This month will see more than 100 satellite-based communications companies – an increase of seven per cent compared to 2011 – assemble at CommunicAsia2012and BroadcastAsia2012, Asia’s largest global ICT, Digital Multimedia and Entertainment event.

Driven by the continued strong demand for satellite services in the Asia Pacific region, the industry’s most important drivers -- high-definition TV conversion, DTH television and intercontinental video transmissions-- remain in high growth mode. Multi-year contracts of satellite operators are enabling the industry to maintain a dependable revenue stream despite the turmoil in other parts of the world. Transponder fill rates have remained generally high with good revenues from transponder leasing and purchase of satellite equipment by Asian countries remain buoyant.

Many fleet owners, looking to improve the lives of their crew by providing an affordable means for them to keep in touch with family and friends while onboard, turn to VSAT-based solutions to provide the connectivity.    But it doesn’t need to stop there.  The same VSAT system can be used to improve the bottom-line by enabling closer integration between ship and shore operations, just in the same way VSATs are used the world over to link branch offices to their headquarters.  This article examines the wide variety of ship based applications proactive fleet managers are now using their satel

“Sorry We have No Crystal Ball…” That quote from Peter Ludé, Senior VP at Sony Electronics, Inc. very neatly summed up the SMPTE Forum on Emerging Technologies held in Geneva in May.  However at the end of day one a show hands indicated that by an overwhelming majority even if they didn’t know what it was going to look like, the 130 delegates from 23 countries felt that the future was bright!

Seventy per cent of Earth is covered by the oceans, but, although only very few of us occupy this part of Earth’s surface except on a temporary basis, we increasingly look to the seas as a resource for industry, commerce and leisure. Thus, the comparative hostility of the seas, in contrast to our populated land masses, does not diminish their vital, and increasing, importance as a means of transport for our globalised trade goods, as an important source of food supplies and of vital energy resources, as well as an environment for our entertainment pursuits.

CASBAA has announced an outstanding program of speakers and sponsors for its 12th annual Satellite Industry Forum on Monday, 18 June at the Shangri-La Hotel Singapore reflecting the Asia Pacific’s key position “at the heart of global growth” for the industry.“ As the representative Association for multichannel TV and the communications sector in the Asia Pacific, it is vital that we hear from all aspects of the industry including the satellite services sector which continues to play such a huge role in the growth and development of the market,” said Simon Twiston Davies, CEO, CASBAA.

Despite their ever-increasing momentum, over-the-top (OTT) TV services are not yet an adequate alternative to traditional pay-TV, according to Ovum. However, operators should not rest easy, warns the Global analysts; besides enjoying significant brand equity, a handful of key OTT players, such as LOVEFiLM and YouTube, can also leverage the financial strength and assets of their parent companies (Amazon and Google, respectively) to substantially improve their positioning.

Euroconsult today announced the launch of its latest research report, "Hosted Payloads: The View From Within." Following discussions with the Hosted Payload Alliance (HPA), Euroconsult decided to pursue development of the report in order to identify and assess corresponding and conflicting perspectives from the key stakeholder groups directly involved in hosted payload programs. Based on an exhaustive survey, the views of eight key stakeholder groups were examined on the basis of risks, opportunities, challenges and requirements related to hosted payloads.

CommunicAsia, EnterpriseIT and BroadcastAsia – some of the world’s leading event for the increasingly converging Digital Multimedia, Entertainment, Infocomm and Telecommunications arena – is experiencing record pre-show visitor registrations and exhibitor figures hitting close to 2,000 as the industry, its business leaders and influencers turn their attention towards opening day on 19 June.

Euroconsult  announced today that the satellite pay-TV industry reached revenues close to $90 billion in 2011, up from $79 billion in 2010. Global industry revenues are expected to reach close to $150 billion in 2021, with emerging markets (i.e. Latin America, Central Europe, Russia, the Middle East, Africa and Asia) representing a growing share of revenues that will nearly double over the next ten years to reach 44% by 2021.