News Analysis

by Elisabeth Tweedie

Los Angeles, Calif. , April 5, 2024 - It would appear that whichever way you look, the outlook for traditional consumer Pay TV, is pretty bad.  According to Ampere Analysis, in the US, this year is predicted to be the crossover year. The year in which streaming revenue (from subscription video-on-demand (SVoD) and hybrid subscription/advertising services) finally overtakes revenue from traditional pay TV subscriptions.  In terms of actual numbers of subscribers, the crossover occurred in 2016, but since the average revenue per user (ARPU) for streaming services is so much lower than that for satellite or cable bundles, it has taken longer for the revenue crossover to occur.  Ampere is projecting the crossover will happen in the second quarter of this year, with revenues of around US$17 billion for both streaming and traditional services.  

by Robert Bell

New York City, April 5, 2024 - The teleport business is nothing if not adaptable. Four decades ago, operators offered bare-bones uplink and downlink services for a small handful of geostationary (GEO) satellite operators.  Today, they are increasingly providing multipath, multi-orbit connectivity to a variety of enterprise and government customers, from maritime, energy and mobility to ISPs and military customers. 

Silicon Valley, Calif., March 29, 2024  -- AERKOMM Inc. (Euronext: AKOM, OTCQX: AKOM, "AERKOMM"), a satellite technology company providing multi-orbit broadband connectivity solutions, and IX Acquisition Corp (Nasdaq: IXAQU, "IXAQ"), a SPAC focused on the technology, media and telecommunications industries, have entered into a definitive Business Combination Agreement ("BCA") and raised US $35 million in a private placement.

Ottawa, Canada, March 28, 2024--Satellite operator Telesat (NASDAQ and TSX: TSAT) today reported its financial results for the three-month and one-year periods ended December 31, 2023. For the year ended December 31, 2023, Telesat reported consolidated revenue of CDN$ 704 million, a decrease of 7% (CDN$ 55 million) compared to the same period in 2022.

Munich, Germany, March 25, 2024 – Airbus Defence and Space has entered into an agreement to acquire INFODAS, a Cologne-based, German company that provides cybersecurity and IT solutions in the public sector including for defence and critical infrastructures. The transaction is subject to the customary regulatory approvals and is expected to be finalised before the end of 2024.

Kongsberg, Norway,  March 20, 2024. – Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT) has acquired a 70 per cent majority stake in VAKE, a Norwegian startup that delivers maritime domain awareness by using satellite data combined with machine learning. KSAT has followed the development of VAKE since the company’s founding and sees great opportunities in joining forces with VAKE to solve the future challenges in maritime domain awareness, offshore asset protection and shipping activity tracking.

Chandler, Ariz, March 18, 2024–Comtech (NASDAQ: CMTL) (“the Company”) today announced its second quarter fiscal 2024 financial results.  Highlights of the results include:

MarketBrief Report on Trends in the Ground Systems Market sponsored by Orbital Connect

Trends in the Ground Segment Market by Elisabeth Tweedie

Interview with Krasimir Terziev and Bobby Kirchev, Orbital Connect

Case Study: bTV Media Group's Upgrade of its Satellite Ground System

To read or download the pdf of full report click here.

New York City, March 14, 2024--J.F. Lehman & Company (JFLCO), a  middle-market private equity firm focused exclusively on the aerospace, defense, maritime, government and environmental sectors, is announced that an investment affiliate has acquired Mission Microwave Technologies, LLC.

The March 2024 issue of the Satellite Executive Briefing is now available.  Featuring:

New Space Ventures by Elisabeth Tweedie

Report on the PTC'24 Conference by Bruce Elbert

It Ain't Standard Oil, It's the New Standards by Lou Zacharilla

Beyond Borders: Satellite IoT's Crucial Role in Driving Environmental Sustainability by Alastair MacLeod

What to Expect from the Satellite Industry in 2024 by Bogdan Gogulan

Better Satellite World: Bringing Oil Smuggling Out of the Shadows

Plus Product and Services MarketPlace Guide to SATELLITE 2024, Mergers and Acquisitions, Market Trends, Executive Moves, Vital Stats and many more. Click here to read or download the file