Satellite Markets and Research Editor-in-Chief Virgil Labrador spoke with Lou Dubin, Senior Vice-President of Product Management of  Comtech EF Data. Lou joined Comtech EF Data in 2008, through the acquisition of Radyne Corporation.

There are many exciting developments in the Satellite communication on the move (COTM) market.  Among these developments,  the most promising might just be the launch of flat panel antennas (FPAs) which aretransforming the Land, Maritime and Aeronautical COTM markets.  FPAs may just supplant the traditional parabolic antennas, if the cost and economics would make it a feasible solution.

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for satellite modems is estimated at US $323.3 Million in the year 2020 and is projected to reach a revised size of US$441.7 Million by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 4.6% over the period 2020-2027 according to Research and Markets.

The Satellite Markets and Research invited key companies providing satellite Comms on the Move (COTM) solutions to participate in a virtual roundtable on the current status and prospects in the global COTM market.

In considering the theme for this month’s column my prompt came from threads of discussion featuring in GVF’s continuing online events program (https://gvf.org/webinars/) which resumed in January, following our successful 2020 online content response to the limiting circumstances of a pandemic world.  Mid-February’s Zoom into the subject of ground segment attracted 400 registrations, 300 actual attendances from 60 countries, and over 30 live questions, in addition to the moderator-led Roundtable dialogue.  

Spacecom together with its local partner in Nigeria - Intertel, and in partnership with Zinox, a leading Nigerian internet and e-Learning service provider, has signed a multi-year contract to enable internet connectivity and e-Learning solutions for schools in Nigeria. Spacecom worked closely with its partners in Nigeria to bring this deal to fruition through utilization in C-Band High Throughput (HTS) capacity on the advanced and powerful AMOS-17 satellite.

Comtech Telecommunications Corp.  (NASDAQ: CMTL), a global leader in the advanced secure wireless communications market, announced today that it has closed the acquisition of UHP Networks Inc., a leading provider of innovative and disruptive satellite ground station technology solutions. Founded in 2011, UHP is based in Canada and has developed revolutionary technology that is transforming the growing Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) market.

KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq: KVHI), a provider of mobile connectivity and inertial navigation solutions, announced today that it has named Roger A. Kuebel as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Brent Bruun will continue in his role as Chief Operating Officer, but will relinquish his position as Interim CFO upon Mr. Kuebel’s joining the Company on March 8, 2021.

How many presentations, emails, articles and Zoom webinars start with the phrase, “In these uncertain times…”? I did a quick search: 549,000. Occam’s Razor applies here. The simplest explanation is usually true. And in March 2021 the simple explanation is that we are in uncertain times because of COVID.  Now can we please move on? 

Isn’t it refreshing, in these uncertain times, that when you come across something close to certain that the flux seems not only manageable but inspiring? This explains the persistence of the entrepreneur and why we embrace them.

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