Advanced Television

Broadband

Scotland to get rocket launch facility

Scotland’s ‘Space hub Sutherland’ has gained planning approval to build the rocket launch facility. Development agency Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) intends to create Space Hub Sutherland on land owned by Melness Crofters Estate on the A’ Mhòine peninsula, south of Tongue. HIE had submitted plans in February this year, including an extensive environmental impact […]

August 24, 2020

Ofcom: Plusnet provides most satisfying broadband

Research published by Ofcom reveals which UK telecoms providers are setting the industry standard for good customer service. The annual customer service report looks at how each of the major telcos providers performed last year on measures including customer complaints received, value for money and overall customer satisfaction. The data is based on how companies […]

August 21, 2020

Bharti requests ISRO’s help for OneWeb terminals

Sunil Mittal, chairman of the Bharti group of business, has spoke at length about its involvement in bankrupt satellite operator OneWeb. Bharti has committed to investment $500 million in OneWeb. The UK government is matching the investment, while a smaller sum ($50 million) will come from EchoStar’s sister company Hughes Network Systems. Japan’s SoftBank and […]

August 21, 2020

OneWeb wants changes to import rules

OneWeb, currently proceeding slowly through its Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganisation, is asking the US government to relax its rules on importing satellite components and materials under its Foreign Trade Zone regulations. The Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) rules permit businesses to lower import duties and easier customs processes. OneWeb has made its application via its joint-venture […]

August 20, 2020By Chris Forrester

$2bn of fresh finance for SpaceX

SpaceX has generated some $1.9 billion of fresh funding during August, and according to reports, is still looking to raise more cash. The initial target was to raise $2.066 billion. The cash-raising exercise follows on from SpaceX raising $346 million in May. The news comes as Musk achieves 4th position as the world’s richest person […]

August 20, 2020

Virgin Media switches on 1Gb across Ireland

Virgin Media Ireland has switched on Gigabit Broadband services across its entire network, bringing lightning fast internet services to people, homes and businesses across the country. This immediate and most extensive launch of 1Gb services makes Virgin Media the country’s largest gigabit broadband provider surpassing all other networks and contributing substantially to the achievement of […]

August 20, 2020

SES selects SpaceX for 4 satellite launches

SES has signed with SpaceX to launch four new satellites. The four satellites are for SES and its O3b mPOWER ‘next generation’ fleet being built by Boeing.  They are each Medium Earth Orbiting craft. Just like the initial seven O3b mPOWER satellites procured, these additional four satellites will be launched into space on board Falcon […]

August 20, 2020By Chris Forrester

Sixth flight for a SpaceX Falcon 9

SpaceX entered the record books a few more times on August 18th with the launch of its 11th Starlink mission. It carried 58 of its own broadband Starlink satellites on board plus 3 small satellites for imaging client Planet. In total this means that Planet has now lofted 21 ‘next-generation’ craft into orbit aboard US, […]

August 19, 2020

Eutelsat lays out C-band strategy

Eutelsat, which is also involved in the restructuring of C-band frequencies over the US, has confirmed to the FCC that it will not be buying a dedicated C-band satellite to serve its North American clients. Eutelsat back in June had cautioned the FCC that an additional satellite might be needed – at a cost of […]

August 19, 2020By Chris Forrester

C-band: Intelsat to protect 20 transponders for OU

Intelsat’s submission to the FCC for its transition plan explains that its client list – in normal non-Covid times – requires a large slice of capacity to support Occasional Use (OU) and Contribution services. In 2019, without the problems of Covid-19, amounted to some 20 transponders-worth of bandwidth at maximum demand and supporting 16,000 C-band […]

August 19, 2020By Chris Forrester