In my previous column  I previewed GVF High Throughput Satellites 2013: Game-Changer in Action - The London Roundtable. I am very pleased to report that several participants in this latest program in the GVF-EMP Conference Partnership portfolio described the event as “A very successful conference, by any standard.” Here, in this contribution to the final edition of 2013, I wish to provide you, the reader, with the means to access at least some of the flavor of the series of great dialogs which took place in London on 5th and 6th December 2013.

Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) successfully launched the THAICOM 6 satellite for Asian satellite operator THAICOM.  The Falcon 9 rocket delivered THAICOM 6 to its targeted 295 x 90,000 km geosynchronous transfer orbit at 22.5 degrees inclination.  It was the second successful launch for a commercial company by Spaex into geostationary transfer orbit in a little over a month. The Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched the SES-8 satellite last month.

EchoStar Corp. announced today that it has acquired 100% ownership of Solaris Mobile Ltd, a next-generation mobile satellite services (MSS) operator based in Dublin, Ireland and one of the European Union licensees of mobile satellite service with a complementary ground component (S band). 

CABSAT, the leading professional content management event in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA), has inked an alliance with the USA’s National Association of Broadcasters Show (NAB Show) which will see the world’s two biggest industry show brands in their field collaborate on a world-class content management conference programme covering the latest trends, technologies and innovations in the global broadcasting and media market.

Liberty Media Corporation  announced today that it has made a proposal to Sirius XM Holdings Inc. that outlines the terms by which Sirius public shareholders would become shareholders of Liberty in a tax-free transaction in which each share of Sirius common stock would be converted into 0.0760 of a new share of Liberty Series C common stock, and, immediately prior to such conversion, Liberty intends to distribute, on a 2:1 basis, shares of Liberty's Series C common stock to all holders of record of Liberty's Series A and B common stock to create a liquid trading market for Liberty's Series

Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox has sold its 47% stake in Star China TV to China Media Capital (CMC). The joint venture, which was formed in 2010, operates three 24-hour Mandarin channels: Xing Kong, Xing Kong International, Channel [V] Mainland China and the Fortune Star Chinese movie library. The JV was formed in 2010 and is majority-owned by CMC.

Inmarsat today confirmed that it had completed regulatory and other approvals in relation to its US$ 45 million purchase of Globe Wireless, the Florida-basedprovider of value-added maritime communications services to the shipping market.  As a consequence, Inmarsat has now completed its acquisition of Globe Wireless.

Inmarsat’s acquisition includes the business and substantially all of the assets of Globe Wireless. In the twelve months ended June 30, 2103, Globe Wireless generated revenues of US$91 million and currently has an installed customer base of over 6,000 ships.

Eutelsat Communications today announced the closure of the transaction to acquire 100% of the share capital of Satélites Mexicanos, S.A. de C.V. (Satmex) having obtained all required government and regulatory approvals. As previously oreported, the transaction amounts to US$ 831 million.

The financing requirements in connection with the acquisition are covered following the issuance on December 13, 2013 of 6-year senior unsecured bonds for a total of €930 million which were secured at attractive terms.

Reportbuyer.com just published a new market research report entitled "Online TV & Video Forecasts" which predicts global online TV and video revenues (over fixed broadband networks) will reach US in 2018, a massive increase from the US$ 3.98 billion recorded in 2010 and the $15.94 billion expected in 2013, according to the Online TV and Video Forecasts report from Digital TV Research.

By 2018, 520 million homes in 40 countries will watch online television and video (both paid-for and ad-supported), up from 182 million in 2010.

Rockwell Collins, Inc. today announced it has successfully completed the acquisition of ARINC Incorporated from The Carlyle Group for US$1.4 billion.

"With this move we take a major leap forward to realizing our vision of providing a richer set of seamless information management solutions that encompass the aircraft and ground-based systems," said Kelly Ortberg, CEO and president of Rockwell Collins. "The acquisition represents an exciting new growth platform for Rockwell Collins and shifts the balance of the company toward the expanding commercial aviation sector."