Advanced Television

Inside Satellite

Chris Forrester

Chris Forrester is one of the most experienced and highly regarded journalists in the field. His insight and analysis, particularly in the satellite and pay-TV arena, is highly prized. He has written for all the major business journals in the sector as well as several national newspapers.

Intelsat bankruptcy: ‘Omnibus’ hearing on Jan 6

Intelsat’s long journey, from May 13th 2020, to ending its Chapter 11 bankruptcy reconstruction, has its end in sight. Its bankruptcy court has planned an Omnibus hearing for today (January 6th at 11.00 am ET) in Virginia. The Court has already approved Intelsat’s exit plan. Judge Keith Phillips will hear submissions on one remaining contested […]

January 6, 2022

Bank: “Eutelsat in the balance”

Paris-based Eutelsat is in a period of significant change. Rodolphe Belmer has left and the satellite operator has appointed Eva Berneke to run the business. There’s also the small matter of a recent bid from Patrick Drahi to take a controlling stake in the business. All this has helped propel investment bank Berenberg to take […]

January 5, 2022

Devas wins arbitration award against ISRO

Devas Multimedia, in its very long-running dispute with India’s Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and its commercial arm Antrix, has won approval on January 3rd to target assets held in Virginia and to enforce a previous arbitration award. ISRO was described in court as attempting a “brazen” plot hatched at its HQ in New Delhi to […]

January 5, 2022

SES vs Intelsat trial set for Feb 7

The much-delayed legal action from SES against Intelsat over the division of FCC C-band incentive payments is scheduled to begin on February 7th. Two weeks have been allocated for the action. While subject to last-minute delays and Court rules over the Covid anxieties, the lawyers in the action have agreed that witnesses might appear in […]

January 4, 2022

Starlink speeds under pressure?

Data from internet speedtest provider Ookla show a decline of around 100 Mb/s over the past quarter for SpaceX’s Starlink broadband by satellite system. Ookla says that during Q2 this year the median download speed for Starlink users was 97.23 Mb/s. During Q3 the median speed had dropped to 87.25 Mb/s. Ookla’s head of content, […]

December 22, 2021

Satellite CEOs: “2021 better than expected”

This past year has been full of continued Covid problems and a near-absence of lucrative cruise ship passengers and crews as well as much-curtailed airline traffic which combined to severely limit revenues for In Flight business communications and cruise holiday-makers (and their families). However, the consensus from satellite industry executives is that while this past […]

December 21, 2021

Intelsat can clear final bankruptcy hurdles early in 2022

Intelsat’s last-minute set of reorganisation agreements, the 6th Supplemental Declarations, as part of its Exit Plan reached on December 16th with some of its – relatively modest – remaining creditors should now enable the satellite operator to fully emerge from bankruptcy early in the New Year. There are some legal hurdles ahead, not least the […]

December 20, 2021

Intelsat Creditor Settlements approved

Judge Keith Phillips, on December 16th, approved Intelsat’s plan for the settlement of much of its indebtedness prior to its May 2020 Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The bottom line is that the agreement reduces Intelsat’s old debts of about $16 billion by more than half thanks to the acceptance of the company’s new Plan of Reorganisation. […]

December 17, 2021

Last day for Intelsat confirmation hearing?

Judge Keith Phillips has set December 16th for what looks likely to be the final day set aside for Intelsat’s bankruptcy Exit Plan confirmation hearings. There will be other discussions, motions and legal manoeuvres but most observers expect this particular element of the bankruptcy exit process to wrap. Judge Phillips has already set aside January […]

December 16, 2021

Intelsat asks court to approve exit financing plan

Intelsat’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy reconstruction has cost the business some $200 million in legal and professional fees. The end might now be in sight, but there will still be arguments on the exact shape of the new business, and Judge Keith Phillips will still be reviewing documents well into the New Year. Intelsat entered into […]

December 15, 2021