16.16 local time Tuesday June 25, French Guiana, will live long in my memory. That was the time when an Arianespace official came on a big screen, and said the launch of the first O3b satellites was going to take place that day after a one-day, and then a further 33-minute delay. It was a dramatic moment in the history of O3b Networks. You could feel the tension in the air as, after many years in the works, they finally launched their first set of satellites. What the future holds for O3b now it is hard to say but you certainly can’t question their ambition. It is great to see new start-ups emerge, as they are often a breath of fresh air for the industry.

I also had the privilege of attending CommunicAsia and the Asia Broadcast Satellite Global Leadership Summit in Singapore recently. What I found interesting about these events was how often Africa came up in conversations, and whether the region is finally able to realize its undoubted potential for satellite services. Tom Choi, Via Satellite’s 2012 Satellite Executive of the Year, probably summed it best by saying that “Africa is the new Brazil.” Other operators in Asia, such as Measat and even Thaicom also see opportunities in Africa. That is not to mention all the industry heavyweights such as Intelsat, SES and Eutelsat, in addition to the Middle Eastern operators also looking to target the region. Like many other economies in emerging markets, new middle classes are starting to appear with greater disposable income and, more crucially, with a greater demand for connectivity. The enterprise opportunity is also there given the needs for connectivity.While the onset of fiber in Africa in recent times has been well documented, satellite operators across the board are also investing hugely in the region and a glut of new capacity is coming online. Given that O3b’s mantra is still about “connecting the other three billion people” they will also be looking to make inroads into the region. What is interesting about Africa, which perhaps makes it a little different from other emerging markets such as Latin America, is the amount of satellite players targeting this market; it seems that across the board, all companies have some kind of African play. It will certainly be fascinating to watch whether the opportunity is as broad as some companies think it is, and which operators will devise the most successful strategies in the region. While there are still plenty of opportunities for the satellite industry to grow in Asia, it looks as though Africa could become the next hotspot for the industry.