Advanced Television

Business

Inmarsat says “no” to Ergen

Charlie Ergen, co-founder of the EchoStar and Dish Network businesses in the US, has offered to buy Inmarsat, the London-based global satellite company. Inmarsat, in a statement after the market had closed on June 8th, said that it had received “a highly preliminary and indicative non-binding proposal from EchoStar Corporation in relation to the potential […]

June 11, 2018By Chris Forrester

COBA: Changing “linear” prominence risks harming kids TV

In response to calls by the BBC and Channel 4 for greater prominence for their digital services, the Commercial Broadcasters Association (COBA) has warned that any future intervention should not include changes to traditional “linear” TV as doing so could damage much-needed investment in UK children’s programming. COBA members in the multichannel sector last year invested more than £23 […]

June 11, 2018

Intelsat planning more cash-raising?

Intelsat issued a “Shelf Registration Statement” with the Securities & Exchange Commission last week, along with an updated prospectus. There was no specific amount mentioned, or any clue as to when (or if) the document will be effective. Intelsat, within the filing, says it “may” use the prospectus to offer “from time to time” new […]

June 11, 2018

Verizon announces CEO succession plan

Verizon Communications has announced that its Board of Directors has named Hans E. Vestberg, Executive Vice President and President of Global Networks and Chief Technology Officer, to succeed Lowell C. McAdam as CEO, effective August 1st. McAdam, 64, will serve as Executive Chairman of the Board through his retirement from the company at the end […]

June 11, 2018

Nordic Entertainment Group launches new brand

Nordic Entertainment Group (NENT Group) has revealed it will operate as a separate organisation from July 1st, prior to its proposed listing on Nasdaq Stockholm later in the year. This follows the decision earlier this year to initiate a process to split MTG into two companies. NENT, the Nordic entertainment provider, is launching its corporate […]

June 11, 2018

Technicolor’s Nys joins AirTies

AirTies Wireless Networks, a provider of managed Wi-Fi Mesh solutions to global service providers, has announced the appointment of Frederic Nys as Vice President of Engineering. Nys will report to Metin Taskin, CTO of AirTies, and will also serve as a member of the company’s senior leadership team. “We are absolutely delighted to have Frederic […]

June 11, 2018

Patterson out at BT

Gavin Patterson, BT CEO, is leaving after five years in the post. The company said it would recruit a successor in the second half of the year, and Patterson would remain until that time. Shares in the company are at a six-year low and three weeks ago it announced an ambitious restructuring including 13,000 job […]

June 8, 2018

BT: What next?

To be honest, I think the surprise isn’t that Gavin Patterson has been ousted as BT CEO, but that it didn’t happen sooner. To start with the positive: no question getting BT back in the mobile business with the EE acquisition was putting right a terrible mistake – all be it a mistake forced on […]

June 8, 2018

FCC releases high-band spectrum for 5G

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has taken steps to make additional high-band spectrum available for advanced wireless services, describing the actions as “building blocks of the nation’s 5G future” and critical to continued US wireless leadership. “Pushing more spectrum into the marketplace for the next generation of wireless connectivity will contribute to economic growth, […]

June 8, 2018By Colin Mann

Avanti outlines next financial steps

Hot on the heels of news June 5th that it has won a $20 million arbitration award, Avanti Communications says that it has certain additional funds available to it. The company said back in April that is seeking to raise additional funds of “at least” $50 million, and needs to have in place “$40 million […]

June 8, 2018By Chris Forrester