NEWTOWN, Conn., June 26, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Forecast International projects that the commercial communications satellite market will be worth $52.7 billion from 2012-2021. According to its “The Market for Commercial Communications Satellites” study, which tracks some 49 satellite production programs, 419 individual communications satellites will be produced during that timeframe.
According to the study, high-speed broadband Internet, digital television and video broadcasting, and government services are currently major areas of growth for the commercial communications satellite industry. The analysis notes that demand will be especially strong in developing markets such as Eastern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia. William Ostrove, Forecast International space systems analyst and author of the study, said that a lack of terrestrial networks and the rapid growth in demand for communications services in these areas of the world is driving this demand.
Demand for Broadband Internet by satellite operators is particularly acute in rural areas, where high-speed Internet demand isn’t high enough to justify the cost of laying miles of cable. Satellites are also useful for increasing connectivity for mobile applications. According to Ostrove, “Airlines such as United, Southwest, and JetBlue plan to equip their entire fleets with Wi-Fi in the future. Ka-band satellites will be a primary supplier of the bandwidth needed to provide in-air broadband Internet connections.”
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