Market Trends

What's Your Favorite Recession?

by Robert Bell, Executive Director, World Teleport Association

By “favorite,” I mean “least favorite,” the way the Millennial generation calls something “bad” when they really mean “good.”  My favorite recession ran from 1989 to 1991.  Fairly mild in most of the United States, it was devastating in the New York metropolitan area where I live.  It was…well, it was sufficiently interesting that I don’t really want to talk about it after all.

Full text available to subscribers only

NSR Report Finds Mobile TV and Video Growth to be Driven by Broadcasters and Consumers

NSR released findings from its latest report, Mobile TV and Mobile Video, 2nd Edition - A Complete 360-degree Analysis,  on September 9, 2008. The report examines market and technology trends influencing mobile TV stakeholders' participation and provides regional forecasts for broadcast and unicast distribution. The report indicates that a combination of converging trends will allow mobile TV to experience considerable growth, but a number of inhibitors will prevent the sector from reaching its full monetization potential.

Full text available to subscribers only

HDTV Projected to Reach 255 Million Households in 2013

The IMS Research study The Worldwide Market for High-Definition TV Equipment & Services – 2008 Edition estimates that 45 million households worldwide received HDTV service via DTH, cable, IPTV and DTT at the end of 2007 with approximately the same number of HDTV sets shipping during the year. IMS Research forecasts that 255 million TV households worldwide will be watching HDTV by the end of 2013, including video households viewing only pre-recorded non-broadcast programs.

Full text available to subscribers only

Commercial Satellite Industry Grew 16% in 2007--SIA

San Diego, CA, June 11, 2008--At the ISCe 2008 conference and exhibition the Satellite Industry Association (SIA) today released its 2008 State of the Satellite Industry Report, showing a 16 percent growth in global revenues for the commercial satellite industry.  Worldwide revenues in 2007 were $123 billion, representing an average annual growth of 11.5 percent for the period from 2002-2007. 

Full text available to subscribers only

European Commission (EC) Study Says 8 EU Countries Top U.S. In Broadband Penetration

According to the European Commission's 13th Progress Report on the Single Telecoms Market, there are eight European countries that are currently ahead of the United States when it comes to broadband deployment. Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands and Sweden are world leaders in broadband deployment with penetration rates over 30%, according to the study. The four countries, alongside the United Kingdom, Belgium, Luxembourg and France -- all have better penetration rates than the U.S. (22.1%). DSL accounts for 80% of all lines in studied EU countries.

Full text available to subscribers only

The Future of Broadcasting is Here, Now

by Dan Freyer

Its NAB time again, and as you read this many of us in the industry will be gearing up for that lovely confab in the city of lost wages. I have one recommendation: check out satellite HD, MPEG-4, transcoding, and DVB-S2 products.

Full text available to subscribers only

IPTV in the Sky: Risks and ChallengeAhead, But IPTV is Alive and Well on the Satellite Platform

by Howard Greenfield

IPTV continues to offer a mix of opportunities and challenges. As telecoms sprint to become video network operators, broadcast, media, and satellite companies everywhere are placing their bets on what’s around the corner.

Full text available to subscribers only

The $1080 question

by Peter I. Galace

HDTV BeijingNow, is HDTV “the next best thing to being there,” or does it really stand for “Hyped-Up Digital Television”?

Satellite service providers in Asia and around the world are turning to the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing in August for the answer to this $1080 question. The betting is that the Beijing Olympics, which China is marketing as the “HDTV Olympics,” will indeed accelerate the adoption of HDTV worldwide and will more than make up for HDTV’s underwhelming Olympic sports debut at Athens in 2004.

Full text available to subscribers only

Nearly 1-B Bluetooth-Enabled Devices to Ship in Asia in 2013, According to ABI Research Forecast

SINGAPORE, April 15, 2008 – A new study from ABI Research indicates that Bluetooth-enabled equipment shipments in Asia will reach 982 million units in 2013, representing a compound annual growth rate of 39% over 2006 shipments.

Full text available to subscribers only

Military and Government Market to Continue Reliance on Commercial Satellite Sector

 by Virgil Labrador, Editor-in-Chief

With all the fears of a recession and a tightening financial market hanging over the satellite industry in 2008, one  particular market that has provided a good revenue stream for the industry in recent years may remain constant or even continue to grow.

Full text available to subscribers only