MSS operators in 2008 will have to deliver on their promises of innovative new capabilities which can address a much wider market than the niches MSS has served to date. With the launch of ICO and TerreStar’s new satellites, we will see whether ATC really is the magic bullet that has attracted so much attention on Wall Street. Virtually all players need to raise more financing to fund their business plans. Will the markets cooperate, or is the cycle of bankruptcies we saw in late 1990s doomed to repeat itself? Hear what the CEOs have to say about their plans, and why they believe in the future of MSS.

FIND SOUGHT-AFTER SOLUTIONS - Dozens of new products are unveiled during the SATELLITE Exhibition. Whether its voice, video, data, or all three, the SATELLITE Exhibition showcases the products and solutions you need to ensure your communications are cost-effective, mobile, global and secure.

CONNECT WITH COLLEAGUES - With more than 8,000 in attendance, plus 270 exhibiting companies, you'll see old friends and make new during the SATELLITE Conference and Exhibition.

DISCOVER NEW TECHNOLOGY - Get up close and hands on with hundreds of products, new technologies. Comparison shop as you walk the show floor and discover what technology will enhance your business.

Plan your visit to the SATELLITE Exhibition and contact exhibitors before the event here.

In 2008 we will see new North American MSS satellites launched by both ICO and TerreStar, whose funding was predicated on the value of their spectrum assets and the expectation that Ancillary Terrestrial Components (ATCs) would enable this value to be realized. ICO and TerreStar are taking different approaches to the market, with ICO focusing initially on delivering mobile video services to cars, and TerreStar on enabling interoperable first responder communications via its 4G wireless chipset. Mobile Satellite Ventures is following close behind, with its ongoing WiMAX trial and satellite launches set for 2009/10. However, all three of the companies need to raise more money to launch full commercial services and pay for their ground spare satellites. This panel session will discuss how regulators will view these new services, what benefits will be realized by end users, and, most importantly, which of the three approaches will deliver the greatest value to investors.

Don’t miss the marquee event of SATELLITE 2008! Via Satellite magazine presents its Satellite Executive of the Year 2007, honoring the top satellite industry executive who made significant business impact in the global satellite arena. Tickets to the event are included with your SATELLITE 2008 conference registration fee.

Broadband demand from mobile platforms is surging, with deployment of new MSS and mobile VSAT technologies on ships, trains and planes set to generate hundreds of millions of dollars over the next few years. Inmarsat’s land-based BGAN service, introduced in 2006, has achieved far wider use than any of Inmarsat’s previous generations of high speed data terminals, and its maritime and aeronautical variants are set for launch in late 2007. However, increasing attention is also being paid to mobile VSATs, whose cheaper bandwidth can offset their more expensive terminal costs. Despite the failure of Connexion, satellite operators are pushing forward with maritime Ku-band coverage, and equipment manufacturers are developing smaller terminals. Further competition is expected in 2008 from Iridium’s new broadband maritime terminal. Who will come out on top? Can Inmarsat’s recent rapid growth continue, or will its dominant market position be eroded? Hear from all the leading players about their expectations for the next generation of satellite-delivered mobile broadband.

Mobile Satellite Services have played a leading role in the response to disasters both in the US and overseas. The FCC has also cited the need for emergency backup communications provided by MSS as a key factor in justifying ATC authorizations and has even mandated the inclusion of satellite capability in terminals for the new 700MHz public-private partnership. European regulators have also highlighted the role that new 2GHz MSS networks could play in emergency response. This panel will examine the requirements of first responders and what MSS providers must do to expand this market in the future.