’s XpressLink, FleetBroadband and GSM Oceanwide services, as well as VSAT services and the AmosConnect family of communications applications.

October 4, 2011 - In Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America global brands within the satellite communications industry have been quick to join Newtec’s brand new Business Partner Program, called bePART^®. The satellite specialist unveiled the partner-driven initiative globally at the IBC 2011 show. It is designed to ensure customers have local access and support to Newtec’s comprehensive and unique range of products anywhere in the world. Since the global launch, and in only a few weeks, more than fifteen companies on five continents have joined the initiative that will change the way end-users and partners interact with Newtec. Business Partners will benefit from the unique combination of industry leading products, specialized training specific to their customers’ needs and support as well as joint brand reputations.

October 4, 2011 - Globalstar, Inc. announced that the second of six satellites launched in July is now operational and processing mobile satellite voice and data call traffic to customers in North America and around the world. The deployment of these six satellites from the second launch is on schedule. The first satellite from the July launch was placed into service in August and the four remaining satellites are expected to become operational over the next few months. The new second-generation satellites are designed to support Globalstar's current lineup of voice, Duplex and Simplex data products and services including the Company's SPOT retail consumer products. As each new Globalstar satellite becomes operational, service availability and reliability improvements will benefit those customers who use the Company's voice and Duplex data services. With each subsequent

October 4, 2011 - SkyVision announced the latest addition to its platform, the AM1 satellite. The satellite will enable SkyVision to provide high quality, cost effective connectivity solutions and services to the Middle East & Central Asia. With satisfied customers already using this platform, SkyVision is to offer 2.4 Ku-band inclined orbit services to regions including Afghanistan, Iraq and Asia, with full support of US & UK IPs. In addition to offering Ku-band Inclined Orbit Services and secure, reliable connectivity, the new satellite enables SkyVision to offer Tier 1 Internet connectivity solutions and uninterrupted performance regardless of weather, location or environment.

October 5, 2011 - Astrium Services and Chinese provider of satellite data and value-added services, Beijing Eastdawn Information Technology (Eastdawn), have signed a partnership agreement to give Eastdawn access to Pléiades solutions and technologies. This three year contract (with the possibility to extend for an extra two years) will enable Eastdawn to distribute 50-cm resolution products from the Pléiades constellation, as well as innovative services. These products will support near-real-time applications to five key accounts in China (Ministry of Land Resources; National Administration for Surveying, Mapping & Geoinformation; China Geological Survey; Ministry of Agriculture; and Ministry of Housing & Urban-rural Development) on an exclusive basis.

October 5, 2011 - Hughes Network Systems, LLC has introduced 9202 Class 2 portable terminal. The Hughes 9202 is compatible for operation over Inmarsat's BGAN satellite service and built-in, multi-user Wi-Fi access and a 64kbps ISDN data channel. The commercial-grade Class 2 terminal available with a weather rating of IP55 (enclosure protected against dust and water jets), the 9202 incorporates a built-in RJ11 connection for voice and fax service, and is extended L-band ready. Users can connect at IP broadband speeds up to 464 kbps, taking advantage of built-in, multi-user Wi-Fi access and automatic context activation including the ability to transmit SMS messages via the integrated user interface without requiring a connected laptop, PDA, or other device.

October 6, 2011 - Inmarsat has selected Hughes Network Systems to develop a new machine-to-machine (M2M) terminal for its BGAN service. Hughes will develop the new 9502 BGAN M2M terminal by building on its successful 9201-M2M platform. The BGAN M2M service will offer an end-to-end IP data capability for real-time applications including smart metering, SCADA, monitoring and other infrastructure telemetry solutions. Planned for launch in Q1 2012, Inmarsat will target the low-cost M2M service at the utilities, oil & gas, and retail banking markets.

October 10, 2011 - One Horizon Group has announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Horizon Globex, has entered into a joint venture with Voicecom Technologies Pvt Ltd. (Voicecom) to market and distribute its Horizon solution in the Indian market. Under the new collaboration, Horizon Globex India Pvt Ltd will be focusing on providing the Horizon platform to network operators and service providers in the region. Voicecom is based in New Delhi and has operations in Singapore, Thailand, Nepal and the Philippines. The company has over 200 employees serving major telcos in India and countries in the Association of Southeast Asia nations (ASEAN) region.

October 11, 2011 - SES announced Constellation Networks Corporation (CNC) has signed capacity deals on two satellites to deliver life-changing Internet access to remote communities around the world. Constellation Networks has signed a multiple year contract on SES' NSS-10 and NSS-12 satellites to meet the basic communications needs of isolated towns and villages across the globe, including Africa, the Middle East, Australia, India, China and Europe. More than half of CNC's satellite-delivered broadband is enabling everything from AIDS and malaria research to small business growth in virtually every African nation. The Traverse City, Michigan-based firm has come a long way since first connecting a cyber café in Lagos, Nigeria.

October 12, 2011 - Inmarsat has awarded Willis Group Holdings, the global insurance broker, an exclusive appointment to act as its risk management advisor and placing broker for its new generation of satellites. The agreement covers the launch and in-orbit operation of Inmarsat's highly anticipated broadband satellite network, Global Xpress, and the additional launch of the Alphasat satellite. The appointment also includes responsibility for Inmarsat's current in-orbit fleet. Willis will be charged with creating and implementing a risk mitigation strategy for Inmarsat's suite of technology that can be effectively valued by the insurance community. The role requires a multi-disciplined approach, bringing together expertise in engineering, risk management, and technical analysis.

October 12, 2011 - KORE, a wireless services provider specializing in machine-to-machine (M2M) communications, announced the commercial availability of KORE Global Connect™, an integrated worldwide M2M network delivering both cellular and satellite services. Complementing the extensive KORE cellular data network, the satellite services from Iridium Communications Inc. now enable truly ubiquitous global coverage, ensuring reliable connectivity for critical M2M applications regardless of their physical location. Through the PRiSMPro™ management portal, KORE Global Connect provides M2M application providers with complete command of their M2M network and the devices that reside on it. KORE provides a single point of contact for billing, reporting, device management, troubleshooting and support.

October 13, 2011 - SKYBLUE Technology Development Ltd., (SKYBLUE) has received an extension to the only Iridium frequency bandwidth approval for aviation Satellite Communications (SatCom) in China. SKYBLUE has been working with FLYHT™, to obtain the necessary bandwidth approval for the Company’s Automated Flight information Reporting System (AFIRS^TM). The license from the Chinese authorities to use the specific bandwidth for voice and data communications in China has been extended after many years of effort and verification of FLYHT’s equipment. This approval, which has been renewed for the third time, allows AFIRS equipment to be installed on aviation assets in China until the next renewal at the end of 2017.

October 17, 2011 - ViaSat Inc. has received a contract from the U.S. Department of Defense for its current study of commercial communication satellite (COCOMSAT) systems. The contract asks ViaSat to develop methods to assess various approaches for reducing the cost of capacity through application of commercial satellite capabilities, and examine trade-offs among modems and teleports, satellite communication payloads, mission planning, and terminal constraints, performance, and operations.

October 17, 2011 - Hughes announced significant enhancements to its HughesNet^® satellite Internet service to bring faster speeds and a richer Internet experience to customers. This week Hughes will complete the rollout of network upgrades for HughesNet subscribers which began this past summer. These network upgrades boost browsing and download performance resulting in an improved online customer experience. Another important enhancement is an increase in daily download allowance for all service plans, which provides an addition download capacity per month of well over 1 GB. Hughes also offers subscribers easy-to-use tools and services to help them take advantage of these improvements and maximize their online experience.

October 17, 2011 - THAICOM Public Company Limited revealed that due to the on-going flood crisis, in particular, in the central areas of Thailand, has significantly impacted people living in these affected areas. The Company and TOT Public Company Limited (TOT) have jointly supported the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) by using the IPSTAR broadband Satellite System and THAICOM 4 Satellite to receive and transmit live pictures via CCTV cameras, which are currently installed in critically hit areas. These CCTVs will monitor the water level changes in real-time, and the information is fed to the government’s Flood Relief Operation Center at Don Muang Airport. The Flood Relief Operation Center is therefore able to effectively assist those affected in a timely basis.

October 18, 2011 - SingTel has announced the launch of an affordable crew experience package that will enable greater levels of control and efficiency for shipping companies optimize operational costs as well as enhance welfare for their crew. This one-stop package provides high-availability Broadband and all the ICT components a company needs at only US$2,888. This includes SingTel’s All-in-One (AIO) Connect Services, which enables shipping companies worldwide to boost crew morale by offering them secure and always-on internet connectivity that will change the way they live, learn, work and play. The technology enables secure and fast data transfer and VoIP to be modulated at a cost effective level of 4 to 6kbps.

October 18, 2011 - Newtec has given its unreserved support for the standardization and adoption of industry-wide counter-measures to combat interference. Interference of satellite carriers is a growing problem in the industry for users of satellite transmissions. There is an industry consensus that counter-measures should utilize the addition of carrier identification to enable the quick location and correction of misconfigured or unauthorized carriers. DVB has accepted the topic of Carrier ID as a work item and that as a first step the commercial and market requirements will be captured within the Commercial Module and its relevant sub-group DVB-CM BSS. Once approved by the Commercial Module and Steering Board, such requirements will be passed to the Technical Module of DVB to review the various technical options from which a solution will be defined and selected that best meets the Commercial Requirements.

October 18, 2011 - Spirent Communications plc, a provider of navigation and positioning test solutions, announced the addition of Japanese Quasi Zenith Satellite System (QZSS) simulation capabilities to its GSS6700 Multi GNSS Constellation Simulator, enhancing the ability to meet the current and future testing needs of GNSS devices. The GSS6700 offers the industry’s most comprehensive solution for R&D, integration and verification testing of GPS, QZSS, GLONASS and Galileo devices. Spirent was the first to bring QZSS simulation to market on its GSS8000 platform in 2009. Now customers with evolving test needs can benefit from QZSS L1 C/A code support on the powerful GSS6700 platform.

October 24, 2011 - SES S.A. announced that its new ASTRA 1N satellite has entered commercial service at the orbital position of 28.2 degrees East. ASTRA 1N was built by Astrium on the Eurostar E3000 platform and is equipped with 52 transponders in the Ku frequency band. The satellite was successfully launched on board an Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou, French Guiana, on 6 August 2011. It had a launch mass of 5,325 kg and is the fourth Eurostar satellite in the 49 satellite-strong SES fleet. ASTRA 1N greatly enhances the flexibility of the SES satellite fleet at the orbital slot 28.2 degrees East over Europe. ASTRA 1N is notably being used by Channel 4 and ITV. The new satellite will also allow SES to offer its satellite-based broadband service ASTRA2Connect via 28.2 degrees East and thus complement its service offer from the 23.5 degrees East position. ASTRA2Connect is Europe’s largest satellite broadband network with more than 80,000 end users.

October 25, 2011 - UltiSat Europe, a wholly owned subsidiary of UltiSat, Inc., announced that it has been awarded a sole-source contract by the Danish National Procurement Ltd., Denmark; Statens og Kommunernes Indkobs Service A/S (SKI) in Copenhagen. This contract allows Danish federal and local government agencies and entities and certain nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to buy satellite communication service more easily and cost effectively. Such services include satellite telephony, data services, equipment, and technical assistance.

October 25, 2011 - Spacenet Inc. has been selected by Cumberland Farms Inc. to upgrade and manage its communications infrastructure for over 600 stores across 11 states. The upgraded network solution will utilize DSL service to deliver higher network performance and a VSAT satellite overlay to maintain business continuity at each site. Spacenet will install the award winning Prysm Pro network management device at each location to monitor and manage this hybrid network.

October 25, 2011 - Intellian Technologies has announced a strengthened partnership with SpeedCast Limited for the Commercial Shipping and Offshore Oil and Gas markets. SpeedCast has expanded the reach and capabilities of its global maritime broadband service to address a broader base of end customers. The service now extends across more than 20 Ku-band beams covering nearly all major shipping lanes and offshore regions. The global maritime broadband service is one of the most widely deployed VSAT offerings in the world, and is ideally suited to the advanced Intellian antenna technology. With Intellian recently selected as one of SpeedCast’s preferred suppliers, the companies are now offering flexible and extremely cost-effective, broadband packages benefiting from Intellian’s wide range of high-quality robust, low maintenance antennas and SpeedCast’s wide range of broadband plans and global coverage.

October 31, 2011 - Globecomm Systems Inc. announced that the Company has been awarded a contract from a U.S. Government Agency. The contract is valued at US$74.1 million with options for additional quantities and services. Globecomm will lead this effort for the U.S. Government providing program management and services. The L-3 Narda Satellite Networks (L-3 Narda), division of L-3 Communications will work with Globecomm as a subcontractor.

October 4, 2011 - SES has secured a further long-term contract with Channel 4 in the UK to provide additional capacity on its recently launched ASTRA 1N spacecraft. Channel 4 already has three transponders under contract at SES’s 28.2 degrees East orbital slot. The new capacity on ASTRA 1N will be used to transmit Channel 4’s main high-definition (HD) service together with further HD services over the coming years. SES will bring into service three new satellites at 28.2 degrees East from 2012 to 2014, ASTRA 2F, 2E and 2G, providing additional capacity and greater back-up, together with more power and operational flexibility, for its customers in the UK and Ireland. Channel 4 was founded in 1982 as a public service broadcaster and regularly reaches more than 35 million viewers each week. Its HD service will be delivered to Sky and Freesat households, representing over 12 million UK homes.

October 6, 2011 - SES has concluded a capacity agreement with the Turkish media company Istanbul FM TV. The new customer will use SES satellite capacity at the orbital position 31.5 degrees East for the free-to-air transmission of two TV and two radio channels. With the SES satellites, the programs can be received in Turkey with standard Direct-to-Home (DTH) satellite dishes.

October 10, 2011 - SES announced a new five-year distribution agreement with Bridges TV, a New York-based national network devoted to joining Middle Eastern/South Asian and Western audiences through entertainment. Under the renewed deal, Bridges TV is utilizing satellite capacity aboard SES' Digital C^® cable distribution platform to deliver a round-the-clock channel lineup rich in global and U.S. news, sports and entertainment for all ages and faiths. Bridges TV has grown from an à la carte menu of TV programs with about 10,000 paying households watching to a featured offering in cable programming packages currently reaching more than 4 million subscribers throughout the U.S. on a digital basic platform.

October 10, 2011 - The new regional station Schau TV, based in Vienna, intends to launch not only on DVB-T, but also on satellite DTH this autumn. The new channel is owned by Viennese publishing house Bohmann, who won the tender for a regional slot on the DVB-T slot in the Austrian capital. The station, to be called Schau TV (Show TV), intends to broadcast information, education, culture, contemporary art, entertainment and sports. Apart from being part of the local DVB-T offer in Vienna, Schau TV will also launch on the Astra satellite at 19.2 degrees East. Broadcasts are scheduled to start before the end of the year.