Over 60 carriers, advertising agencies, broadcasters, handset manufacturers and application developers gathered at the CASBAA annual CXO Mobility Summit in Hong Kong on May 19 to measure the latest developments in mobile TV and a future roadmap in Asia.

Providers hesitating about getting involved with Rural Access Network initiatives in the region would do well to consider the experience of providers under the Australian broadband subsidy scheme. Even though the challenges faced in developing countries is likely to be far greater, our expectation is that this first mover advantage will be repeated and with greater returns than in Australia. We therefore encourage providers to engage in these initiatives sooner rather than later, whilst putting in place strategies to mitigate downside risks. 

The Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia will kick off the 10th  anniversary of the CASBAA Singapore Satellite Industry Forum on June 14th at the Shangri-La Hotel with a dynamic program – themed "More Than Bandwidth" – with an unrivalled list of clients, operators, satellite manufacturers and launch providers.  

The Asia Pacific satellite transponder market is the most vibrant in the world with hundreds of new TV channels and related platforms ready to launch in support of the world’s largest and most dynamic pay-TV and mobile services sectors.

The latest GVF/UK-EMP Conference Partnership event, the 3rd Annual Oil & Gas Communications Europe Conference: ‘Digital Applications & Communications Dynamics from the North Sea to the Arctic Ocean’, concluded on 13th May, with calls for the GVF-driven industry dialogue between the satellite and maritime/offshore sectors to continue to expand.

Over the last few years I have been devoting a not insignificant percentage of my work energies to activities linked to the offshore and maritime sectors – strategically important customers of satellite industry equipment vendors, service providers, and operators. If you are a regular reader of this column, you will know all about the GVF Oil & Gas Communications Europe event that is taking place in Aberdeen, Scotland, as I write; and, about the forthcoming Broadband Maritime Europe 2010 conference that will take place in London, England, 28-29 June.

At the 2010 NAB Show, World Teleport Association was co-producer of the Destination Broadband Theater in the Upper South Hall. In 16 panel sessions over three days, we focused on two closely-related topics: delivering and monetizing video content delivered over broadband, and how traditional television distribution is evolving in response to the broadband revolution.  

Consumer/SOHO satellite is clearly dominated now by a few large players aggressively fighting for each other’s customers or for the remaining market share. From the outside, finding opportunity in this environment might seem a daunting challenge. However, like all other communications industries, there is an opportunity for niche players to carve out a lucrative business for themselves and even take advantage of the environment created by their largest competitors.

The World Teleport Association (WTA) announced the release of a new white paper, Strategies for Sustainability. The report presents WTA’s findings and outcomes from its March 2010 Member Forum on the Green Teleport as well as in-depth interviews conducted with early adopters of advanced energy management solutions among the Association’s membership. 

Much attention is being paid to consumer broadband service via satellite as this has the potential to match the US penetration of DTH TV and Satellite Radio (DARS). However, there is still a very substantial ongoing business using various types of VSATs to serve commercial and govern-ment needs in developed and developing regions of the world. After all, satellite communications is the best alternative if modern terrestrial infrastructure is not available.

With more than half of the 85 million strong population being under the age of 30 years, Vietnam’s subscription-TV business was given a boost at the CASBAA Vietnam’s Pay-TV Industry Seminar in Hanoi.

The seminar, themed "Pay-TV on the Rise", brought together more than 200 Vietnamese government officials, international industry decision makers and media to have a 360-degree analysis of the Vietnam pay-TV sector, including business models; the channel licensing process; intellectual property rights; copyright challenges; the prospects for Cable, DTH, IPTV and content production.