Telstra News

The biggest upgrade of Defence Secret and Protected networks in more than ten years will drive significant change for Navy, with 192 shore locations set to experience major network overhauls. The magnitude of the program reflects the need for the department’s information footprint to be able to support Defence capability well into the future. Commodore Jeff Goedecke is the Director General of Business Relationship Management in Communication Information Officer Group said the changes are likely to impact most Navy people in some way. “At every level of the organisation, we will experience improvements and benefits as the program rolls out. “There will be improved system reliability, something we will all welcome.

The Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP, today announced the appointment of 10 Board Members to the Naval Shipbuilding Advisory Board, chaired by Professor Donald Winter. “The establishment of the Advisory Board is an important milestone in the Government’s naval shipbuilding strategy, ensuring expert, independent advice to Government on all aspects of this historical national endeavour,” Minister Pyne said. Mr Martin Bean, CBE – Vice Chancellor and President of RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia and former Vice Chancellor of The Open University in the United Kingdom. Mr Mike Burgess – After leaving the position of Chief Information Security Officer for Telstra, he is now a Strategic Cyber Security Adviser and Consultant.

Beam receives a $5 M commitment from Telstra for Satellite Docking Stations and Iridium Handsets. Beam Communications Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of World Reach Limited (ASX: WRR), announces it has received a commitment from Telstra to purchase a minimum of USD5.1 M of Iridium based satellite docking stations and product bundles over the next 12 months. The initial shipment (valued at USD1.65 M) is expected to be fulfilled by 30 June 2012, the balance being called upon as required over the 12 month period.

Beam Granted World’s First Approval for Iridium Extreme Docking Station. Beam Communications Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of World Reach Limited (ASX: WRR), announces it has received certification by Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: IRDM) for use of Beam’s LiteDOCK docking station for the Iridium Extreme® satellite phone. Beam is the first manufacturer in the world to receive Iridium’s official certification of a docking unit for the Iridium Extreme handset. Iridium is the operator of the world’s furthest reaching communications network.

The historic expedition to the Mariana Trench’s lowest point, the Challenger Deep, which lies 6.83 miles (10.99 kilometers) below the ocean surface, is the first extensive scientific exploration in a manned submersible of the deepest spot on Earth. Piloting the Deepsea Challenger, which is outfitted for scientific exploration, James Cameron will conduct tests, collect samples, and document the experience in the high-resolution 3-D for which he’s known globally. Working for the Deep Sea Challenge project's communications provider Telstra…

Iridium Satellite LLC announced that Australia's Telstra Corporation Limited has signed a service partner agreement to market and sell Iridium services. The multi-year deal enables Telstra to retail Iridium services and equipment to strengthen rural and remote communications throughout Australia. Both parties anticipate a new level of interest in Iridium services across the continent's rural and remote regions. Iridium Satellite's CEO, Gino Picasso, said high costs previously posed a major barrier to those entering the satellite services market. Eighty-six percent of the world's landmass and all of its oceans are in areas without wireless or landline service coverage. Iridium addresses the situation by providing coverage in all ocean areas, air routes, and landmasses, including the Poles.

Global wireless communications operator, Iridium Satellite LLC, has signed a service partner agreement with Australia's Telstra Corporation Ltd. to market and sell Iridium services. The multi-year deal enables Telstra to retail Iridium services and equipment to strengthen rural and remote communications throughout Australia. With competitive pricing and complete coverage of Australia, both parties anticipate a new level of interest in Iridium services across the continent's rural and remote regions. Iridium Satellite's CEO, Gino Picasso, said high costs previously posed a major barrier to those entering the satellite services market. Telstra will provide Iridium services on a non-exclusive basis in Australia.

KPN (Royal Dutch Telecom) and Telstra have agreed to form a joint venture company by merging their respective mobile satellite communications businesses. The new company, which will trade as Station 12 - is positioned to be a major player in the global satcom industry. Contributing an approximate combined figure of $145 million in net tangible assets to launch the venture, with KPN holding 65 percent of equity shares and Telstra holding the remainder, the new company has projected an initial annual revenue around $250 million.

The competitive satellite communications market has taken an additional step toward consolidation, with Station 12 — an independent operating business owned 65 percent by KPN (Royal Dutch Telecom) and 35 percent by Telstra — leading the way having the intention of cornering the market. Station 12 recently outlined its strategy to double its size in the next three years, both through organic growth and acquisitions. Station 12 already claims to have 24 percent of the competitive Inmarsat maritime and mobile satellite communications sector, with current annual sales of $215 million. This is expected to rise to $500 million by 2003. The company is the largest customer and shareholder in Inmarsat, the leading provider of wholesale satellite airtime.

Last month marked the debut of one of the marine industry’s more exciting new e-commerce offerings — www.MaritimeJobs.com — which, as its name suggests, is positioned to provide all marine industry companies with a venue to find and hire the best talent available. As the world, and particularly the U.S., economy continues to surge, it has become increasingly difficult for companies to hire and retain talented individuals, both onboard and shoreside. Couple with that the continued movement of younger workers from traditional industrial positions to the technology sector, and the result is a projected worker shortage, which is already starting to take hold.

The satellite communications sector of the marine market has not been immune from the corporate consolidations that have swept all other corners of the industry, and while this particular niche has been widely regarded as fragmented, it is yet to be seen what the end effect will be for the communication users. However, it can be assumed that competition is still keen, and the name of the communication game continues to center on quality, reliability and capabilities. With an increasing emphasis on the transmission of data rather than traditional voice or fax, it can be assumed that continued efforts will center on widening the information "pipeline" between vessel and shore.

Now that British Telecommunications' jumbo $10 billion global bond issue is out of the way, Australian Telstra's offshore issues, clear losers in recent sessions, can expect a slight reprieve, analysts said on Wednesday. But while their spreads were unlikely to narrow much near-term, buying opportunities were emerging for medium to longer term investors, said National Australia Bank's senior analyst Phillip Strano. Telstra's offshore issues not only offered considerable margin pick-up over comparable domestic issues, but also superior credit protection over many of its European counterparts, Strano said. For example, the telco's U.S. dollar issue due 2005 was trading at around 80 basis points over swap while its domestic 2006 issue was trading at some 50 basis points.

Australian telecom giant Telstra and Hong Kong-based Asia Satellite Telecommunications Co. said on Tuesday they had established a framework for Telstra to use AsiaSat satellite capacity in Asia, including Australia. Under the agreement, Telstra has reserved four Ku-band transponders on AsiaSat 3S satellite's steerable beam, the two companies said in a statement. The high power steerable beam would be fixed over Australia to support new broadband satellite services, the statement said. A Telstra director said the agreement would boost the already significant satellite capacity available to Telstra and the Internet protocol backbone company joint venture to be established with Hong Kong's Pacific Century CyberWorks.

Stratos Global Corporation signed a letter of intent to purchase the shares of Xantic B.V. This transaction, involving two of the largest providers of mobile satellite services, will create a leading provider of advanced remote communications solutions, with a significantly expanded geographic presence and customer base in the Americas, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. Under the terms of the agreement, Stratos will acquire 100 percent of Xantic, jointly owned by KPN N.V. (65 percent) and Telstra Corporation Ltd. (35 percent), for a purchase price of approximately $191 million. The purchase price is subject to adjustment based upon audited EBITDA (defined as operating income before interest expense…

Part of the curse of corporate consolidation comes in the combining of or complete re-naming of the new entity. The quandary: maintaining critical market awareness of individual brands while adequately communicating the entirety of the new organization's capabilities. Such was the problem facing the new company comprised of Station 12, Telstra Global Satellite and SpecTec. The Netherlands-based Station 12 has been one of the acquisition leaders on the satellite communication fronts, a role that the newly named company — Xantic — promises to continue. "Future consolidation is coming, as margins are (still) very tight, and there is the need to drive volume very high," said Rune Martini, Xantic's vice president of the Americas and Northern Europe.