News Analysis

IP Trunking: A Three-Way Battle

by NSR

Cambridge, Mass. June 1, 2011-A recent agreement to build a submarine cable by 2012 between two Islands, (Vanuatu and Fiji) emphasizes a clear trend: remoteness of a territory is not a barrier for cable connections as long as the market is valuable. Another announcement from the ITU on the sharp decrease of fixed broadband prices (50% between 2008 and 2010) with the 10 countries in the world with the biggest relative change in price all located in Africa illustrates the effect of the many cable projects that were completed recently in Africa, formerly the last satellite IP trunking stronghold.

Full text available to subscribers only

The Digital Oilfield: Rising Bandwidth Demand, Consolidation and the HTS Puzzle

by NSR

Cambridge, Mass., May 25, 2011--Recent discoveries in remote areas such as the Arctic are pushing the Oil & Gas (O&G) sector further away from terrestrial service, which drives satellite connectivity in the digital oilfield.  NSR heard three distinct messages at the Global VSAT Forum’s (GVF) 4th Annual Oil and Gas Communications Europe 2011 conference in Aberdeen on 17 – 18th May. The conference offered an opportunity to hear firsthand accounts of three clear trends affecting this market: O&G industry bandwidth needs are ever increasing, consolidation on the satellite service side has opened previously closed doors to smaller providers, and there are concerns over High Throughput Satellite (HTS) Ka-Band offerings.

Full text available to subscribers only

Report Finds Gaps in Multiplatform TV Delivery Capability at US Broadcasters

New York, NY, May 24, 2011--The rapid growth in the delivery of content for viewing on mobile and Internet-connected devices is outstripping the pace at which broadcasters have deployed the workflow and quality control systems needed to effectively support these opportunities. This conclusion is part of the study, "U.S. TV Stations Infrastructure: The HD Transition Has Just Begun,"  released by Positive Flux, a firm that specializes in transforming media companies to address new opportunities.

Ovum Finds Investment in 3D content is Low Priority for Broadcasters

London, May 23, 2011--Broadcasters rate production of 3D content and channels as their lowest technology investment priority, and the lack of programming for consumers who have bought a 3D TV is set to continue, according to Ovum. In a new report analysing the state of the 3D market, the independent technology analyst unveils findings from its Media and Broadcast Technology Investment Strategies survey which reveal a clear lack of enthusiasm for 3D in the broadcast industry.

Entertainment Media Spending in North America and Europe on the Rise

El Segundo, Calif., May 19, 2011--Consumer expenditures on entertainment media in North America and Europe grew a mighty 69 percent to $234.8 billion in 2010, up from $138.8 billion in 2000, with cable and satellite television retaining its primacy as the leading form of entertainment media during the decade, according to IHS Screen Digest research.

Full text available to subscribers only

Delivering Cloud Services by Satellite

by Bruce Elbert

Los Angeles, May 6, 2011--According to Research and Markets Cloud Computing Services reached almost US$ 38 Billion in revenues last year. Will satellite service providers get a slice of this important market?

 

What do Customers Think?

by Robert Bell

New York, NY, May 5, 2011--The public sharing of consumer reviews has become a worldwide phenomenon. Only when it comes to satellite communications, not so much. That is why the World Teleport Association published Satellite Operator Benchmarks 2011.

Electronic Warfare Linked Up With Space Communications

Space communications assets will be pivotal in supporting the net-centric capabilities required for tighter integration of EW and CIW, cyber/information warfare

Boston, May 5, 2011--Air, sea, and land electronic warfare (ASLEW) is waged within the electromagnetic (EM) spectrum to both attack and defend against enemy personnel and equipment. The Strategy Analytics Advanced Defense Systems (ADS) service report, “Space Communications Systems and Electronic Warfare,” predicts that space communications systems will play a strategic role as an electronic warfare force multiplier, as electronic warfare becomes increasingly integrated and net-centric.

Full text available to subscribers only

TV Ownership in the US Declining According to Latest Nielsen Report

May 3, 2011, New York, NY--The Nielsen Company announced the 2012 Advance/Preliminary TV Household Universe Estimate (UE) is 114.7 million, down from 115.9 million in 2011. Marking the first integration of the 2010 Census counts, the 2012 UEs reflect an aging population, as Baby Boomers increasingly shift out of the 35-49 demographic, as well as greater ethnic diversity.

Pay TV Cord Cutting is Red Flag, Not Death Knell-Strategy Analytics

US Cable Loses 2 Million Subscribers in 2010, but Telco TV and DTH Satellite actually gained subscribers

Boston, Mass., April 28,2011-US Cable operators saw over two million video customers evaporate from their rolls in 2010, whereas Telco TV and Satellite actually gained customers over the same period—more than compensating for Cable's losses and netting a modest 273,000 new Pay TV subscribers overall. A new report by Strategy Analytics suggests that the US Cable industry may not be taking the news seriously enough.