The prospects for C-band spectrum being released over the US by the C-Band Alliance (and Eutelsat) is constantly a hot topic. The CBA wants to auction 180 MHz of spectrum. A timely report from analysts at Northern Sky Research (NSR) suggests that while the urgency to repurpose mid-band spectrum in the US is clear, but […]

The US State Department has placed new sanctions on Iran’s space and satellite agency. The US alleges that Iran’s plans to launch satellites are simply surreptitious methods to launch dangerous ballistic missiles. Iran says it is working to launch satellites, including for communications purposes, but its tests have resulted in explosions several times, including a […]

Japan’s SkyPerfect JSAT is both a DTH broadcast platform and satellite operator. The problem is that it has lost more than a half-million TV subscribers over the past few years. Today’s total, according to the company’s Annual Report, is 3.25 million subscribers as at March 31st. This financial year SkyPerfect expects to lose another 66,000 […]

The unexpected departure of SES CFO Andrew Browne caused some considerable anxiety on Europe’s stock markets. Browne informed CEO Steve Collar last week of his wish to leave citing personal and family reasons. SES has started a search for his successor. SES share price tumbled 2.22 per cent on September 2nd (from €14.55 to €14.35). […]

Investment analysts at Deutsche Bank used the RTL results and comments made earlier this week to examine the challenges faced by Europe’s major broadcasters coming from various current – and new – OTT players. RTL admitted that it might have to significantly increase its investment in original programming from its current €350 million annual level. […]

A report from analysts at New Street Research says that the FCC will rule in November on the C-Band Alliance’s (CBA) proposal to reassign 180 MHz of C-band spectrum for use over the US in the thrust to boost 5G adoption. The report, however, says the FCC “will likely” vote to free up 300 MHz […]

Sky will start offering programming from Love Nature, the all-4K channel which is owned by Canada-based Blue Ant Media, later this year the channel will broadcast as part of Sky’s ‘on demand’ service and to UK, Germany and Italian subscribers. However, with precious few UHD channel transmissions available, will this move start something of a […]

Italian broadcasting giant Mediaset has been looking to merge with its Spanish arm, Mediaset Espana. The plan was that the merger would be a step forward in its wish to create a European media giant to rival the likes of Netflix. That merger now looks unlikely. Shareholder investor adviser ISS is telling stock-holders in the […]

California-based Viasat and Paris-based Eutelsat were once extremely friendly, and still have good – formal – relations with one another although not quite as strong as a couple of years ago. The pair are bound together in a joint-venture over the use of spectrum on Eutelsat’s Ka-Sat, and while initially the joint venture was intended […]

Dish farms are massive arrays of uplink and downlink parabolic dishes in a teleport which communicate with orbiting geostationary satellites. The dishes are huge, typically measuring 7-10 metres across, and very expensive. Moreover, even the specifically designed tracking antennas (usually of about 3 metres across) are of limited use for handling signals to or from […]