Advanced Television

Inside Satellite

Chris Forrester

Chris Forrester is one of the most experienced and highly regarded journalists in the field. His insight and analysis, particularly in the satellite and pay-TV arena, is highly prized. He has written for all the major business journals in the sector as well as several national newspapers.

OTT concerns for ITV

Over 50 per cent of UK homes are now signed up to OTT services, according to BARB data released last week. This suggests there could be problems ahead for ITV, the UK’s main commercial broadcaster. The numbers are staggering with 27 million UK homes accessing one or more OTT services (led by Netflix with 12.35 […]

February 24, 2020

Analyst senses Intelsat optimism

Despite the continuing challenges being faced by Intelsat, one analyst says he senses a “more optimistic tone” from the company. Giles Thorne, an analyst at investment bank Jefferies, said that Intelsat is guiding overall revenues for this full year at $1.93-$1.98 billion which would represent a 5 per cent fall over 2019. The segment showing […]

February 21, 2020

Analyst says CBA has “fallen apart”

Sami Kassab, a satellite analyst at investment bank Exane/BNPP, commenting on the disagreements between Intelsat and SES – the core members of the C-Band Alliance (CBA) – says in his view the CBA has “fallen apart”. An SES statement, issued February 20th, read: “[We are] disappointed by Intelsat’s eleventh-hour attempt to renounce its commitments made […]

February 20, 2020

DirecTV’s Spaceway 1 in graveyard orbit

Spaceway 1, once the satellite industry’s most powerful and flexible Ka-band craft, is now safely in a so-called graveyard orbit. Spaceway 1, also at the time the heaviest-ever satellite to be launched,  was acquired by DirecTV with a fascinating history behind it. The Spaceway system was planned to be a global Ka-band communications satellite and […]

February 18, 2020

Eutelsat shareholders unhappy

Eutelsat’s CEO Rodolphe Belmer, in his results discussion with analysts, stressed again that the operator’s business was healthy. At one stage, and grumbling about the company’s low share price, he rhetorically asked one analyst why would Eutelsat be continuing to invest long-term in replacement satellites if its overall business was in decline. “Our Video Broadcast […]

February 17, 2020

Bank cautious on European FTA prospects

France’s new combined TV streaming service Salto is due to beta launch on June 3rd ahead of a full roll-out during September. However, a bank report suggests it remains cautious on other European free-to-air broadcasters’ prospects because of their limited libraries and lack of marketing firepower. CEO Thomas Follin has already announced that the French […]

February 14, 2020

What are Ergen’s wireless prospects?

On February 11th, US District Judge Victor Marrero approved the merger between Sprint and T-Mobile. A report from research company MoffettNathanson (MN) says the deal represents a potential positive for what will now be a new wireless service for the US in the shape of Charlie Ergen who – at long last – can make […]

February 12, 2020

ViaSat on a growth roll

A report from investment bank Jefferies on broadband-by-satellite operator ViaSat, and following on from last week’s Q3/20 results, was positive. For example, ViaSat’s Satellite Services revenue growth grew 19.2 per cent, although subscriber numbers are – at best – flat at about 580,000 but the company’s subscriber ARPU has grown nicely (+15.1 per cent) and […]

February 11, 2020

Eutelsat downgraded by bank

Eutelsat has been downgraded from ‘Buy’ to ‘Neutral’ by analysts at investment bank Exane/BNPP with the satellite operator’s ‘top line’ trends remaining under pressure. The FCC is set to reveal details of its C-band restructuring plan today (February 6th). Analyst Sami Kassab, in a 27-page report, reminds investors that Eutelsat’s share price has fallen 25 […]

February 6, 2020

Space rescue tug ready to work

Northrop Grumman’s ‘Mission Extension Vehicle’  the robotic MEV-1 has arrived on station. Launched in October 2019 it is now resting, in orbit, a few hundred kilometres away from its target satellite to be rescued, the 18-years-old Intelsat’s I-901 which is running out of fuel. MEV-1’s task is to rescue the Intelsat craft, and extend the […]

February 3, 2020