Sirius XM, Hyundai extend partnership for 5 more years

American broadcasting company Sirus XM announced that it has extended its business partnership with Hyundai up to 2017. Hyundai Senior Group Manager for America, Michael Deitz, said that the Seoul-based automobile manufacturer’s customers will continue to enjoy a Sirius-XM subscription through a satellite radio.

The satellite broadcaster said that the partnership is primarily an extension for the next three years, with a provision to continue the contract until 2017. The Sirius-XM subscription customers will receive in a purchase of a new Hyundai vehicle is valid for 3 months.

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Inmarsat maritime department revenues grow

British satellite telecommunications company Inmarsat announced that despite falling revenues on maritime voice services, the company has been able to offset the decreasing numbers through its maritime data division. Strong demand for satcom data services at sea saw a rise in revenues to $85.4 million, while revenues for voice services fell by 9.3%.

The company’s Chief Executive, Rupert Pearce, said that 85% of Inmarsat’s revenues were now coming from the data division, saying the company is now, more than ever, a data service company. Mr Pearce noted this transition as following how customers are now moving more to text and email services rather than making calls.

However, other division’s of Inmarsat also saw falling revenues including the land mobile sector (down 7.3%), which has been attributed to the withdrawal of military forces relying on internet from satellite in Afghanistan. Still, overall demand for satellite communications services surged after terrestrial communications network were damaged by the 2011 Japanese earthquake and tsunami, as well as the recent Arab revolutions. Inmarsat is looking to be more aggressive in the market, as it invests more on its high-speed satellite broadband service, the Global Xpress.

SES turns to Boeing for new communications satellite

Boeing’s established relationship with SES gets another boost as the Luxembourg-based satellite company orders a new spacecraft from the from the American aerospace giant.

SES is planning to add capacity and expand services in the growing markets of Northeast Asia, South Asia, and even in Indonesia. The satellite company has asked Boeing for its 11th Spacecraft, the SES-9, a high-powered ka band satellite designed for maximum payload.

The SES 9 will operate for 15 years and deliver 57 high-power Ku band transponders and a 12.7 kw payload to help expand the company’s transmission capacity in the Asian region. The new bird will also increase SES’ redundancy in strategic orbital slots and supply Asia the bandwidth capacity for its growing demands.

At present, SES has a global fleet of 52 geostationary satellites. The SES 9, a 702HP satellite, will also increase the company’s ability to deliver communications solutions for various uses including internet from satellite, broadcasting communications, mobile and fixed networks, and maritime communications.

Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.