Thuraya expands roaming coverage of GSM across the Americas

Thuraya Telecommunications Company, a world leader in providing Mobile Satellite Services, said that the company has expanded its GSM roaming coverage by adding 11 more countries across the Americas. This move is in partnership with premier telecommunications providers, Claro and Telefonica. Operating in 18 countries across the Americas, Claro is the leading provider of telecommunications services in Latin America. Meanwhile, Telefonica manages more than 30% of the region’s telecommunications market and operates across 14 countries in Latin America.

Thuraya users located in Alaska, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, the U.S Virgin Islands and Uruguay will be provided with voice and data services for GSM roaming from the partners of Thuraya in this expansion. The roaming service, which rolled out on April 12, enables Thuraya subscribers to seamlessly roam on the Claro and Telefonica networks. Thuraya users can insert their Thuraya SIM on any GSM or smartphone to access Claro or Telefonica’s networks. In return, Claro and Telefonica subscribers will be able to roam across Thuraya’s satellite network shorty when they use a Thuraya satellite handset. Thanks to the company’s new roaming agreements, Thuraya can now provide global coverage for its customers with its wide satellite coverage and in over 161 countries across 356 GSM networks throughout Africa, Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe, Latin America and North America.

In a company statement, Thuraya VP of Marketing T. Sanford Jewett noted: “We are pleased to be working with our partners to provide our users with expanded coverage across the Americas. Thuraya is the only mobile satellite service provider that offers roaming services with terrestrial wireless networks. With the expansion of our GSM coverage to the Americas, Thuraya subscribers have the freedom to choose between satellite and GSM coverage around the globe.”

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Thuraya gains global GSM roaming coverage with new partnerships

A partnership with Latin American telecommunications providers Claro and Telefónica will extend the GSM roaming coverage of MSS (mobile satellite service provider) Thuraya Telecommunications Company into 11 more countries across the Americas.

The new roaming agreements will enable GSM roaming for voice and data services for Thuraya users in Alaska, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, as well as Argentina, Brazil, Chile, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay.

Starting April 12, 2013, Thuraya's improved roaming service will enable seamless roaming on the Claro and Telefónica networks for Thuraya subscribers. All it will take is inserting a Thuraya SIM card in any GSM or smartphone. In return, Claro and Telefónica subscribers will soon be able to roam across Thuraya’s satellite network via Thuraya satellite handsets.

The new roaming agreements will add Claro and Telefónica to the 354 other GSM networks that Thuraya users in over 161 countries can access through Thuraya's satellite coverage.

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KSAT Inks Agreement To Help Increase DMCii's Downlink Capacity

Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT), a commercial Norwegian enterprise, uniquely positioned to provide ground station and earth observation services for Low Earth and polar orbiting satellites, enters an agreement with DMC International Imaging (DMCii) to increase the volume of imagery acquired and the speed in which it can be delivered. 

Allowing DMCii to receive 30% more data from day one, the agreement also requires KSAT to deliver a complete ground station service to DMCii, this includes provision of hardware and delivery of data to DMCii's headquarters in the U.K. 

“Timeliness of information is of vital importance to our customers and is a key differentiator of our imagery services," said DMCii Managing Director, Dave Hodgson. "The improved downlink has significantly upgraded data delivery times and has already made 30% more imagery available, further improving capability for change detection applications. This will become more important as the capacity of our satellites to acquire data expands in the near future.” 

“Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT) is pleased with the opportunity to work together with DMCii and deliver an efficient and flexible ground segment for DMC series of satellites; reducing the latency for DMCii customers from the largest ground station in the world for polar orbiting satellites,” said KSAT President, Rolf Skatteboe. 

“This is a strong Anglo-Norwegian partnership that we expect to continue with future missions such as the UK’s forthcoming NovaSAR mission," Skatteboe adds. "The combination of timely deliveries of Earth Observation data and operational marine monitoring services is important for KSAT marine situational awareness services.”

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GL Communications debuts newest GSM wireless backhaul testing solutions

GL Communications recently introduced the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM,) the latest versions of its testing solutions for wireless backhaul networks.

The recent, rapid rise of mobile communications triggered greater penetration of the mobile market by data and video applications. This increased the importance of wireless backhaul such as IP and Ethernet backhaul over fiber, microwave, and various flavors of TDM. To keep expenses down, operators have turned to alternative backhaul solutions.

According to GL Communications, traditional T1 E1 networks can no longer ensure reliable transmissions over an expanding number of cellular sites. Network operators now require the right tools to monitor and fix a wide variety of backhaul options

To that end, GL test gear allow operators to monitor and test backhaul networks no matter the media used. The Company's products come in portable, handheld, and PC-based variants, and are used on a global scale to keep an eye on deployed networks.

Hardware and software designer GL Communications offers a complete line of solutions that provides flexible test solutions to cellular operators in compliance with the needs of various network traffic. Its products can test cellular backhaul, cellular IP backhaul, carrier Ethernet backhaul, and point-to-point and multipoint circuits. It can also conveniently simulate backhaul systems within a laboratory.

Globecomm, TodoCast collaborate to provide online streaming video content by satellite

Leading communications solutions provider Globecomm Systems Inc. entered into a strategic partnership with TodoCast to combine its global satellite network and broadcast infrastructure to TodoCast’s live Internet broadcast capabilities in order to deliver direct-to-consumer content distribution and monetization.

Taking pride in providing high quality satellite communication systems and services, Globecomm is a leader in delivering impeccable cellular networks, satellite networks, broadcasting and content delivery systems using a global network of satellite teleports and fiber.

Speaking about the partnership, Globecomm Systems Inc. SVP for Media & Entertainment Brian Morris noted: “TodoCast offers Globecomm many new ways to expand our media services business. TodoCast’s platform gives us a high-quality, direct-to-consumer video streaming capability that provides content distribution anytime, on any device to support today’s robust media markets.”

TodoCast is well-known for providing solutions that enable customers to make their own, branded broadcast networks to stream using the latest video device platforms. The company also boasts its ability to provide various business model options for monetizing content with pay-per-view, subscription advertising, and so on. The broadcast suite of the company includes TodoCast Centerstage, a comprehensive audience management platform; and TodoCast Connect, its dedicated first-mile satellite connectivity.

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MEASAT & CET Teleport Enter An Agreement For AFRICASAT-1a Satellite

The premium supplier of satellite communication services to leading international broadcasters, MEASAT Satellite Systems inked an agreement with one of the largest teleports in Europe delivering a wide range of corporate VSAT and media broadcast services, CET Teleport GmbH for capacity on the AFRICASAT-1a satellite.

With CET's teleports located in northwest Germany, the company secured, under the agreement, C-band capacity on AFRICASAT-1a to support their growing presence across the African continent.

MEASAT Vice-President for Broadcast Sales, Jarod Lopez, said, “MEASAT is proud to support CET Teleport’s satellite capacity requirements in the African region. With the newly launched AFRICASAT-1a satellite, we are able to support expansion of services throughout Africa.”

“We are delighted to be one of the first operators to take capacity on this modern new satellite," said CET Teleport CEO, Ken Armstrong. "This capacity will greatly improve our C-band coverage of Africa, complementing the existing Ku-band coverage we have in the region to enable us to provide services to the whole continent of Africa.”


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French fire, rescue services use Astrium, Cassidian satellite communications solution

A newly-validated remote solution from Astrium Services and Cassidian will enable satellite communications for French fire and rescue services on behalf of the French General Directorate of Civil Security and Crisis Management.

Astrium Services provided satellite communications equipment and services that will remotely link together Cassidian Tetrapol tactical cells in areas that are unreached by the PMR network or overloaded. The resulting operational solution extends the coverage of the tactical radio networks, allowing French fire and rescue services to offer civil security and public safety anywhere in range of a Tetrapol wireless communications network.

The Astrium-Cassidian solution is expected to enter operational service next spring. Cassidian will install its tactical cell 3G Independent Digital Repeater and 2G Radio Access Gate aboard the command post, light radio assistance, and communications vehicles and satellite trailers operated by the Civil Security and Crisis Management. 

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