News Analysis

The Changing Military Satellite Market

by Virgil Labrador, Editor-in-Chief

Los Angeles, Calif., Nov. 15,2010--military satellite market just a few years ago was one of the fastest growing segments of the satellite communications industry.  However, a global economic downturn and de-escalation of conflicts in the Middle East and South West Asia coupled with changing warfighter requirements have had a profound effect on the future of military satellite communications.

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Global Economic Crisis has Little Effect on Satellite Capacity Leasing Market

by NSR

CAMBRIDGE, MA - November 9, 2010 - According to NSR’s just released Global Assessment of Satellite Supply and Demand, 7th Edition study, the worst global economic crisis since The Great Depression did little to slow down the worldwide commercial satellite capacity leasing market. NSR's study estimates the industry picked up over $400 million in new leasing revenues in 2009, reaching US$9.7 billion as of the end of the year. Further, results so far in 2010 indicate the sector could add another US$500 million or more this year alone and increase total commercial satellite capacity leasing revenues by US$6.6 billion over the ten-year period between 2009 and 2019.

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Corporate Social Responsibility and the Satellite Industry

by Stephen Tom

Washington, D.C., October 15, 2010--The global satellite industry is usually viewed as an extremely competitive and sometimes cutthroat business.  Market share; revenue growth; market capitalization; and EBITDA compete for the attention of owners, management, and the investor community.  However, there is a revolution going on supporting the idea that you can “do well by doing good;” that these measures of business success can be positively impacted by a thoughtful commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). 

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How Ka-Band May Impact Today's Service Provider

by Robert Bell

New York City, October 15, 2010-In the mid-1990s, at the SATELLITE show in Washington DC, one teleport executive turned to another and said, “This Internet thing.  Think there’s anything in it?

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Declining Demand for Satellite Backhaul?

by NSR

Cambridge, MA, September 20, 2010-In 2010, the UN-HABITAT’s report, State of the World Cities 2010/2011: Bridging the Urban Divide found that the global population has reached its tipping point, a condition where populations are more urban than rural. Today, 50.6% live in urban areas, and the trend is irreversible. Increased urban populations may be taking away a vital market for satellite backhaul.

Since satellite backhaul is really a proposition for rural and underserved areas, population trends initially do not appear to favor satellite

Parks Associates Predicts Latin America Poised for TV-Services Gold Rush

Dallas, TX,  September 14, 2010-  Television services in Latin America will grow by double digits over the next five years, outpacing service growth in Asia and other emerging markets, according to international research firm Parks Associates.

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SNL Kagan Analysis Shows U.S. Multichannel Market Declines for First Time in History

Monterey, Calif., August 23, 2010--A new analysis by SNL Kagan  reveals that the U.S. multichannel market delivered its worst performance on record in the second quarter, losing 216,000 customers compared to a 378,000 gain in the same period last year.

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The View From the Top: Sweating the Assets Worldwide

by Robert Bell

New York, NY, August 6, 2010--The World Teleport Association (WTA) just published its 2010 update of Sizing the Teleport Market, which provides the only market data on the teleport sector, from number of facilities to revenues, workforce and purchasing power.   WTA's Executive Director Robert Bell deconstructs the study and its implications for the industry.

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Euroconsult Maintains Positive Outlook on Satellite Industry Growth

Paris, August 2, 2010--Despite a limited market slowdown, the fixed satellite market reached a new high in revenues last year, according to Euroconsult’s soon-to-be-released report “Satellite Communications & Broadcasting Markets Survey, Forecasts to 2019.” The fixed satellite sector grew both in terms of transponder demand (+5.3%) and revenue reaching $10.3 billion revenue in 2009. The company maintains a positive outlook for the future of the industry. Television broadcasting and emerging markets continue to be the primary growth drivers, with satellite broadband service (“BBS”) systems contributing to growth as well.

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Satellite Backhaul Continues to Benefit from Blistering Wireless Subscriber Growth

by NSR

CAMBRIDGE, MA – August 2, 2010 - NSR’s annual review of the wireless backhaul via satellite market shows the industry made tremendous gains from the blistering pace of wireless subscriber growth in 2009 and the first half of 2010. Despite a challenging economic environment, the wireless industry was one of the global economic bright spots, which led to sustained demand for satellite backhaul services for use primarily in rural markets. 

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