The majority of the satellite communications sector has maintained that the business is recession-resistant, and that seems to be holding true to date. But some concerns are beginning to be raised that not even the communications market can remain completely unscathed if the global economy remains sluggish for several months or even another year.
    And reports from organizations such as the World Bank are beginning to lean toward a longer and more protracted slowdown than previously has been forecasted.
But if you spent a week in Singapore during CommunicAsia, it’s difficult to tell if there is a slowdown at all.
    Global operators are looking toward the Asia-Pacific region as a growth market. Regional operators are touting growth in their businesses and satellite fleet expansion plans to meet increasing demand. Customers in adjacent regions such as Africa that cannot find capacity to meet their needs are coming to Asia to see what operators there can do to satisfy requirements.
    In the past, the “Asian flu” has had an adverse impact on the rest of the globe. It would be nice of the reverse were true today, and the optimism and growth seen in the Asia Pacific communications market can have a positive effect on the rest of the globe.