Sub-Sahara governments have been looking for some time to harness new ICT technologies to improve living conditions through affordable and inclusive ICT services, and to help bridge the digital divide in remote and rural communities. With less than 40% of the population having access to internet connectivity, progress has been slow. Shortage in teachers and medical staff, especially in remote locations, also impacts the living conditions in many areas.

It’s the moment you dread. You reach into your pocket or handbag – and your phone isn’t there. A flash of panic runs through you. Where is it? Lost? Stolen? You rush online and use the “find my phone” feature to see where it is. And there it is at the restaurant where you left it last night.

Governments and militaries around the world rely on satellite communications, for defense:  Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and for Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR).  The US Department of Defense (DoD) alone, is the largest user of satellite capacity in the world.  Usage is split between MILSATCOM (military) and COMSATCOM (commercial) satellites.  In recent years usage of commercial capacity has been growing, and NSR is predicting a CAGR of almost 32% over a ten-year period to 2028, rising from consumption of 30 Gbps in 2018 to 480 Gbps in 2028.  Bulk leasing will ac

To shed light on the developemnts and tends in the defense market, Satellite Mrkets and Research spoke with Koen Willems, Head of International Government and Defense Strategy-ST Engineering iDirect.  Excerpts of the interview follows:

An NSR report released last month estimates the Machine to Machine (M2M) and Internet of Things (IoT) via satellite market to reach US $12.4 Billion from 2019-2029 with small satellites driving growth. Alan Crisp, NSR Senior Analyst and report lead author stated lower price points will unleash unaddressed use cases. Higher volumes will likewise lead to higher ARPUs, changing the overall demand dynamics of numerous verticals. “That is not to say that MSS and VSAT offerings will lose their competitive edge or role in the marketplace.

Intelsat S.A. (OTC: INTEQ), today reported total revenues of US$ 489.4 million and net loss attributable to Intelsat S.A. of US$ 15.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2020. Intelsat reported EBITDA, or earnings before net interest, gain on early extinguishment of debt, taxes and depreciation and amortization, of US$ 266.7 million and Adjusted EBITDA of US$ 332.9 million, or 68% of revenue, for the three months ended September 30, 2020.

Viasat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT) today announced that Viasat’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mark Dankberg has become Executive Chairman of the company, a new position. He is continuing in his role as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Viasat, Inc. The company’s President and Chief Operating Officer, Rick Baldridge, has been named President and Chief Executive Officer.

These executive changes went into effect on November 3, 2020.

Maxar Technologies (NYSE:MAXR) (TSX:MAXR) a today announced financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2020. Key points from the quarter include:

The Egyptian Ministry of Defense (MoD), which manages the Egyptian Armed Forces, sought to build a new defense VSAT network that was reliable, secure, and could support a broad range of both fixed and mobile applications.

The commercial and military satellite market is expected to grow at a Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 76.6% a cumulative US $195.11 billion over the period 2020-2028 according to Research and Markets.