Advanced Television

Broadband

India’s TRAI insists on interoperable STBs

India’s Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRAI) media regulator wants the nation’s cable MSOs and DTH broadcasters to ensure that digital set-top boxes support interoperability. TRAI says that it is likely that India’s Ministry of Information & Broadcasting will insist on such functionality on its rules and regulations and incorporated in future licensing. TRAI adds that its […]

April 14, 2020By Chris Forrester

Intelsat considering financial restructuring?

Unconfirmed reports, sourced from financial analyst and data company Debtwire, suggest that Intelsat might be exploring relocation cost financing, and that the company’s unsecured bond-holders have hired a law firm. The news prompted a 57 per cent rise in Intelsat’s share price on April 8th, to $1.65 (from $1.05) and at one point during the […]

April 9, 2020By Chris Forrester

Class Action against Intelsat shareholders

Law firm Scott+Scott Attorneys at Law has commenced a Class Action lawsuit against Silver Lake Group, BC Partners – both significant investors in Intelsat – and two other named defendants Raymond Svider (chairman at BC Partners) and Justin Bateman (a partner at BC Partners). The writ has been filed in the US District Court for […]

April 9, 2020By Chris Forrester

Liberty Global $4m staff assistance fund

Liberty Global has announced the formation of a new Liberty Global Response Fund intended to help employees and their families who have been significantly affected by the Covid-19 crisis. The programme will be funded initially by Liberty’s executive leadership team and board of directors who will donate $2 million out of their remaining 2020 salaries […]

April 9, 2020

Swarm satellite system gets approval

The Swarm Technologies constellation of small ‘Nano’  SpaceBee satellites achieved notoriety back in September 2018 when the company behind the system cheekily launched 4 of its craft into orbit aboard an Indian rocket. The problem was they had not been licensed to launch, or operate while in orbit. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) was not […]

April 9, 2020

Synamedia for Vodafone unified global TV platform

Video software provider Synamedia has secured a multi-year contract with Vodafone Group that includes the Infinite video platform, security solutions and end-to-end integration services. The firm will help Vodafone Group deliver on its vision of a unified global cloud TV platform running on next-generation Gigabit infrastructure. In addition, Synamedia will be integrating the recently-acquired Unitymedia […]

April 8, 2020

Research: Covid-19 broadband usage “reaching a plateau”

Broadband consumption is showing indications of reaching a plateau in markets that have been ‘quarantined’ against the coronavirus pandemic, according to data analysed by OpenVault, a provider of technology solutions and industry analytics for broadband operators. Following three weeks of double-digit percentage growth, the total downstream data usage in those markets with shelter-at-home policies declined […]

April 8, 2020

Report: UK altnet full-fibre coverage grows 50%  

A report has revealed that the UK’s independent network providers (altnets) increased their full-fibre coverage by 50 per cent in 2019, up from 23 per cent growth in 2018, to pass 1.2 million premises. Compiled for the Independent Networks Co-operative Association (INCA) by Point Topic using data provided by independent network operators, the report – […]

April 8, 2020

LEO not doomed by OneWeb problems

A report from analysts at Quilty Analytics says that despite OneWeb’s much-publicised Chapter 11 problems, all is not lost as far as Low Earth Orbit schemes are concerned. “OneWeb suffered from a significant first-mover disadvantage, a competitively inferior system (as a result of early design decisions and trade-offs), and inadequate financing (largely due to investor […]

April 8, 2020

Australia: Sky and Space goes Chaper 11

Another would-be satellite constellation has applied for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, in its Australian version of the process. The company, Sky and Space Global Ltd, entered Voluntary Administration of its financial affairs and has appointed a local firm of Accountants to begin negotiations with its creditors. A Creditors meeting date has been set for April 16th. […]

April 8, 2020By Chris Forrester