Dish Awaits Waiver for Bundled Satellite Communications Offer

The FCC has disapproved LightSquared’s waiver request regarding the use of satellite communications spectrum to deliver mobile broadband services. Its hybrid satellite-terrestrial LTE network has been attacked by the GPS industry due to its unwanted effect on GPS signal transmission.  But Dish hopes it would have bigger chance of getting an FCC waiver which could take an entire year to be decided upon.

Some market observers share the same sentiments as Dish. The satellite communications and broadcasting company is operating on safer spectrum which is less likely to cause GPS interference, unlike that of Light Squared. Dish already submitted its plan to operate an LTE-Advanced network by 2013 at the earliest. MVNO is the likely platform, which was expected to have been used by LightSquared. But the main goal of DISH is to bundle mobile satellite communications services with its pay-TV offering. This would leverage the competitive edge of Dish over cable and telco quad carriers.

But there are some stumbling blocks along Dish's satellite communications plan. AT&T is mulling on buying the satellite spectrum, which could mean possible interference issues on part of Dish. A number of cellular communications firms have anticipated this, and thus urged the Federal Communications Commission to delay the issuance of waivers until the completion of industry-wide rules for MSS airwaves.

In a public statement released by the FCC, the agency reiterated its intent to remove regulatory barriers to open up more wireless communications spectrum to mobile broadband providers.

Did NBN Australia Snub Local Satellite Communications Firm?

Inmarsat's Satellite Communications Businesses Reorganized

One of the pioneer satellite communication carriers in the world, Inmarsat announced Tuesday that it will consolidate its subsidiaries to develop a more focused organization that can better align the company's business more closely with core satellite communications markets. 

Stratos Global, Segovia and Ship Equip will start using the same brand name, “Inmarsat”, as a part of this organization overhaul. Headed by Jim Parm, Inmarsat Solutions will operate through four major satellite communications business units: Maritime, Government, Government Global and Inmarsat Enterprise. Commercial Services & Support will support this new division by creating cross-business unit services such as customer service, commercial management, marketing communications and channel development.

Inmarsat will uphold its policy of distribution services. The satellite communications firm will keep its independent channel partners which includes resellers and service providers. 

Inmarsat is a global leader in mission-critical satellite communications market for more than 30 years, said CEO Rupert Pearce. The company also boasts of being the pioneer in the mobile satellite communications services market. 

Stratos, a mobile and fixed satellite communications solutions firm, is one of Inmarsat’s largest distributors. It became an Inmarsat subsidiary in April 2009.  Global communications solutions provider Segovia became a part of  Inmarsat in January 2010, while VSAT maritime communications firm Ship Equip was acquired by Inmarsat in April last year. 

Other News:
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Amazing Benefits of Wireless Satellite Broadband

The amount of bandwidth a satellite broadband provider can offer is quantified in terms of  megabits per second, equivalent to one million bits per second. The world is surrounded by almost 300 satellites located in the geosynchronous orbits. Beaming signals atop the equator 2-3 degrees apart, these geostationary satellites pass around Earth at the same speed while remaining at their fixed location relative to globe’s equator.

When choosing a satellite broadband plan, the following data should be carefully taken into account: uplink G/T (dBK),  downlink EIRP power (dBW),  transponder bandwidth (MHz) and sensitivity (dBW/^m2) owned by satellite carriers.

The equivalent information data rate of bandwidth (MHz) will depend on the following variables:  

type of FEC (e.g. Low Density Parity Check, Viterbi, Reed Soloman, Turbo Code or combination of these)
Dish size
Modulation method (e.g 8-QAM , BPSK,16-QAM, QPSK )
Forward error correction code
A geostationary satellite can reach almost 33% of the area of the entire world. For instance, the areas reached by a geostationary satellite found above India’s equator encompass Japan, Europe, South Africa and Australia. Spot beams are transmitted at particular regions where they are received by small dishes.

VSAT dishes are usually available in diameters of 60cm - 3.7m. Residential satellite broadband users are provided with indoor transceivers that prepare signals and transmit them in TDMA bursts.

Monthly satellite broadband fees are usually computed in terms of bit rate usage. Under a satellite Internet service with 20:1 user-host ratio and 512k download /64k uplink speed, monthly fee can reach $202. This type of broadband plan is enough for two computer terminals.

Like DSL and cable broadband services, satellite broadband carriers require customers for follow fair usage policy.  Subscribers should keep their bandwidth usage within the prescribed limit or else they would get penalized. Upload and download speeds are usually fast enough to allow for common computer tasks such as browsing, downloading video and playing online games.

Satellite Internet is the most used backup Internet and communication solution for businesses. This broadband technology  is not as fast as traditional DSL broadband, but people in areas with no telephone lines or too far from cell sites cannot communicate wirelessly unless they sign up with a satellite broadband provider.

Various industries like airlines, financial sector and military intelligence units rely on satellite services to ensure that their communication needs are always met. Although latency and other quality issues are preventing wide usage of satellite broadband services, recent developments are making teleports more faster in processing signals. Modern modulation and bandwidth optimization techniques have led to lower satellite Internet costs.