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MDA Sells Norway $15 Million CDN Worth of RADARSAT-2 DataDelta To Launch Low-Fare Carrier (Song) With Satellite TVNew Skies Signs Multi-Year Agreement With Reliance InfocommMSSs Get Approval for Terrestrial Component - and Lose a Slice of Spectrum
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MDA Sells Norway $15 Million CDN Worth of RADARSAT-2 DataMacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) has agreed to sell $15 million (CDN) worth of RADARSAT-2 data to Norway. Rolf Skar, Managing Director of the Norwegian Space Centre, said: "We've been a longtime RADARSAT-1 customer since the satellite was launched. We were the first station to sign up for RADARSAT-1 data, and this agreement to use RADARSAT-2 data in the years to come demonstrates our appreciation of its utility." The Norwegian data purchase also makes provision for industrial collaboration and exchange of technology between MDA and Kongsberg Spacetec and Kongsberg Satellite Services. Norway will use the satellite data for ship detection, detection of oil pollution, and monitoring ice conditions in the country's territorial waters. The RADARSAT-2 program ensures the continuation of the original RADARSAT program, and the development of Canada's Earth Observation business sector. The new satellite will be capable of image resolution ranging from 3 to 100 meters. RADARSAT-2 will also be the first commercial radar satellite to offer multi-polarization capability that will aid in identifying a variety of surface features and objects. Delta To Launch Low-Fare Carrier (Song) With Satellite TVDelta Air Lines is launching its own budget airline under the name Song, spending $75 million on the initiative to compete with the low-fare carriers on routes between the Northeast and Florida. The strategy aims to beat back the advances Delta's rivals have made with budget-minded business travelers and sun-worshipping vacationers on these routes in recent years. Song passengers has teamed with EchoStar Communications Corp. and its Dish Network TV service to offer its passengers with 24 channels of satellite TV viewable from their seats. Song will also offer digital radio. The airline is scheduled to take off on April 15 with a flight between New York's JFK International Airport and West Palm Beach, Fla. Song also plans to serve New York's La Guardia and Newark International airports. In addition, the carrier expects to connect such Florida cities as Fort Lauderdale, Tampa and Orlando with Boston and Hartford, Conn. New Skies Signs Multi-Year Agreement With Reliance InfocommNew Skies has signed a multi-year, multi-transponder deal with Reliance Infocomm Ltd, one of India's leading telecom companies offering national long distance, international long distance and data services. The bundled offering includes multiple transponders on the NSS-703 satellite, uplinking/downlinking services at New Skies' partner mediaport northwest of London, and local loop as well as trans-Atlantic fiber capacity linking the European gateway with Reliance's facility at 60 Hudson Street in New York City. The service will be used along with Reliance's fiber network, which covers over 600 cities across India. Ajeet Varma of Reliance Infocomm Ltd said: "We selected New Skies for the launch of our international long distance service because of the excellent reputation of its highly reliable network. Also, as we launch our international services, New Skies' strong technical expertise and customer support will help us be successful in this very competitive business." MSSs Get Approval for Terrestrial Component - and Lose a Slice of SpectrumThe FCC handed down a double-edged ruling for the mobile satellite industry, granting it the right to extend service through ancillary terrestrial components and at the same time, taking back a 30 MHz slice of spectrum. The Commission's announcement outlined key points, including 8 different gating criteria and covers interference concerns for the 2-GHz and L-band. The Commission also adopted a rulemaking concerning Big Leo band to address additional spectrum issues. The Commission reallocated 30 MHz from the MSS band at 2 GHz (1990-2000; 2020-2025; and 2165-2180 MHz) for 3G wireless. The Commission decided that 2 GHz MSS, currently authorized to operate at 1990-2025 MHz and 2165-2200 MHz, "can operate in less than the 70 megahertz of spectrum it had previously been allocated." The ruling leaves 40 MHz for MSS operators at 2000-2020 MHz and 2180-2200 MHz, the agency said. (MSS licensees are also operating in bands under 3 GHz). The FCC also proposed the use of 1910-1920 MHz, which now is available for unlicensed PCS operations but is unused. The proposal raises several possible combinations of uses involving the unlicensed PCS band, 1990-2000 MHz, 2155-2160/62 used by the Mobile Distribution Service (MDS) licensees and 2160-2165 MHz earmarked for emerging technologies. While several pieces of that spectrum are lined up as part of proposals for 800 MHz reconfiguration and 3G relocation, the FCC won’t take any action that would sway the outcome of those other pending proceedings, say FCC watchers. The Commision also rejected a CTIA petition for reconsideration seeking reallocation of the entire 2 GHz MSS band for terrestrial wireless use. |
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