Connected home entertainment solutions provider Netgem's current operating profit for 2012 amounted to €12.3 million (-3% compared to 2011) (US$ 15.75 mil.) or 15% of full-year revenue of €81.2 million (-4% compared to 2011). Gross margin for 2012 amounted to €30.2 million (37% of revenue) as compared to €32.4 million in 2011 (38% of revenue).

Operating expenses decreased 9% to €17.9 million in 2012, compared to €19.8 million in 2011, while the number of active customers increased, reflecting the control over operational costs and risks without any impact on the R&D effort.

Fiber distribution service provider The Switch has acquired substantially all of the assets and operations of HTN Communications, LLC (HTN), a provider of sports television and radio distribution services in North America.

Founded in 1956, HTN (formerly Hughes Television Network), is one of the longest-tenured provider of sports television and radio distribution services in North America, providing HD transmission access from every MLB, NBA and NHL sports venue in the United States as well as numerous entertainment events, concerts and news media outlets.

Google, Amazon, Netflix, Microsoft prepare ground for global ambitions

The Internet content delivery market will undergo huge changes over the next decade as major telcos and Internet giants, including Google, Amazon, Netflix and Microsoft, wrangle over the continuing over-the-top (OTT) Internet traffic content boom, according to a new Informa Telecoms & Media report Internet Innovation.

Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SingTel) is conducting a strategic review of its Optus Satellite business to optimize value for its shareholders. SingTel said it has appointed Credit Suisse and Morgan Stanley as financial advisors to assist with the review. 

Industry officials attending the Satellite 2013 conference in Washington DC last week speculated that APT Satellite of Hong Kong, partly owned by ChinaSat, and Eutelsat of Paris could both be potential bidders for the Optus assets if they are bidded out.

Mobile satellite voice and data services provider Globalstar has reported that its fourth quarter revenues rose 10 percent from the year before to US$19.12 million while service revenue increased to US$15.3 million from US$13.6 million the year earlier.

However, the company still posted net loss of US$19 million for the three months ended December 31, 2012 compared to a net loss of US$33.7 million for the fourth quarter of 2011.

The way content is now delivered has rapidly advanced in leaps and bounds. Demand from viewers for better content on multiple platforms has prompted many producers in Asia to seek ways to produce good and right content that has global appeal. With the massive amount of content out there, good quality content has become essential in order to stand out among the competition, as well as pull in and retain viewers’ attention.

SES announced today that it has increased its reach in 2012, driven by strong gains, especially in India and Germany. SES now reaches 276 million TV homes worldwide, over 17 million homes more than in 2011.

 According to Euroconsult's newly released research report,Government Space Markets, World Prospects to 2022, government spending on space reached a peak in 2012 of $72.9 billion, a non-negligible increase compared to 2011 which followed two consecutive years of minimal growth. This upswing is attributed to increased activity of countries such as Russia, China, India and new world or regional leaders who compensated for budget uncertainties affecting North America and Europe. Euroconsult expects global government expenditures on space to decrease due to fiscal policies exerting continuous pressure on public finances; improvement is not expected before 2015.

Canada’s manufacturer of mobile auto-deploying satellite antenna systems, C-COM Satellite Systems Inc., announced on Thursday that the company continued to post eight consecutive profitable year although net profit for 2012 dropped by 29%.

Asia Satellite Telecommunications Holdings Limited reported on Friday turnover rose 10% to US$242.8 million (HK$1.884 billion) in 2012 while net profit grew by 11% to US$117.8 million (HK$914.491 million).

AsiaSat said its consolidated turnover in 2012 increased by US$21.5 million (HK$167 million) after the company disposed of its entire interest in SpeedCast, its 100% wholly owned VSAT operation, in September 2012. The sale resulted in a gain of US$15.33 million (HK$119 million) in the company’s net profit for 2012.