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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

There was a noticeably strong presence from the satellite sector in the recently concluded CommunicAsia2011, held concurrently with BroadcastAsia 2011, with CEOs from all the major satellite operators speaking at the conferences and a record 110 satellite companies exhibiting at both shows. 

Collaborative efforts to improve maritime operations with cutting-edge communications were advanced recently during Broadband Maritime Europe 2011, where the international shipping and broadband satellite communications industries began co-ordinating on training, regulatory and other shared priorities.

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.

So what issues keep satellite manufacturers up at night?

Broadcasters and producers are experimenting with strategies that stream on demand applications to mobile devices. Hampered by steep fixed costs, limited distribution and scheduled services that proved less than appropriate to small screen viewing, the first generation of Mobile TV has been superceded by streamed on-demand applications more in tune with the way we want to consume content on the go.  When Switzerland, Netherlands, Germany and Austria shuttered theirDVB-H networks in quick succession last year it left Italy with the only successful service in Europe.

30% of Broadband Homes consider Live Multiscreen Service as a Top TV-Service Feature

Receiving live TV on a mobile phone, tablet, or computer is a popular feature throughout Western Europe, with 30% of broadband households highly interested in these TV Everywhere services, according to Parks Associates’ recent consumer survey Connected Consumer in Europe.