From Sat Magazine
Satellite ground segment products are evolving at an exceptional pace, tracking the innovations in space systems that have been introduced with High Throughput Satellites (HTS). In this issue SatMagazine looks at market developments and speaks with a number of key ground segment suppliers about trends in North America. To get a handle on what’s hot, and the challenges and opportunities going forward, we spoke with them about how customer needs are shaping the businesses and the industry.
Today, North America generates approximately 20 percent of global ground segment equipment revenues. According to Claude Rousseau, Research Director at NSR, “A key vertical for growth is Consumer Broadband, with a global growth rate of 17.3 percent in the next 10 years. The Satellite TV reception equipment vertical, largely the province of consumer electronics suppliers, is still the largest market for ground equipment by a wide margin, but will remain flat.”
Mobility services continue to receive lots of attention, as satellite providers seek sweet spots service as terrestrial competition encroaches. “The underlying trends, addressable markets and statistics on mobility show that it is growing fast across all platforms. This is particularly true for in-flight connectivity (IFC) and cruise ships where passenger demand drives a lot of the capacity demand,” according to Rousseau.
In terms of ground segment markets, “There are major steps forward across all verticals and product segments. Baseband equipment and modems are making major leaps to accommodate the new technological requirements. Throughput capabilities are skyrocketing. Today, there are modems that can support above 1 Gbps of capacity which was unconceivable just some years ago,” said Rousseau. Continue >