Hytera Communications completed the $67 million takeover of Norsat, the acquiree said in a news release Thursday. Norsat was subject of a bidding war between Hytera and Privet Fund Management (see 1706140008). Hytera in a statement said that Norsat's antenna and filter products complement its business.
Intelsat 37e could launch as soon as Aug. 31, and Intelsat in an FCC International Bureau filing Tuesday asked for a 90-day special temporary authority for in-orbit testing at 17.5 degrees west, followed by a drift to its permanent location at 18 degrees west. Intelsat said the testing should last about 35 days, with the drift to take five days. Intelsat 37e will operate in the C-, Ka- and Ku-bands, the company said.
No non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellite system should have to shoulder the whole burden in coordinating spectrum sharing arrangements, and the FCC should push for equitable sharing expectations, SpaceX said in International Bureau comments filed Friday. That was the deadline for replies to oppositions to the slew of NGSO license applications and U.S. market access petitions filed in November (see 1705300042). SpaceX said NGSO operators should share data about the steering angles of each beam within a footprint, which would let operators identify which apparent in-line events are false. ViaSat said any NGSO application's approval should be conditioned on the outcome of the pending Part 2 and Part 25 rules update and on protecting geostationary orbit systems from harmful interference; Telesat Canada also backed conditions tied to Part 2 and Part 25 updates outcomes. OneWeb said any ViaSat approval should be conditioned on it only transmitting between medium earth orbit satellites and geostationary orbit (GSO) when the MEO is in the cone of coverage projected from that GSO satellite with respect to the earth. OneWeb also said the FCC should condition ViaSat's use of Ka-band for satellite-to-satellite links on ViaSat not interfering with or claiming protection from other NGSO fixed satellite service systems operating in the stated transmission direction. And Inmarsat said any use of the Ka-band for NGSO-to-GSO links needs study and rulemaking before the FCC approves ViaSat's application. Colorado-based Elefante Group, which is developing a stratospheric-based communications and IoT-enabling system, said Audacy must provide more information for better evaluating its compatibility with other services in the 22.55-23.55 GHz and 24.45-24.75 GHz bands. SES and O3b said the FCC should defer processing any Ku- or Ka-band NGSO applications lacking data needed to verify their equivalent power flux density (EPFD) compliance claims, with those including Telesat, Audacy, Boeing and SpaceX. It additionally said ViaSat's proposal is also lacking sufficient data needed for proper evaluation. OneWeb also said Boeing hadn't submitted sufficient EPFD data and its proposed phased milestone schedule would let the company keep its authorization indefinitely and prevent use of the underlying spectrum and orbital resources by others ready to launch. Iridium said that while Boeing acknowledges the need to coordinate with Iridium in the 19.3-19.7 GHz and 29.1-29.5 GHz bands, Boeing may underestimate the ground infrastructure the Iridium system might need and overestimates the effectiveness of some sharing strategies. The GPS Innovation Alliance said Theia's opposition to its petition to deny doesn't contain any meaningful technical analysis to address GPSIA's core assertion -- that Theia's earth exploration satellite service in the 1215-1300 MHz band would interfere with radionavigation satellite service operations.
Planet Labs wants to add S-band uplinks and modify the X-band downlinks to its Flock constellation. In an FCC International Bureau license modification submitted Thursday, it also asked for a higher orbit apogee altitude limit from 500 kilometers to 550 kilometers, which would give it more flexibility for its satellites, which are launched as secondary payloads. It said that alongside its authorized use of 2056 MHz for uploads, it also wanted authorization for use of 2054.69 MHz and 2057.31 MHz. The company said it's currently authorized for 8133 and 8200 MHz downlinks, but it wants that changed to one wider bandwidth frequency at 8150 MHz.
AT&T will add 4K high dynamic range support to DirecTV Now starting in 2018 as part of a “next-generation video platform” that will begin rolling out this fall, it announced. Beta-testing will begin this summer among “invited” DirecTV Now customers, among the first to try out the platform’s cloud DVR functionality and other features, the company said Thursday.
More than 6,200 small satellites are expected to be launched over the next 10 years, with market value potentially reaching $30.1 billion, Euroconsult said in a news release Thursday. It predicted big growth in the earth observation market, with more than 1,100 satellites anticipated to be launched through 2026. It said broadband satcom also will drive heavy smallsat growth, with close to 3,100 satellites expected to be launched through 2026, OneWeb and SpaceX accounting for the bulk. It said of the $16.5 billion in smallsat manufacturing to be done 2017-26, an estimated $3.7 billion will be done in house. The researcher said smallsat launch services are expected to generate $14.5 billion revenue through 2026.
Sling TV added WeatherNation and Showtime Family Zone to some packages, it blogged Tuesday.
Brazil-based Arycom is opening an office in Atlanta, having received Communications Act Section 214 international authorization to provide satcom services to and from the U.S. earlier this month, the company said in a news release Tuesday. It said it provides satellite voice and broadband services in South America and sells equipment and software from its U.S. operational base in Miami. It said the FCC authorization will let it sell fixed and mobile services from its Miami and Atlanta offices, with immediate focus on in-flight data connectivity.
New International Maritime Organization (IMO) performance standards for global maritime distress safety system equipment and approved amendments to the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Treaty are opening the door to Iridium becoming a GMDSS service provider, it said in a news release Tuesday. It said it's awaiting an IMO resolution recognizing Iridium as a certified GMDSS mobile satellite service provider, with that resolution expected to come in 2018 and Iridium to begin offering service in 2020. Iridium said it began the process to become a recognized GMDSS provider in April 2013. It said the SOLAS amendments allow GMDSS mobile satellite services to be provided by companies other than Inmarsat.
DirecTV and Dish Network objections to a proposed hike in direct broadcast satellite regulatory fees lack merit since consumers won't be harmed, the American Cable Association said in an FCC docket 17-134 filing posted Monday. ACA said the Media Bureau's MVPD activities involve DBS providers and cable and IPTV providers equally, and all see equivalent benefits. That justifies the proposed hike and supports full parity among MVPD payers, it said. Dish and DirecTV didn't comment Monday. CTIA, meanwhile, said non-high cost USF full-time equivalent employees who get reallocated should be reallocated as indirect FTEs, and there's no reason for reclassifying FTEs from the Wireline Bureau who work on high-cost USF or other agency-wide issues. It urged rejection of combining commercial mobile radio service and interstate telecommunications service provider regulatory fee categories and of a flat per-license fee on Communications Act international Section 214 authorizations. Level 3 backed AT&T's call for regulatory fees on both common carrier and non-common carrier terrestrial international bearer circuits, saying the FCC should seek further comment on eliminating the IBC fee category in favor of an assessment on each international 214 authorization or each holder of an international 214 authorization.