10 December 2000

Satcoms

American General Finance Deploys Stampede TurboGold to Speed Up Satellite Network
American General Finance (AGF) has begun deploying Stampede Technologies Inc's advanced server-to-server and client-to-server TurboGold software.

The effort involves installing TurboGold on 1,350 servers and 300 clients to enhance AGF's server-to-server and client-to-server performance.

American General Finance is one of the largest consumer finance companies in the USA with over US$13 billion in assets and over 75 years of lending experience. They are one of the USA's leading providers of financial services. American General Finance provides loans, retail financing, and other credit related products to more than two million American families through 7,000 loan specialists in 1,350 neighbourhood offices. Their operation spans 41 states, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands.

To meet AGF's requirements of performing simultaneous replications over their 1,350 servers, IBM employed state-of-the-art hardware and software in the network design. The design encompasses the IBM AS/400 server platform running Lotus' Domino Server software. Communications between the servers are handled by a Hughes VSAT network.

Stampede's TurboGold was added to improve replication performance in two very important areas: 1) packaging Notes databases more efficiently and 2) eliminating Notes chatter (latency effects). To-date performance improvements of up to 12-to-1 have been measured with TurboGold.

TurboGold software uses patented (U.S. Patents 5,682,514 & 5,835,943 & 6,012,085 & 6,122,637) compression, streaming and caching techniques to accelerate the transfer of Lotus Notes databases. TurboGold's client-to-server and server-to-server applications support Lotus Notes 4.5 and above, including R5.

TurboGold's client runs on Windows NT, 95, 98, and 2000 and TurboGold's server runs on Windows NT, IBM AS/400 and RS/6000 (AIX) platforms. Performance gains of better than two-to-one are typically achieved with higher transfer rates possible depending on data content and delivery method.

comMATCH Provides Gilat Satellite Networks with Duet 3000 Voice Gateway
comMATCH has provided Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd with its Duet 3000 Voice Gateway product, which Gilat will incorporate into its satellite rural telephony and Internet networks.

The Duet 3000 product will enable Gilat's DialAw@yIP VSAT product to interface to several national PSTN networks in Asia and Latin America, facilitating feature-rich telephony over the satellite infrastructure.

comMATCH Duet Voice Gateways enable existing and new Alternative Operators (such as CLEC or ITSP) to provide their customers with feature-rich telephony and ISDN services over Next Generation networks. These services include three-way calls, call forward, park on busy tone, as well as other CLASS and IN services.

Europe*Star Signs New Clients
Satellite operator Europe*Star has been selected to provide two European telecommunications companies with satellite transponder capacity for advanced broadband Internet services.

Communications and Banking Equipment SA of Luxembourg (CBL) has leased two transponders on the Europe*Star 1 satellite to launch its new StarSpeeder service, which will deliver broadband Internet and IP streaming services to business-to-business and business-to-consumer markets within Europe and the Middle East. CBL will also offer direct video broadcast/Internet protocol (DVB/IP) platform, uplink and managed data services to these regions.

In a separate agreement, Polish Phonesat, a wholly owned subsidiary of Elektrim SA of Poland, has leased three satellite transponders from Europe*Star to deliver broadband Internet backbone connectivity and local distribution services to customers in Poland. In addition, Polish Phonesat will use this transponder capacity to directly connect remote ISPs who currently have limited or no access to local terrestrial fibre or cable, and the company may also use the transponders for future VSAT applications within Poland.

Europe*Star currently operates two satellites serving Europe, the Middle East, southern Africa, the Indian subcontinent, and southeast Asia. Europe*Star 1 is a powerful inter-regional geostationary satellite which was launched in October 2000 into its current slot at 45° E. Its 30 Ku band transponders provide connectivity suitable for broadband, broadcast-m ode delivery of IP and digital TV content. Europe*Star B, located at 47.5° E, offers high powered, focused Ku band coverage within Europe, suitable for point-to-point connections such as Internet 'backbone' circuits, occasional use TV and telephony.

CBL will be using capacity on Europe*Star 1, while Polish Phonesat has contracted for capacity to be split across both Europe*Star 1 and Europe*Star B.

Eutelsat to Offer Ka Band Services
Eutelsat has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with CNIT (Italy's national inter-university consortium for telecommunications) for Ka band satellite capacity. CNIT will use this capacity to set up a new satellite-based tele-education network which will enable postgraduate students to pursue their studies for a telecommunications doctorate by means of coursework delivered by the academic leaders throughout Italy in this field.

The network will operate via Ka band capacity on the Italsat F2 satellite that Eutelsat is using in advance of full commercialisation of the Ka band on its Hot Bird 6 satellite that is due for launch in just over a year. In addition to providing full coverage of Italy the footprint provided by Italsat's Ka band includes southern France, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia, Montenegro, parts of Serbia, Kosovo and the northern regions of Greece and Tunisia. It will also use capacity on a bandwidth-on-demand basis that will enable CNIT to manage its fully meshed network with a high degree of efficiency, as well as providing two-way satellite interactivity.

The telecommunications doctorate consists of 27 seminars in English of 10 hours each, that can be watched real-time, recorded for playback or made available for web-based training.

Telespazio, a company specialised in satellite systems and services that is part of the Telecom Italia Group, is currently setting up and managing the earth stations at the first seven of the 26 universities that are part of the CNIT (Bologna, Catania, Genoa, Florence, Naples, Padua and Pisa) with a view to going live in first quarter 2001.

Globecomm Selected to Provide Voice and Data Recovery Services
Globecomm Systems Inc has been awarded a US$ 1.8 million contract to provide an independent IT solutions integrator with the equipment and services to deliver voice and data recovery via satellite in the event of a disaster that compromises or destroys existing phone lines.

Under the terms of the contract, Globecomm Systems will provide a transportable earth station terminal, teleport services, voice over IP services, and operation and maintenance services 24 hours a day each day. Network support will be provided from the Globecomm Systems Long Island International Teleport in Hauppauge, New York.

Globecomm to Upgrade C&W's UK Earth Stations
Globecomm Systems Europe Limited, the UK subsidiary of Globecomm Systems Inc, has been awarded a contract by Cable & Wireless to upgrade three earth stations in the United Kingdom for digital traffic services.

Under the terms of the US$ 3.6 million contract, Globecomm Systems Europe will design, engineer, build and commission the upgrade of three major earth stations, two at Cable & Wireless' Docklands Communication Centre in London, and a third at its Whitehill Communications Centre near Oxford.

Globecomm Systems Europe was established in June 1999 following the Company's acquisition of the Civil Ground Segment Division at Newcastle of Matra Marconi Space UK Limited.

Goodyear Selects Spacenet to Link Outlets
The Goodyear Tire and Rubber company has selected Spacenet, a subsidiary of Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd, to provide a high-speed satellite communications network to a minimum of 1,000 Goodyear tyre outlets in the United States and Canada.

Goodyear expects the network to eventually include over 2,000 tyre outlets, as well as other company sites.

Under the terms of the agreement, Spacenet will provide Goodyear with a comprehensive VSAT network solution that includes turnkey installation of all remote site equipment, as well as network operations and field maintenance. Network implementation will begin within the next six months and is expected to be completed in late 2001.

Hughes Network Systems and Inktomi Move Network Edge into Offices and Homes
Hughes Network Systems (HNS) and Inktomi Corp, developer of scalable Internet infrastructure software, have announced a broad strategic relationship encompassing the build-out of a global satellite caching and content distribution infrastructure, and a development and technology reseller agreement.

The multi-faceted agreement between the companies is intended to move the edge of the network from regional points of presence (POPs) into homes and offices around the world, avoiding network congestion.

Under terms of the alliance, HNS will integrate Inktomi Traffic Server network caches at its Network Operations Centers (NOCs) worldwide to provide fast, efficient delivery of IP-based applications directly to businesses and consumers. HNS and Inktomi will also co-operate on the development of new satellite-optimised caching and content distribution software that will be embedded within hundreds of thousands of HNS satellite receivers in homes and businesses worldwide, and will operate as remote extensions to the Traffic Server caches deployed at the NOCs. Finally, HNS will bundle Inktomi Traffic Server caching software with its DirecPC satellite platform to provide an integrated end-to-end caching and content distribution solution.

Central to the HNS-Inktomi agreement is the technology development initiative designed to extend the network edge to end-user clients, effectively bypassing all network congestion for content delivery directly to the end user. With the integration of Inktomi Internet infrastructure software between NOCs and end-user clients, content served via HNS' business and consumer satellite platforms will be proactively distributed and cached directly at end-user satellite terminals.

Norsat to Provide SpectraWorks Network to China
Norsat International Inc has signed a Letter of Intent with one of China's leading telecommunications service providers to supply an end-to-end satellite broadband network consisting of a SpectraWorks DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting) Data Hub, a DVB Return Link Subsystem (RLSS), and one-way and two-way Ku-band Satellite Broadband Terminals.

The broadband network, all to be delivered in 2001, is valued at over Cdn$ 25 million.

The Norsat satellite network will provide a range of DVB over IP (Internet Protocol) applications including videoconferencing, high-speed Internet and intranet access, and data services.

Pentagon's Iridium Deal
The US Department of Defense, through its Defense Information Systems Agency, has awarded Iridium Satellite LLC a US$ 72 million contract for 24 months of satellite communications services. This contract would provide unlimited airtime for 20,000 government users over the Iridium satellite network.

The contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to US$ 252 million and extend the period of performance to December 2007. This is an interesting development because the current constellation of satellites will require replacement from 2005.

As part of the deal, the DoD will also receive 15,000 handsets. It is reported that the DoD is to pay in advance for the initial 24 month period of the agreement.

The DoD want to use the Iridium system because it offers state-of-the-art technology. It features on-satellite signal processing and inter-satellite crosslinks allowing satellite-mode service to any open area on earth. It provides mobile, cryptographically secure telephone services to small handsets anywhere on the globe, pole-to-pole, 24 hours a day. The system and its DoD enhancements will provide handheld service currently not available.

The DoD made a significant investment in the original incarnation of Iridium, placing a US$ 219 million contract with the company for the supply of handsets, pagers and services. The DoD also built its own, secure, gateway in Hawaii at a reported cost of US$ 100 million as well as investing in the development of specialised Iridium terminals for, for example, fighter aircraft.

Since the US Navy has a requirement more than twice as large as the current capability, the Department of Defense needs the capacity Iridium offers small unit operations in areas without satellite constellation coverage or during periods when various assets are being used in other contingencies. Special Forces operations, combat search and rescue activities and polar communications will also be enhanced. Iridium will provide a unique resource to enhance DoD mobile satellite communications requirements.

Early next year, Iridium will offer a classified capability. Classified service will not only be provided for users already registered to the DoD gateway, but will also be extended to new users from DoD, other federal agencies, and selected allied governments.

Iridium Satellite LLC is currently purchasing the operating assets of Iridium LLC and its existing subsidiaries for US$ 25 million, pursuant to a November 22, 2000 order of the US Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. Under the agreement, Iridium Satellite LLC will purchase all of the existing assets of Iridium LLC, including its constellation of low-orbiting satellites and its satellite control network, and will have Boeing operate the system.

SES Orders Astra 3A from Boeing
Société Européenne des Satéllites (SES) has ordered its 10th satellite from Boeing Satellite Systems.

The satellite, Astra 3A, will be a high-power Boeing 376 HP model spacecraft and is scheduled for launch in 2002. The contract also includes launch services and ground station control software. The launch provider under this delivery-in-orbit contract will be announced at a later date. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Astra 3A's payload will consist of 24 Ku band transponders, 20 active, which will provide high-power DTH services to the German-speaking markets of Germany, Austria and Switzerland from SES's new orbital position of 23.5° E. The Astra 3A satellite will have a contracted service life of at least 10 years.

SkyBridge Clear Another Regulatory Hurdle
The US Federal Communications Commission's adoption of a First Report & Order opening up the Ku band spectrum to Non Geostationary Orbit (NGSO) satellite systems removes the last major hurdle between SkyBridge and an FCC license.

This First Report and Order confirms the sharing regime originally proposed by SkyBridge in 1997 by implementing a regulatory framework for the operation of NGSO FSS systems in the United States, including rules governing the sharing of spectrum with existing geostationary satellite and terrestrial systems. It is a significant action in opening up the broadband market to new services and competition. The FCC decision follows the confirmation by the international community of global availability of Ku band spectrum to broadband systems like SkyBridge at the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-2000) in Istanbul, Turkey earlier this year.

SkyBridge will provide telecom operators and service providers with broadband access capacity, enabling them to offer high-speed, highly interactive multimedia services to business and residential users anywhere in the world via a constellation of 80 low earth orbiting satellites.

Earth Observation

Astrium Launches InfoTerra
Early next year, Astrium will found a new company, InfoTerra, to commercialise satellite images.

Astrium's Earth Observation Division will create the German Company InfoTerra GmbH, while the UK's National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) will become InfoTerra Ltd. Both companies will have a common management, will employ 190 people and will have a turnover of over 20 million Euros.

As of 2005, the company plans to launch two radar satellites TerraSAR, operating in X and L bands with a one-meter resolution. The creation of this new company, as well as the building and launch of the two satellites, should cost 500 million Euros. This will be financed by a public/private partnership, with the participation of the British National Space Center (BNSC) and the German Space Agency (DLR).

Military Space

Ikonos Imagery for Turkish Armed Forces
Lockheed Martin Space Systems has formed an alliance with Space Imaging and Cukurova Holding/INTA to provide the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) with high-resolution remote sensing capabilities.

An initial phase has been agreed upon that will allow the TAF to immediately acquire high-resolution imagery through Cukurova Holding/INTA using the Ikonos satellite.

A Regional Operations Centre, including a complete ground station with direct tasking access to the Ikonos satellite will be operational in Turkey in the first quarter of 2001.. It will be operated by Cukurova Holding/INTA which is making a substantial investment to attract potential commercial and military users.

Syracuse III Contract Goes to Alcatel Space
Alcatel Space has won the contract to build France's new Syracuse III military communications system. The contract signed by French defence procurement agency DGA includes the in-orbit delivery of a new-generation Syracuse IIIA military satellite, as well as necessary upgrades of the current ground segment.

The contract, valued at approximately 1.4 billion Euros (9 billion French francs) also includes options for the in-orbit delivery of a second and third satellite in the same series, as well as operational maintenance of the system until 2018.

The Syracuse IIIA satellite will enter service in 2003, complementing the current fleet of mixed civil/military Telecom 2 satellites. It will offer both French and allied armed forces a significant improvement in terms of information rates, operational flexibility and resistance to countermeasures.

Alcatel Space will work with Thomson-CSF both to develop the Syracuse III ground segment and security-related equipment (both ground and satellite), and starting in 2001, for the operational maintenance of the current Syracuse II system, followed by the Syracuse III system.

The new-generation Syracuse III is to be based on the Spacebus commercial satellite platform. Its payload will incorporate state-of-the-art technology, including an active antenna and digital processor. Alcatel Space could also deliver another Syracuse III series satellite as early as 2004.

Manned Space

Boeing Will Lay Off 400 in Palmdale, California
The Boeing Co has said it would lay off 400 employees in Palmdale, California, after work ends on the modification of one of NASA's space shuttles early next year.

Columbia, which is NASA's oldest shuttle, will return to service in January or February next year after an 18 month refurbishment programme at a USAF facility in Palmdale. Boeing has 900 staff at the facility.

The shuttle Discovery will also be sent to Palmdale for an upgrade, but no schedule has yet been set for this. Boeing expects to rehire some of the 400 staff laid off for this upgrade.

Stunning EVA Images from Wescam's Helmet Cameras
Wescam's cameras and wireless transmission systems are in orbit aboard the space shuttle Endeavour and have been providing stunning pictures from helmet cameras on astronauts during spacewalks.

The shuttle and its five-member crew assembled and activated the first of four towers of a solar array that will power the international space station Alpha. Canadian astronaut Marc Garneau used the Canadarm to deploy the US$ 600-million tower and direct three space walks to assemble it.

The visual information system supplied by Wescam for this mission includes a camera with three lenses, and two transmission antennae on each of two astronaut helmets, plus seven remote reception antennae located around the Shuttle cargo bay. Video images of the astronauts at work captured by the helmet cameras were transmitted to the antennae, relayed to the cockpit in the upper deck, and then to mission control centre in Houston.

This system, known at NASA as WVS (wireless video system), provides uninterrupted video, allowing NASA engineers to provide ground support to the astronauts by monitoring their progress in real time.

Wescam, a Canadian-based company with corporate offices located north of Hamilton, owns four facilities in the United States. One of those, Broadcast Sports Inc in Odenton Maryland, 10 miles south of Baltimore, developed and constructed the cameras and wireless transmission equipment now deployed on its first operational mission for NASA.

Wescam provided a prototype to prove the concept aboard John Glenn's Discovery mission in October 1998. It was very successful and now the system is scheduled to be an integral part of future shuttle missions to construct the space station.

Broadcast Sports Inc. developed this technology as an extension of its in-car cameras and real-time transmission for live broadcast of NASCAR and Indy car racing events throughout North America. Rugged construction and specialised materials allow these systems to withstand the harsh environment of space.

Technology

Developing ICs for Space Applications
Atmel Corporation has announced a 3-year agreement with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the French Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES) to develop the next generation of integrated circuits dedicated to space applications.

The availability of state-of-the-art IC technology and products able to withstand space radiation and qualified at the required level of reliability is seen by ESA and CNES to be of strategic importance for the European space industry and its competitiveness in the next generation of communication, navigation and earth observation satellites. To ensure the existence of such a capability in Europe, the two space agencies have signed a 3-year agreement with Atmel Europe to develop a complete system-level integrated solution for data and signal processing under space conditions.

These applications demand significant processing power (over 100 MIPS), fast memory and specialised libraries and Intellectual Property (IP) for space application needs. The development of such design capability will be undertaken in the framework of this program on the existing SPARC processors and on a new SPARC core (LEON) developed by ESA.
Proven 0.25mu CMOS technology will be used to manufacture the product in Atmel's Rousset facility and adapted to attain the radiation hardening imposed by the space environment.

The aerospace division of Atmel, operating from Atmel's Nantes facility, is involved in all major European satellite programs including SPOT/HELIOS, Envisat, Metop, DMSR and Globalstar, and has a successful track record over 20 years as a supplier of high-reliability ICs.

Launch Services

Ariane to Launch ISRO Satellites
India's government has approved the contracts to launch ISRO's Insat 3A and 3C satellites on Ariane.

Previously the satellites were to be lofted by India's home grown GSLV (Indian Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) which is to be launched from Sriharikota, India.

Arianespace will charge US$ 74 million for the launch of Insat 3A and US$ 70 million for Insat 3C. Insat 3A is scheduled to be launched in late 2001 or early 2002. Insat 3C will be launched in the second half of 2002.

ATK Selected by Lockheed Martin to Produce Composite Structures for Atlas V
ATK (Alliant Techsystems) has been selected by Lockheed Martin Space Systems-Astronautics Operations of Littleton, Colorado, to produce composite structures for Lockheed Martin's new Atlas V family of space launch vehicles.

The Atlas V family of vehicles is designed to meet the US Air Force's Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) requirements. Atlas V will achieve initial launch capability in early 2002.

ATK will fabricate the Atlas V structures at its Utah Composites Center facility in Clearfield, Utah, and its Southern Composites Center facility in Iuka, Mississippi. The structures include Centaur interstage adapters (CISAs), heat shields, and boattails. The first heat shield qualification unit was completed in June 2000. The CISA and Boattail qualification units are scheduled for shipment this month.

Launches

Eros A1

Launched: 5 December 2000
Site: Svobodny, Russia
Launcher: Start 1
Orbit: LEO, apogee: 480 km, perigee: 480 km, sun synchronous (polar)
International Number: 2000-079A
Name: Eros A1
Owner: West Indian Space (WIS), operated by ImageSat Ltd
Contractor: Israel Aircraft Industries

Eros A1 is the first of eight Israeli commercial imaging satellites (Eros A2 and Eros B1 to B6). It is based on the Ofeq 3 satellite and has an image resolution of 1.8 m. It weighs 250 kg.

The Start 1 is a converted Topol (SS 25) intercontinental ballistic missile which was launched from a mobile launcher.

USA 155

Launched: 6 December 2000
Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
Launcher: Atlas 2AS
International Number: 2000-080A
Name: USA 155 (classified NRO satellite)
Owner: National Reconnaissance Office

USA 155 is reported to probably be a data relay satellite which will collect images from the NRO's fleet of spy satellites.

Launch Schedule

December: Cosmos 2377 on a Tsiklon from Plesetsk Space Centre, Russia
December 11: Eurasiasat 1 on an Ariane 44P from CSG Kourou, French Guiana
December 12: Progress M1 (ISS flight 3P) on a Soyuz U from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
December 21: Astra 2D, GE-8 and LDREX on an Ariane 5 from CSG Kourou, French Guiana
December 21: Aqua on a Delta II from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California
January 8: XM-1 on a Zenit 3SL from Sea Launch's Odyssey platform in the Pacific Ocean
January 15: DMSP on a Titan II from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California
January 18: ISS 5A (US Laboratory) on the Shuttle Atlantis (STS-98) from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida
January 30: GPS 2R-7 on a Delta 2 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
February: Vehicle Evaluation Payload on an H-2A from Tanegashima Space Centre, Japan
Febraury 2: Milstar 2 F2 on a Titan 4B from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
February 23: BSAT 2A and EuroBird on an Ariane from CSG Kourou, French Guiana
March 7: JASON and TIMED on a Delta II from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California
March 31: Orbview and Quicktoms on a Taurus from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California
April: GSAT-1 on a GSLV (Indian Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) from Sriharikota, India
August 31: Kodiak Star (Starshine 3, Picosat, PCSat, Sapphire) on an Athena 1 from the Kodiak Launch Complex, Alaska

Delayed: Altair on a Proton from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Delayed: Badr-2, Meteor-3M, Maroc-Tubsat, Reflector on a Zenit-2 from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Delayed: Ekran M on a Proton-M/Briz M from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Delayed: MLV-11 on an Atlas 2AS from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
Delayed: Tempo 1 on an Atlas
Delayed: VCL on an Athena 1 from Kodiak Island, Alaska

Business

Acquisitor Acquires Datron Stake
In a 13D/A filing with the SEC, Acquisitor Plc announced that it had acquired 10.5% of Datron Systems Incorporated.

The Board of Acquisitor believes Datron represents an undervalued investment opportunity with significant growth opportunities across a number of markets including:

• Broadband satellite communication antennas for Internet, TV and other broadband communications to airlines and military transports.
• Low-profile land and marine mobile direct broadcast satellite (DBS) TV products.
• A new "value line" of terrestrial tracking antennas to support military and commercial telemetry, tracking and control (TT&C) markets.
• Next generation radios for hand-held and mobile applications to serve the US public safety wireless network (PSWN) markets.

Datron is a leading provider of products and services for emerging satellite and radio communication markets.

Ubrandit.com Acquires Mindtronics Corp
Ubrandit.com, a business to business provider of branded Internet solutions, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Mindtronics Corporation, a diversified research and development company specialising in leading edge technology for the international market.

Mindtronics's products under development include computer hardware, software, and product design for high tech applications including telecomm network synchronisation, audio and video compression, database engineering, and advanced search engine technologies and methodologies.

Mindtronics is the developer of NanoTime, a satellite-based time synchronisation system for IP networks and telecomm switch networks. NanoTime is currently in patent pending status. Utilising a combination of improved clock models, specially engineered algorithms, and proprietary signal processing features, NanoTime is designed to send highly accurate time signatures across large computer and telecommunication networks. The system has been designed to operate with consistent long-term accuracy. NanoTime's "clean" time signature increases the flow of information across a network thus improving bandwidth capabilities. Mindtronics is currently conducting expanded tests and is in negotiations with telecomm companies internationally.

Ubrandit.com expects the Mindtronics acquisition to be completed sometime in January 2001. The acquisition is subject to numerous conditions including Ubrandit.com shareholder approval.

Products and Services

C-COM Launches Canadian High Speed Internet Service
C-COM Satellite Systems Inc has launched iNetVu Fixed Edition, a high-speed Internet service that offers access and corporate virtual private network (VPN) connectivity at ADSL, DSL and cable speeds via satellite in Canada.

iNetVu Fixed Edition is a first generation of low-cost high-speed satellite-based Internet service. It utilises a proprietary C-COM-developed satellite hub and associated software technology to deliver Internet access via a 76 cm satellite dish. iNetVu product support is also included in the service offering.

The standard iNetVu Fixed Edition package offers speeds of up to 400 kb/s for the recreational user and up to 1 Mb/s for teleworkers and corporate users. Both systems are scalable up to 7 Mb/s for corporate users' needs.

iNetVu Fixed Edition features an added value for businesses and teleworkers by providing them with an access to their company's virtual private network (VPN). Other features include 24 hour/7 days-a-week help desk and online support, coverage throughout North America, lowest cost bandwidth using asymmetrical links, and single- or multi-user systems.

Comsat Mobile Launches Internet Via Inmarsat Service
Comsat Mobile Communications (CMC), a business unit of Lockheed Martin Global Telecommunications (LMGT), has commercially launched its Direct Internet Access service for mobile satellite users.

CMC's Direct Internet Access eliminates the need for mobile satellite users to access the Internet through an Internet Service Provider. Customers connect directly to the Internet and their e-mail providers.

Direct Internet Access will be free to CMC customers using Comsat-A, B, M, Mini-M and Comsat Mobile ISDN services. Customers will pay only for the satellite airtime, which will be billed according to their service and rate plan. Additionally, there are no monthly subscription fees or start-up costs for customers to use CMC's Direct Internet Access.

The new service enables CMC customers to access the Internet simply by dialling 28# using Microsoft's Dial-Up Networking client, available in all versions of Windows 95/98.

Intelsat's New VSAT Service for Asia
Intelsat has launched its Broadband VSAT service in the Indian Ocean Region, which includes coverage of most of Asia.

After having successfully deployed this service in the Atlantic Ocean Region, Intelsat is now addressing the high growth Asian market with its new offering. Broadband VSAT is an advanced bandwidth-on-demand system, allowing corporate network and Internet service providers to offer cost-effective and rapidly deployable high-speed communications solutions to their multinational customers.

Intelsat's Broadband VSAT service provides high-speed connectivity for a wide range of network topologies, such as star, mesh and hybrid solutions, to support customers' wideband application needs, including VPNs, WAN/LAN interconnections, video-conferencing, voice over Frame Relay or IP, tele-education and tele-medicine. The system can also meet the burgeoning demand for Internet backbone access.

Broadband VSAT is an Intelsat managed network offering dynamically assigned bandwidth with guaranteed quality in C and Ku band. The service offers virtual circuit-based connections starting at 64 kb/s with maximum data rate up to 4 Mb/s.

Intelsat is managing the network control and network management functions through a worldwide deployment of control stations. The 24-hour Network Control Center is located in Washington DC, whereas the Asian network will be supported through a control station in Hong Kong, China. Other value-added services provided by Intelsat include technical planning and network sizing bandwidth management and billing record generation.

PowerSky - Ka Band Services for Korea
Global Convergence Technology Inc (GCT) has launched the world's first two-way broadband and multimedia service using Ka band satellite technology.

This Internet connectivity and multimedia service, rolled out in Korea under the brand name PowerSky, is built on an end-to-end content delivery networking (CDN) solution from Cisco Systems. The combination of the GCT satellite based network and the Cisco CDN architecture enables GCT to push content closer to the end user, with fast, high-quality broadband access to high-bandwidth, multimedia content.

GCT has targeted its two-way satellite solution at large buildings, including offices, apartments, hotels and schools, rather than at individual subscribers. One satellite dish located on top of a building can service more than 300 users, connected through various LAN solutions. For standard Internet Web browsing, GCT will provide broadband service at speeds comparable to or in some cases faster than today's DSL and cable. For connectivity to high-quality multimedia content, such as video on demand (VoD), interactive applications and live events, the GCT network will provide a differentiated and high quality of service. Additionally, the GCT PowerSky service offering will also enable end users to enjoy multimedia content and standard Web browsing on their TV sets via a set top box.

Using Cisco's CDN solution, GCT dynamically positions content closer to the user and overcomes issues such as network bandwidth availability, distance or latency obstacles, origin server scalability and congestion problems during peak usage periods. The GCT network will cache a majority of Internet traffic at each site, saving valuable satellite bandwidth and providing an improvement in speed and performance.

Cisco's approach to delivering CDNs is to provide a complete product portfolio that addresses multiple network requirements and scenarios. GCT's edge-delivery network architecture is built on Cisco's comprehensive integrated CDN solution including content distribution and management, content routing, content edge delivery, content switching and intelligent network services. Cisco equipment will be deployed both at central hub sites and at individual building sites.

ViaSat Introduces ArcLight Product to Combine VSAT and Broadband Services
ViaSat Satellite Networks has introduced its new ArcLight networking system. ArcLight enables users to combine traditional VSAT applications and interactive broadband IP data into a single network, dramatically expanding the number of applications where VSATs are economical.

The ArcLight subscriber terminal also costs less than today's typical TDM/TDMA terminal.

Each remote terminal in an ArcLight network shares data downloads at speeds up to 45 Mb/s and transmits data at up to 512 kb/s.

Production shipments of the new product are scheduled to begin in the third quarter of calendar 2001.

ArcLight features two to three times the bandwidth efficiency of a traditional TDMA VSAT. The technology behind the new network is Paired Carrier Multiple Access (PCMA), a patented ViaSat signal processing technique that enables both send and receive signals to occupy the same satellite frequency. Using PCMA technology, ArcLight "piggybacks" multiple subscriber return channels on top of a high speed DVB forward channel to maximise bandwidth efficiency.

The improvement in bandwidth efficiency is essential for broadband services because these services can consume vastly more transponder space than traditional VSAT applications. As a result, ArcLight can support virtual circuits for enterprise wide area networks at a price comparable to terrestrial frame relay service.

The ArcLight system includes a hub and comprehensive network management system.

People

PanAmSat Creates New Exec VP Post
PanAmSat Corporation has created an executive vice president post to oversee sales for the company's video, Internet and data services worldwide.

Tom Eaton, an executive with more than 20 years of experience in sales and marketing and more than 15 years of experience in the telecommunications and satellite industries, has been named to the position of executive vice president, global sales. Mr. Eaton joins the company's senior executive management team and reports directly to R. Douglas Kahn, PanAmSat's president and chief executive officer.

As executive vice president, global sales, Mr. Eaton oversees PanAmSat's global sales organisation, including sales offices located in Greenwich, Connecticut, Coral Gables, Florida, and Long Beach, California, as well as in Hong Kong, Johannesburg, London, Mexico City, Seoul, Sydney and Tokyo. Mr. Eaton manages the sale of all PanAmSat value-added satellite services to broadcast, cable, Internet and telecommunications customers around the world. These offerings include the company's global program distribution, direct-to-home, Internet access, business communications and data services as well as special event and ad hoc services.

Space Media Names New President and CEO
Industry veteran Bill Zaccheo has been named President and Chief Operating Officer of Space Media Incorporated (SMI).

In this newly created position, Zaccheo will oversee SMI's growth and expansion. His primary focus is to seek out programming opportunities, capitalise on SMI's unique access to space, spearhead strategic development within SMI's divisions, and to develop original content for syndication for both broadcast and broadband. In addition, Zaccheo will exploit SMI's resources and proprietary footage in an effort to solidify SMI's role as the definitive source for all space-related programming.

SMI owns all multimedia rights for the first commercial broadcasting studio and multimedia production facility in space, the Enterprise. Developed by Spacehab and RSC Energia (RSCE) of Russia, the module is to be launched to the International Space Station in 2003. Most recently, SMI revealed the multimedia partnership with RSCE to develop content for both television broadcast and Internet distribution from the Russian segment of the ISS, and the development and distribution of the previously unseen archives of the former Soviet and Russian space program maintained by RSCE.

Tandberg TV's New Chief Technology Officer
Tandberg Television has announced the appointment of Jeremy Thorp as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Tandberg Television's global business.

Jeremy Thorp has joined Tandberg Television from digital broadcasting leader ntl, where he was managing director of the company's interactive television business.

Working with Tandberg's research and development, new business strategy and marketing divisions, Jeremy Thorp's task is to create the technology solutions that will enable the delivery of new digital entertainment and information services. Jeremy Thorp will be based in Southampton in the UK, where Tandberg Television has a significant research and development, production and marketing presence, employing 450 people.