Hughes Network Systems announced today that their DIRECWAY home and small business satellite internet service now has 250,000 subscribers, making them the world’s largest provider of satellite internet. They achieved double-digit growth from this time last year. DIRECWAY, optimal for those without access to DSL or cable internet, is available to anyone in the United [...]

With the development of their TV phones, Samsung announced that Texas Instruments would be supplying the processor chips used in the handsets. The phones will feature Digital Media Broadcast (DMB) technology, which allows them to receive TV signals from a satellite. Like other satellite signals, DMB has a line-of-sight requirement, but terrestrial towers can broadcast [...]

Iridium recently announced that Ellen MacArthur, who recently set a new world record for fastest round-the-world sailing, used Iridium and Geolink technology to keep her in contact with her team, even in extreme southern latitudes where service is often unreliable. The phone allowed MacArthur to find out about changing conditions, and even receive pages with [...]

The FCC has given Mobile Satellite Ventures approval to launch a new L-Band telecom satellite to accompany a similar satellite that MSV’s Canadian affiliate was recently approved to launch. Together, the two satellites will be able to use the full width of its licensced spectrum, and subscribers will be able to use wireless satellite devices [...]

XM Satellite Radio announced that it will be providing the first satellite radio broadcast of the Indianapolis 500 live on Sunday, May 29th. XM signed a multi-year agreement with the IRL, granting them broadcast rights of 17 races, pre-race programming, and more on Extreme XM (channel 152), which will also air the Indy 500 coverage. [...]

CNET.com’s review of the GPS Navigator by PalmOne rates the gadget a “fair” 6.7 out of 10 rating. It’s called “expensive” but accurate, compact, and lots of customization options, plus mounting brackets for your dashboard. On the negative side, the GPS Navigator only works with the Tungsten T3 and Zire 72, the POI database isn’t [...]

Ottawa-based satellite operator Telesat has launched satellite internet service in Canada, offering two-way, always-on, high-speed Internet for rural areas or areas where high-speed Internet is otherwise unavailable. Using Telesat’s Anik F2 satellite, the service offers multiple plans, with the fastest having speeds up to 2Mbps/download and 0.5Mbps/upload. The service is expected to be available nationally [...]

Sirius Satellite Radio C.E.O. Mel Karmazin has hinted that satellite radio may be available on the iPod some time in the future. Mentioning that he had dinner with Apple C.E.O. Steve Jobs recently, Karmazin said it would be easy to put satellite radio on an MP3 player, but worries about splitting subscription costs with the [...]

With the recent demise of VOOM HD satellite service, both DIRECTV and DISH Network have come up with their own ways to bring ex-VOOM customers their way. DIRECTV is offering a $200 rebate on their HD equipment to ex-VOOM subscribers, provided they can prove their subscription. On the other hand, DISH Network is taking control [...]

Fox has launched the first all-reality TV channel, Fox Reality Channel, airing in 14.4 million homes nationwide on DIRECTV. The channel will show reruns of reality shows like “Joe Millionaire” and “Last Comic Standing”, as well as import international reality shows like the UK’s “The Villa.” It will also show never-before-seen footage, such as interviews [...]