Ukrkosmos’ channel portfolio includes state-owned UTR, Kultura and KDRTRK, as well as Sport 1, Sport 2, Malyatko TV and Menu TV. Since UTR and Kultura are subject to must-carry rules, cable operators are obliged to offer the two channels as part of their bouquet. This allows SES ASTRA to immediately gain significant reach in Ukraine.

31.5 degrees East is SES ASTRA’s orbital position for Eastern Europe and the Middle East. It complements SES ASTRA’s very successful 5 degrees East orbital position that already delivers a large variety of channels to Ukraine and allows for further growth in the region.

Norbert Hölzle, Chief Commercial Officer of SES ASTRA, said: “We are delighted about this agreement with Ukrkosmos which demonstrates the strong dynamic in the region. Further to strengthening our long standing relationship with Ukrkosmos and its shareholder, the National Space agency of Ukraine, the agreement shows that we have succeeded in establishing 31.5 degrees East as an important orbital position for the Ukrainian market. We look forward to winning additional customers for this growing orbital position.”

Sergey Kapshtyk, General Director of State Enterprise Ukrkosmos: “The capacity agreement with SES ASTRA will allow us to offer superior signal quality and coverage over Ukraine and optimise the distribution of our customer’s content to terrestrial and cable networks. We are looking forward to continue working extensively with our colleagues from SES ASTRA to improve our offer to customers in Ukraine.”

It is expected that the transaction will close during the first quarter of 2011, subject to the realisation of certain conditions including regulatory approvals.

SES ASTRA has a long-standing business relationship with Astrium and has ordered a total of nine satellites from the satellite manufacturer. Six of these satellites are currently under construction at Astrium’s facilities across Europe.

Ferdinand Kayser, President and CEO of SES ASTRA, said: “This transaction will strengthen our relationship with Astrium Services through a joint shareholding in ND SatCom. It will also underpin our efforts to further enlarge the scope of our satellite infrastructure offering for governments and institutions, and to grow this promising new business segment. Together with Astrium Services, we will be able to take ND SatCom to the next phase of its development and strengthen its position.”

Eric Béranger, CEO of Astrium Services, said: “This move underlines our strong commitment to growing our business across Germany – one of our key home markets. With the deal due to conclude early next year, we will then have an opportunity to deploy significantly wider product range by combining Astrium’s secure satcoms, networks and terminals expertise with ND SatCom’s for a stronger offering to the civil, governmental and military markets.”

Prior to EchoStar, David’s track record in the satellite industry includes executive posts at Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems, where he was Vice President and Chief Engineer of commercial space programmes, overseeing the integration of Lockheed’s traditional manufacturing group with its new commercial telecommunications sector. He also held the position of Programme Manager and Chief Engineer on several commercial programmes at General Electric AstroSpace, and in various engineering and flight operations posts on the military/government side of General Electric’s Space Systems Division. He began his career in the United States Navy working on nuclear submarine operations.

Commenting on David’s arrival, Michel de Rosen, Eutelsat CEO said: “David’s long experience and considerable skill sets, notably in the satellite field will further reinforce the exceptional levels of competence already concentrated at Eutelsat. Technical excellence is core to the service we provide our clients and we are committed to paying it our highest attention as we pursue our objectives to expand resources and capabilities.”

A US national, David is a graduate in physics from the US Naval Academy and holds the equivalent of a graduate degree in Nuclear Propulsion Engineering through the US Navy.

Sogecable is a long-standing ASTRA customer, broadcasting from 19.2 degrees East since its launch in 1993. It operates under the pay-TV brand Digital+ which has 1.8 million subscribers. SES ASTRA reaches 1.9 million free- and pay-TV households in Spain.

SES ASTRA is the leading HD platform in Europe, with 135 HD channels and around six million HD viewers on its satellite fleet. The Luxembourg-based company is operating in the main European TV markets with major customers, also managing the HD+ platform for commercial HD broadcasting in Germany.

Ferdinand Kayser, President and CEO of SES ASTRA, said: “We are very pleased to further intensify our relationship with Sogecable and support its HD developments. Our major activities in HD underline our role as a leading HD platform and technical service provider across all our major European markets.”
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To enter into service in early 2013, this powerful satellite will provide a significantly expanded mission and superior coverage across the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia to follow on from Eutelsat’s EUROBIRD^TM 2 satellite, which is currently operated at 25.5° East. In addition to securing Ku-band continuity for Eutelsat and additional Ku-band resources for ictQATAR, it will initiate a Ka-band capability to open business opportunities for both parties. The spacecraft’s multi-mission architecture will enable ictQATAR and Eutelsat to respond to demand for the fastest-growing applications in the Middle East and North Africa, including video broadcasting, enterprise communications and government services. The television market will in particular benefit from the installed base of more than 13 million satellite homes already equipped for Direct-to-Home reception from this neighbourhood.

Dr. Hessa Al Jaber, ictQATAR Secretary General said: “This is an important step forward as we work to meet the rapidly growing communications needs in the region. The collaboration between ictQATAR and Eutelsat on this strategic satellite is already proving advantageous as both teams were able to bring complementary insight and expertise to the decision-making process. In selecting Space Systems/Loral we followed a fair and transparent process.”

Michel de Rosen, Eutelsat CEO added: “Following on from the historic partnership signed with ictQATAR only two months ago, we are delighted to take a further step forward with the selection of prime contractor for our jointly-owned satellite. The close and positive collaboration with ictQATAR during this process adds even further weight to our conviction that we have begun a lasting relationship that will benefit both organisations. The powerful new spacecraft delivered by Space Systems/Loral will equip Eutelsat with the continuity we need at the 25.5° East position, which is already a pillar for video broadcasting in the Middle East and North Africa regions, and usher in new business opportunities for us in the Ka-band.”

John Celli, president of Space Systems/Loral said: “We look forward to working with Eutelsat and ictQATAR to help broaden the availability of communications technology in the region. Space Systems/Loral provides satellites to the world’s leading satellite operators and we are pleased to add Eutelsat and ictQATAR as new customers.”

Intelsat Fuchsstadt

BBC World News Signs Multi-satellite Deal for Program Distribution to Asia-Pacific and the Americas via the Intelsat Network. Intelsat has signed a renewal and expansion contract for satellite and teleport services to distribute its programming to its audiences throughout Asia-Pacific and the Americas regions.

Intelsat’s distribution solution includes satellite capacity on four satellites plus teleport and fiber services via its IntelsatONESM terrestrial network. To reach viewers in the Asia-Pacific region, BBC World News will utilize capacity on the Intelsat 8 and the Intelsat 5 satellites, located at 166º E and 169º E, respectively. For distribution into the Americas, BBC World News will use capacity on the Intelsat 9 and the Galaxy 13 satellites, located at 58° W and 127° W, respectively. Uplinking services will be carried out at Intelsat’s teleports located in Ellenwood, Georgia; Napa, California; and Paumalu, Hawaii.

Colin Lawrence, Commercial Director at BBC World News, said: “Being accessible to as wide an audience as possible is vitally important to us, whether that is via satellite or fiber services, so we’re very happy to increase our reach and deliver our programming to more viewers with this deal.”

“By leveraging our regional video neighborhoods, the BBC is able to efficiently deliver its programming to the top DTH and cable communities,” said Kurt Riegelman, Intelsat’s Senior Vice President, Global Sales. “Our ability to combine satellites with fiber and teleport services on our IntelsatONE network provides programmers and broadcasters a seamlessly integrated end-to-end solution that meets their global distribution requirements.”

CNN and the World Broadcasting Unions – International Satellite Operations Group (WBU-ISOG) will host the Forum as initiative supporters. The Forum will be organized jointly by GVF, the Global VSAT Forum and SUIRG, the Satellite Users Interference Reduction Group. The complimentary event will be held from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm at the CNN New York Bureau in the Time Warner Center and will provide an opportunity to learn about the latest of several industry solutions underway to improve quality of service and reduce operational costs. “WBU-ISOG and CNN are very pleased to host and encourage this important gathering to further efforts to diminish the problems associated with satellite interference, for both broadcasters and others who depend upon satellite communications. Meeting just in advance of SATCON is most timely as a way to attract industry experts to help advance this vital program”, said Dick Tauber, VP of Transmission Systems and New Technology for the CNN News Group and Chairman of WBU-ISOG.

“Signal theft and interference have been escalating globally, which is adversely impacting satellite broadcast and telecommunication services,” said the Forum organizers in a joint statement made by GVF, SUIRG and WBU-ISOG. “The problem is attributable to numerous sources of interference, each of which calls for a different solution. We are pleased to work together with all Satellite Operators and the End User community to identify effective measures to address the issue.”

The Forum will feature executives from major satellite operators, broadcasters, MSS and VSAT service providers, equipment manufacturers and other organizations with vested interests in helping combat the growing problem of satellite radio interference. Participants will delve into the latest developments of each facet of this crucial industry-changing initiative, evaluate their relative merits, and encourage broader industry dialogue and participation.

The Forum will feature topics such as:

• Characterizing the Interference Challenge

• Improving Deployments: VSAT and SNG Installation & Operations Training

• Tracking Remote Interference Sources

• Enabling Product Quality: Earth-Station Type Approvals

• Interference-Fighting Tools

• Addressing Terrestrial Wireless Interference

Reinforcing this hallmark industry collaboration, in the past year 18 leading satellite operators formed an alliance to launch a global initiative to mitigate interference through various means, including:

• Endorsement and support for expanded delivery of GVF’s VSAT Installation Certification Program,

• Advancement of the SUIRG effort to employ Carrier-ID solutions as a means of identifying sources and location of interference generated by satellite earth terminals, and

• Creation of a global data-sharing centre, registered on the Isle of Man.

“In parallel with this operator-backed initiative, the satellite industry has also implemented complementary solutions to address other interference sources,” said David Hartshorn, GVF Secretary General. “For example, to ensure production of high-performance satellite Earth stations, the industry has established an outsourced-type approvals mechanism called the Mutual Recognition Arrangement.” The industry has also mounted an international coordination effort to address mounting levels of interference generated by terrestrial wireless services. “These and other RFI-fighting remedies will be covered in detail at the October 12 Forum,” Hartshorn added.

The Administration of France, on behalf of the EUTELSAT satellite operator, notified the Radio Regulations Board (RRB) of the interference emanating from the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran. While also considering correspondence from the Administration of Iran, the RRB determined that EUTELSAT satellite networks, operating in the orbital positions at 9E, 13E, 21.5E and 25.5E are receiving harmful interference. The Board noted that “the interfering signals appear to be of a nature that is prohibited under Radio Regulations No. 15.1″.

The Radio Regulations Board concluded that the interference appeared to be emanating from the territory of Iran “based on measurements provided by the Administration of France, and having confidence in the measurement techniques and technologies used, because they are recognized in the ITU-R Handbook on Spectrum Monitoring”.

The interference is reported to have persisted for some time, adversely affecting the operation of several EUTELSAT satellite transponders and channels. The Radio Regulations Board urged the Administration of Iran to continue its effort in locating the source of interference and to eliminate it as a matter of the highest priority.

The Administration of France and the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau have been called upon to assist the Administration of Iran in identifying the source of the interference.

The Radio Regulations Board is a part-time body comprising 12 members representing the world’s five regions: the Americas, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Africa, Asia and Australasia. Among the Board’s responsibilities is to approve the technical criteria used by the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau in the application of Radio Regulations, to consider reports of harmful interference and to formulate recommendations for their resolution. If agreement cannot be reached between an administration and the Board on a Rule of Procedure, the matter is submitted to a World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) for ruling. The next WRC will be held January-February 2012.

The current Chairman of the Board is Mr Mindaugas Zilinskas of Lithuania.