News Analysis

by Blaine Curcio

Hong Kong, June 1, 2020--What a strange 2020 it’s been so far. For the satellite industry. For the broader space industry. For the entirety of humanity. When we rang in the new decade just a few months ago, no one could have foreseen the enormous changes that were coming to the way we live, work, and geek out about space. 

by Naoakira Kamiya

Tokyo, Japan, June 1,2020--The flame for 2020 Tokyo Olympics arrived from Greece to Japan on March 20th and Japanese leg of the torch relay with the concept of “Hope Lights Our Way” was scheduled to begin on March 26 from J Village in Fukushima prefecture. However, on March 24 Prime Minister Shinzo Abe asked the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to postpone the Tokyo Games due to the spreading of the novel coronavirus. Consequently IOC made a decision to accept it. 

by Martin Jarrold

London, UK, June 1, 2020--I opened my previous column for this publication one month ago with the following statement: “In starting to draft this column it was impossible not to be affected by the news that the official global figure for Covid-19 fatalities was approaching 200,000. The zoonotic – interspecies – jump to humans and subsequent pandemic spread of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has badly impacted many of the world’s most advanced and richest countries, but the epidemiology tells us that the worst of the impact, on the less-developed world, is still to come.”

by Robert Bell

New York City, June 1, 2020--I joined the ranks of cord-cutters back in 2014. It was an easy decision.  I don’t watch most network TV, rely on newspapers for my daily news and find televised sports a yawn.  I am, in other words, a weirdo.  But in the past six years, I have gained a lot of company.  

New York City, NY, June 1, 2020--Flip a switch and amazing things happen. Dark to light. Cold to warm. Things open and things close. Yet no one thinks twice. Each flip of the switch is a small miracle, brought to you by billions in investment and the hard work of millions. Brought to you, too, by satellites circling the earth far out of sight, helping to make life electric.

Betzdorf, Luxembourg, June 1, 2020–As part of its ongoing Simplify & Amplify transformation program, satellite operator SES announced  that it plans to restructure its operations worldwide, including the consolidation of part of its European regional operations into the company’s global headquarters in Betzdorf, Luxembourg.

Melville, NY, May 26, 2020-- Comtech Telecommunications Corp. (NASDAQ: CMTL) announced today that during the Company’s third quarter of fiscal 2020, it closed an acquisition of NG-911 Inc., a pioneer of Next Generation 911 solutions for public safety agencies in the Midwest. NG-911 is one of the first Next Generation 911 solution providers in the Midwest and has successfully deployed regional Comtech Solacom systems in the past.

MarketBrief Report on Satellite Cellular Backhaul sponsored by ST Engineering iDirect

A summary of the key trends and innovative approaches to satellite cellular backhaul.  Featuring:

Executive Summary of the Satellite Cellular Backhaul Market  by Elisabeth Tweedie

Interview with Semir Hassanaly, Head of Cellular Backhaul and Trunking, ST Engineering iDirect

Case Study: Verizon's Operation Convergent Response

To read or download the pdf of full report click here.

McLean, Va., May 14, 2020-Satellite operator Intelsat has filed a voluntary Chapter 11 petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division. The company said the bankruptcy filing is part of a "financial restructuring" that is "intended to enhance the company’s liquidity and will likely result in a substantial reduction of Intelsat’s legacy debt burden, allowing for Intelsat to emerge with a strengthened balance sheet to complement its strong operating model and future growth plans."

Paris, France,May 14, 2020–Eutelsat Communications (ISIN: FR0010221234 - Euronext Paris: ETL) today reported revenues for the Third Quarter and Nine Months ended 31 March 2020.  Third Quarter Operating Verticals revenues down 1.6% year-on-year; up 1.2% quarter-on-quarter while broadcast showing resilience, with return to slight growth quarter-on-quarter.