SIA President Hails “Resilience” of Satellite Industry
By Mark Holmes | May 24, 2012
[Satellite TODAY Insider 05-24-11] The Satellite Industry Association (SIA)’s latest State of the Satellite Industry Report has once again shown that the satellite industry held strong in 2011. The report was prepared for the SIA by Futron Corp. and issued May 22. One of the key findings in the report was that world satellite industry revenues showed 5 percent revenue growth in 2011 compared with 2010.
Globally, 2011 revenues for the satellite industry totaled $177.3 billion. In 2010, the revenues were a shade more than $168 billion. To put that in further perspective, worldwide satellite industry revenues in 2006 were less than $106 billion, so revenues in the industry have grown by more than $70 billion in five years.
SIA President Patricia Cooper told Satellite Today Insider that the numbers show the industry’s continued strength. “The satellite industry continues to post strong growth in keeping with its two tracking industries, the communications and space sectors. The 5 percent growth posted 2011 reflects the satellite industry’s resilience and the continued demand for all sectors of the satellite industry,” she said.
The pay-TV markets is a key factor behind the continued revenue increases in the industry. “Consumer demand for satellite television globally continues to drive the satellite services sector, representing more than 80 percent of revenues and fueling the sector’s overall 6 percent growth,” Cooper said. “The significance of retail-driven consumer satellite revenues contrasts with the services composition of the market during the last general economic downturn, when services were more wholesale or transponder-sales driven.”
The U.S. satellite industry has also continued to perform well. “The U.S. satellite industry has continued to innovate and diversify, meeting evolving requirements to support U.S. military operations, connect first responders and disaster relief efforts, distribute media content and consumer television viewing worldwide, offer back-up and restoration for telecom networks circling the globe and link enterprises ranging from retail, natural resources, shipping and transportation and more,” Cooper said. “The industry has found ongoing demand for state-of-the-art manufacturing and continued and reliable satellite communications services to sustain strong growth even in today’s climate.”