Executive Outlook

Throughout the developing and developed regions around the globe, the need for specialized satellite-enabled communication platforms is on the rise. Specific network criteria is diversified by the client served, but all require advanced equipment and services. Therefore, we asked some of the industry’s top executives the following question:

“How are mobile applications and services changing the business landscape
for satellite technology and equipment providers?”

Andrew Corp.

Jude Panetta, President, Satellite Communications Group

Today, communication access must be available anywhere and at any time. Whether it is for business, leisure, emergency or defense, satellite technology companies and service providers have a myriad of opportunities to serve broad and niche markets with mobile solutions. Mobility challenges technology and equipment providers to deliver breakthroughs in the design and economics of products which benefits the industry as a whole.

ATCi

Gary Hatch, CEO

The mobile satellite landscape continues to evolve with technology and evolving market factors. Our experience at ATCi has been in the cellular mobile video and the SNG flyway system areas. We have been able to dynamically integrate mobile video and low cost satellite news gathering systems that enable our customers and their customers to broadcast and receive video from anywhere……. to anywhere in the world. Mobile video systems enable services where typically there are not adequate services thus creating new markets and better revenue models that better serve customers everywhere.

AvL Technologies

Jim Oliver, President and CEO

The increasing use of mobile applications and services are broadening the business base for satellite technology and equipment providers world-wide. Even though it will always be a niche market comparatively, the ability to provide high data rate communication from remote and temporary locations will continue to seduce users already accustomed to the convenience and flexibility of two-way, any-time, broadband connectivity. At AvL, we already see end-users growing from government and military to commercial and consumer sectors.

Broadpoint/UpLit

Ken Wright, President and COO

The expansion of mobile satellite products and services to include mobile marine stabilized VSAT and mobile BGAN solutions completely changes the competitive landscape in the maritime communications market. The customer now has greatly expanded choices for communications services at sea which increases the market opportunity for Broadpoint and gives the customer more and better choices.

Comtech EF Data

Bob McCollum, President

Cellular service providers require advanced infrastructure solutions to enable high-quality service coverage. To justify coverage expansion into remote and less populated areas, service providers require that the infrastructure solutions be cost-effective. Utilizing optimized satellite communication technologies that provide bandwidth efficiencies and scalability on both C- and Ku-band, will be a must to have a key role in reaching the next billion cellular subscribers.

e2v Technologies

Keith Attwood, CEO

The ever-increasing demand for breaking news on the go intensifies pressure to provide news from any location at the earliest possible moment. Newsgathering vehicles get ever smaller, and as airlines decrease baggage allowances, transportable and flyaway satcom systems must become smaller, lighter, more rugged, more efficient and more reliable.

Globecomm Systems Inc.

Kenneth Miller, President

Mobile applications are a natural for satellite delivery and over the past few years the advent of satellite radio and now the emergence of Digital Media Broadcast ( DMB) via satellite to hand held devices are two areas of growth related to such applications. These developments change the landscape by opening new growth markets for satellite technology and equipment providers.

Hughes Network Systems LLC

Pradman Kaul, Chairman & CEO

As the appetite for new broadband services grows ever greater, it means that satellite service and technology providers must accelerate their developments and cooperate to win in the marketplace. For example, Hughes is developing new radio access platforms for several emerging operators that optimize satellite and terrestrial spectrum to deliver interactive, multi-media mobile services at the lowest cost of bandwidth.

iDirect Technologies

David Bettinger, Chief Technical Officer

Among mobile applications, the demand for COTM is increasing dramatically as technology providers like iDirect remove critical roadblocks. Recent breakthroughs include tailoring spread spectrum to ultra-small antennas and creating seamless, global COTM networks. A vibrant market is taking life, where applications improve battlefield operations, create roaming field offices and extend broadband to the airways, roadways and oceans of the world.

MCL Inc. (A MITEQ Co.)

Frank Morgan, Vice President, International Sales And Marketing

Currently, the increasing requirement for ‘High-Definition’ transmissions have re-opened this business area for growth in tube-based amplifiers. The trend towards smaller HPAs is reversed as the ‘High-Definition’ format requires higher transmission power levels. It is also noted that refurbishment of older mobile platforms is increasing which also leads to replacement opportunities.

MITEQ Inc.

Arthur Faverio, President

The increased availability, decreased cost and an increase in innovative uses of mobile applications and services have created and will continue to create a very significant increase in communications usage. This puts more pressure on the communications infrastructure and has a positive ripple effect on the satellite communications industry as this demand for mobile communication reaches areas with minimal land interconnectivity. The satellite industry is the provider of choice for hard to reach or costly to reach places. The natural evolution of mobile communications to higher data rates and more reliable connections raises the level of equipment sophistication, which bodes well for a quality satellite equipment manufacturer such as MITEQ. MITEQ looks forward to meeting the demand of these new applications.

Paradise Datacom

John Restivo, CEO

The need for rapid-deployment terminals by military and disaster-recovery agencies, together with our insatiable desire for instantaneous news reports is driving the increasing demand for compact, lightweight and rugged communications products. This market is and has been the principal focus of Paradise Datacom. Our newest product releases include boom-mounted BUCs and rack-mount SSPAs that are the smallest and lightest in the industry. In addition, built in multiplexing of our Evolution modem can allow a single modem to replace up to four competing modems.

Radyne Corp.

Myron Wagner, CEO

Satellite communication technology providers will continue to be an integral part of bringing new Mobile services to market. Radyne expects new Mobile services emphasizing multi-media and direct broadcast technologies to be introduced at an accelerated pace. The challenges presented in this dynamic business landscape will be to deliver rapid solutions to Customers including an optimum balance of cost, coverage and time to deploy.

TeamCast

Jean-Luc Pavy, CEO

New Satellite to Handheld services, like DVB-SH, deploy hybrid satellite-terrestrial networks to achieve wide regional coverage. OEM equipment manufacturers like TeamCast are incorporating high levels of sophistication and integration into their transmission products for these networks for Mobile TV to drive down network costs and are hence opening up exciting new business cases for the service operators and initiating real market interest from consumers.

ViaSat

Mark Dankberg, Chairman and CEO

The dominant trend in mobile service is the rise of data & media over voice calls as the revenue engine. The good: growing expectations for connectivity “everywhere” – including places where satellite is the best option. The challenge: more competitive cost per bit and convenience– which requires new innovations to meet user expectations when mobile services are delivered by satellite.

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