News Analysis

More Challenging Environment Ahead for the Satellite Communications Industry

Growth still robust in a number of segments and regions according to new Euroconsult report

Paris, August 11, 2011– According to Euroconsult’s just-published report “Satellite Communications & Broadcasting Markets Survey, Forecasts to 2020,” the fixed satellite sector grew both in terms of transponder demand (+4.4%) and revenue, which reached $10.8 billion in 2010. However, this is set against a backdrop of slowing growth rates and a more challenging business environment in the next several years. Euroconsult nevertheless maintains an overall positive outlook for the future of the satellite sector with television broadcasting and emerging markets continuing to drive growth and high throughput satellite (HTS) capacity systems contributing to growth as well.

The Military Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) Market

by Michelle Elbert

Los Angeles, Calif., August 4, 2011--Government and military clients are looking to meet global challenges yet spend more efficiently. In the US, deficit-reduction efforts have caused DoD and its various branches to make serious changes in how it acquires goods and services.

 

Writing on the Wall: VSAT Services Making More Waves in the Maritime Market

by NSR

Cambridge, Mass, August 1, 2011--Back in 2007, NSR viewed the longer term outlook in the maritime segment likely to “benefit products in Ku- and C-band ultimately and provide stronger competition to L-band services...”, recognizing that VSAT flat monthly fees with Mbps data rates provided a more predictable return-on-investment than the traditional MSS pay-per-byte model. Then Inmarsat on July 1, 2011 announced new rates that seem to go counter to this view and could drive a growing base of the smaller boat community towards the flat, predictable VSAT service fees.

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Study Shows Broadcast Industry Is Recovering From Recession

Gloucestershire, U.K., July 28, 2011 — The IABM (International Association of Broadcasting Manufacturers)  released the fourth edition of its "Broadcast and Media Technology: Global Market Valuation and Strategy to 2015" study. Based on original research commissioned from IHS Screen Digest, the study offers unique insights into the recovery and growth of the worldwide broadcast industry.

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Euroconsult Report Sees the FSS Market Reaching a Turning Point

Paris, France, July 27, 2011– Euroconsult announced the findings of its most recent study of fixed satellite services. Company Profiles, Analysis of FSS Operators, now in its 4th edition, is the only report available worldwide which provides in-depth profiles of all 37 currently-active FSS satellite operators, plus nine companies that will launch commercial satellites in the near future. Through these detailed profiles, Euroconsult provides insight into individual operators and paints a picture of the overall market.

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Over-the-Top (OTT) services are More Likely to Appeal as Complementary, Rather than Primary, Pay-TV services

London, July 22, 2011-Consulting firm Analysys Mason's recent pay-TV forecasts for Europe, predicts that the number of pay-TV households will increase by 12% to 185.2 million between 2011 and 2016.  "Over-the-top services are far more likely to appeal as complementary, rather than primary, pay-TV services." according to Cesar Bachelet, Senior Analyst at Analysys Mason.

IPTV Services Getting Highly Personalized, Integrated, Portable and On-Demand

Campbell, Calif., July 22, 2011--By 2012, 63% of IPTV service providers interviewed plan to support multi-screen viewing across PCs, tablets, and smartphones according to market research firm Infonetics Research2011 IPTV Services Deployment Strategies: Global Service Provider Survey. IPTV is also getting highly personalized, highly integrated, portable and on-demand according to the survey.

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Building Satellites amidst the TWTA Bottleneck

by NSR

July 20, 2011--Ideally an operator would like to have a satellite go from RFP to orbit in 25 to 30 months. However, the reality is that manufacturing satellites is far from an assembly line operation where every component is sourced with sufficient inventory support. Often the equipment onboard the satellite is highly specialized and vendors are few, which put constraints on delivery and in effect, time to market for satellite services.

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O3b: A Work in Progress

by NSR

Cambridge, Mass., July 12, 2011--O3b signed a "multi-year, multi-million dollar reseller agreement" with Sky Fiber Corporation in June 2011 following on a similar announcement with Mavoni Technologies, South Africa in May 2011. Yet, beyond these two recent contracts and one additional framework agreement with Etisalat, O3b has been fairly quiet in terms of client deals since it completed its funding in November 2010. NSR’s take on this period of contracting calm is that O3b has largely depleted the early adopter market, and most of the rest of the industry is now waiting for O3b to make concrete progress in the construction and launch of its network as well as - and especially key in NSR’s view - provide detailed information on the cost and performance of its upcoming Tier 2 ground equipment.

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World Teleport Association Publishes New Report on Customer Preferences in the Enterprise Sector

Report provides insight into the buying preferences, issues and priorities of teleport customers in the enterprise sector
 

New York City, July 1,  2011– The World Teleport Association announced the release of its newest report, What Customers Want: Enterprise 2011. The report is a product of interviews conducted with senior decision-makers for teleport and satellite customers in the enterprise sector. Customers interviewed ranged from retail, maritime, and finance to communications carriers and nonprofit organizations.