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Applications in software-defined wide area networks (SD-WAN) are set to surge amid a rising number of private sector projects and government funding for rural and 5G connectivity. Pairing SD-WAN technology with satellite services appears to make a fit with rural connectivity in part because…  |
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A new model is emerging in GEO connectivity via smallsats for the orbit as manufacturers in the sector tout funding success and technology advances. The smallsat GEO sector offers advantages to buyers of satellite connectivity, based on a model where multiple spacecraft are…  |
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US connectivity investors have started wading through greatly expanded foreign investment rules that are more complex and nuanced than ever before. While terrestrial networks have been dealing with strict security and nationalist sensitivities for some time, CFIUS’s widened scope adds a layer of uncertainty for newspace communications, in particular, not least because of the number and variety of LPs that have been helping the sector reap record...  |
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The road to roll out US 5G hit a bump as a hedge fund urges Intelsat to buck an FCC proposal for reallocating C-band for terrestrial mobile, amid a looming Sprint and T-Mobile US merger. Hedge fund Appaloosa Management is rattling the C-band situation as it…  |
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Developing IoT sectors that include agriculture and the environment are generating interest against the backdrop of an investment surge but also a mixed outlook in some segments. There are also barriers in IoT, including in the environmental sector, such as a surfeit of development concepts and lack of…  |
 Inflight connectivity, Community Wi-Fi and an incoming terabit constellation are transforming satellite broadband operator Viasat into a global service provider. A competitor and a partner for terrestrial networks, its entry onto the world stage comes during an inflection point for the connectivity industry. We speak with chair and CEO Mark Dankberg to learn more about the evolving market.  |
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Newspace connectivity continues to attract new sources of capital despite growing expectations of more failures this year, potentially underlining the market’s maturity and the growing resilience of its investors. This week alone saw NewSpace Networks announce plans to raise US$200m for space and air-based systems that leverage terrestrial paradigms such as virtualisation and the cloud, and microsatellite startup Astranis secure US$90m towards a global internet constellation. However, there are also persistent concerns that...  |
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An effort is ramping to explore technologies and non-terrestrial networks that could provide users with internet, mobile broadband and other types of connectivity. The satellite industry is ‘investing massively’ in new satellite and ground infrastructure to support…  |
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A 5G-oriented network involving major players in technology and finance is emerging in a high-altitude-platform (HAP) connectivity project as standards and regulatory oversight come into view. The HAPs market is posed to register solid growth, amid concerns in the allocation of spectrum globally and regulatory…  |
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The advantage of having a substantial broadband footprint is encouraging cablecos worldwide to increasingly compete in the wireless space and acquire more spectrum. Prominent cablecos including Comcast and Charter are expected to snap up additional spectrum or broadband players to expand...  |
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Heavily indebted Intelsat would likely stay solvent with SES and others also benefitting amid a mostly positive reaction from connectivity analysts to an FCC deal for a C-band auction. FCC chair Ajit Pai appears to be positioning the proposal with an eye towards…  |
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The likelihood of exits from the satellite data analytics sector is a question mark amid trends that include the explosion of geospatial data from satellites and a rise in mid and late funding rounds. Providers of space data analytic services are trying to be innovators to drive value, raising the question about…  |
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The potential opportunities in satellite connectivity have guided US satcoms equipment maker Comtech to buy Gilat Satellite Networks for US$532.8m, one of several similar deals for the company and sector. The Gilat deal combined with that for UHP Networks is projected to…  |
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Investor interest is pulsating in the space software sector as the need for autonomous satellites and data analytics rises. Investors in Earth monitoring are shifting their focus from hardware…  |
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New strategies are making waves in maritime connectivity amid Iridium Communications’ recent authorisation for safety communications as the sector increasingly focuses on networks, data and technologies. The company’s Global Maritime Distress and Safety System authorisation means ship owners can…  |
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Smallsat launch ventures are marching into the new decade en masse as they continue to defy a widely anticipated market shake-out, even after one of the better-funded hopefuls fell into bankruptcy late last year. Estimates for the number of smallsat launch vehicles under development still range beyond 130, which is thought by many analysts to be easily in excess of even the most optimistic demand forecasts. One of the main reasons to question this anticipated launch demand is...  |
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Attention is likely to centre on the value of return-on-investment as exits are expected to mount in commercial space amid a widening gap between valuation and payback in the broader business sector. Some 46% of dealmakers say that less than half of their transactions over the last two years have generated the…  |
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Investor interest in smart city IoT is likely to soar as a new initiative looks set to boost the segment against the backdrop of vigorous activity in the wider sector. Amid this acceleration, concerns are being voiced about several issues, including interoperability, cybersecurity and…  |
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The value of supplier diversification in inflight connectivity (IFC) is likely to take off, as service providers stomach a small financial hit amid the grounding of Boeing’s 737 MAX aircraft. The pause is having an impact on IFC as providers adjust their…  |
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LeoSat’s demise dealt a blow to a sector that was already grappling with faltering funding fervour. It has made investors even more cautious about the new breed of LEO communications constellations, increasing the pressure for demonstrable success. The venture’s funding ran aground after being hit by something of a one-two punch. Firstly, established GEO...  |
 Intelsat believes satellites will play a crucial role in realising 5G’s full potential, and sees huge potential in IoT and M2M networks. Connectivity Business speaks with Samer Halawi, the satellite operator’s chief commercialisation officer, to learn more about its growth plans for...  |
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The newspace market continues to germinate opportunities amid the introduction of new companies, the spinoff of new markets and vigour in investment activity. Newspace enjoyed a record year in investment in 2019, according to newly updated data…  |
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Interest in high-speed mesh networks is gaining steam in commercial space as test projects are announced amid the rise of cloud computing, data analytics and artificial intelligence. Meshnet connectivity is generating interest in part because it paves the way for a network infrastructure that uses cloud amid other…  |
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Doubts about smallsat launch are intensifying as the number of vehicles in development or consideration continues to rise, while the costs of existing vehicles are seen as too high to support smallsat startups. Some contend the doom and gloom might be excessive amid the soaring number of smallsats…  |
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Geospatial data provider BlackSky’s tie-up with satellite broadband operator Intelsat took many by surprise, stirring debate over what a partnership that combines Earth imagery with connectivity could look like. While some see BlackSky’s US$50m loan from Intelsat as a standalone event — helping the venture build out its infrastructure while giving the debt-constrained latter another avenue for growth — others see it as the start of a new trend. Few details have been...  |
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A reorientation of the Earth observation sector is liable to happen amid increasing applications of synthetic aperture radar and other platforms as launches are announced. Data diversification is very real in the sector, as multispectral and hyperspectral platforms and non-imagery datasets also…  |
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The demand for connectivity and cost-effective strategies are helping to drive the digital transformation of the commercial GEO satellite manufacturing market, amid increasing stabilisation in contract numbers. The increasing importance of digital orientation of GEO satellites is evident in the January announcements of orders from…  |
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As mobile operators strengthen their focus on in-building connectivity to ensure a seamless 5G experience indoors and out, Wi-Fi 6 is ushering in a far-reaching revamp that could significantly change market dynamics. While it is still early days for both sides, connectivity investors should be able to get their first glimpses of how they will interplay this year in private networks. Mobile operators have traditionally...  |
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Questions about strategic focus are lingering amid investors’ mostly positive reaction to Maxar Technologies' sale of satellite technology business MDA. The impact on the greater market likely includes Maxar Technologies’ increasing shift towards the…  |
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A generally good 2020 awaits the commercial satellite economy with expectations for near- and mid-term growth, the possibility of major spending and the likelihood of increased service revenue. Not everyone, however, will find this energy to be satisfying, as formerly solid satellite segments – video, HTS and others – are likely to…  |
