Well-known satellite operators weigh vertical integration strategies

24 November, 2020

Established satellite operators are assessing their options on vertical integration as they evaluate network strategies and financial performance against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vertical integration strategy also draws criticism, as FSS satellite operators have been mostly…

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Industry leaders champion satellite for propelling UK prospects post-Brexit

18 November, 2020

The UK must invest more in satellite communications as it reaches a pivotal moment for joining a handful of major global space powers, according to a new alliance of industry leaders.

As the deadline for post-Brexit trade negotiations nears, the Athena consortium called on the British government to build a clearer roadmap for investing in satcoms, develop a sovereign PNT capability and other measures through 2030 to ensure the UK plays an active role in...

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LEO broadband operators under pressure to vertically integrate

11 November, 2020

Increasingly intricate connectivity needs are pushing satellite operators towards vertical integration, particularly those looking to inject NGSO-based capabilities into the terrestrial ecosystem. Long-focused on a wholesale model, Canada’s Telesat is pursuing an end-to-end service solution as it receives a C$600m (US$460m) government funding commitment to help build out LEO services.

“We plan on preserving existing relationships where those work,” Telesat's Michael Schwartz told Euroconsult’s World Satellite Business Week (WSBW). “We also plan on expanding to other channels to market that really didn’t exist in...

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How would flat-panel antennas fare in a GEO-only world?

22 October, 2020

Realising the market potential of LEO and MEO constellations in development depends greatly on flat-panel antennas (FPAs) being able to meet price points with their electronically steerable beams. But while an absence of these constellations would significantly hurt demand for emerging FPAs, research from the World Teleport Association highlights a strong niche for the technology even in a GEO-only market.

A satellite...

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Venture investors shift focus from software to capital-intensive satellite infrastructure

21 October, 2020

Venture investments are flowing back into capital-intensive satellite infrastructure to mark the strongest quarter on record for the class at US$3.6bn, according to Space Capital data for Q3 2020. Software-based satellite application companies saw their weakest quarter in nearly five years, down 77% quarter-to-quarter to US$1.2bn.

The slowdown comes after a rush in H1 2020 activity for on-demand...

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