Many industry observers are quick to note that the teleport business which has been undergoing considerable consolidation in the last few years is not as viable a business as it used to be. One relatively new entrant to the teleport business is trying to disprove the doubters.

Over 1,000 attendees officially registered for the Pacific Telecommunications Council (PTC) conference held in Hawaii from January 17-21, 2009 with 4,000 more participating in the event as "networkers." This number was lower than in previous years, but the quality of the attendees in terms of having top executives of leading companies more than made up for the quantity of delegates. Besides, the PTC is slightly different from other shows in that it has five times as many other participants who can register as a "networker" and still participate in the many activities surruonding the event.

Application Technology Strategy LLC is the satellite consulting firm founded by Bruce Elbert, leading satellite expert and consultant, technologist, educator and author of standard industry books.

In these challenging economic times, it’s encouraging to know that there are still visionary companies that have ambitious plans aimed not at the most saturated, advanced countries but in the underserved developing countries. Denver, CO-based O3b Networks (registered in St. John, Jersey, Channel Islands) headed by Greg Wyler is one such company. Unlike other companies before that were high on ideals and low in practicality, O3b Networks, which stands for the "Other 3 billion," seems to know have a sound business plan to back up their lofty goals.

If you think you’ve explored every possible market for  satellite services and products, think again. One of the industry’s best kept secrets is a major trade show that attracts almost three times the number of attendees as the annual Satellite show in Washington, D.C. The Broadcast, Cable and Satellite Eurasia Expo and Conference held annually in Novermber in Istanbul, Turkey attracted 14,000 attendees in 2007 and 511 exhibiting companies from 44 countries.

The satellite industry will be facing serious challenges in raising new capital and credit due to the downturn in the world financial markets. This was the gist of a whole-day ISCe Satellite Investment Symposium (ISIS-NYC) held at the 3 West Club in midtown Manhattan, New York last October 13, 2008. 

The Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) at its annual convention in Hong Kong in October released a new report highlighting the threat to television services posed by the deployment of Broadband Wireless Access services (such as WiMax) in the radio frequency band used for the wholesale distribution of satellite television signals in Asia.   

Once considered the fertile crescent of Internet innovation, the United States now finds itself increasingly trailing the world in broadband, according to a report just released by Strategy Analytics. The report, “Sputnik Moment: The Call for a National Broadband Policy,?” suggests that only a coordinated and coherent national broadband plan will allow the US to regain its leadership role.

by Lou Zacharilla, Director of Development Society of Satellite Professionals International

As we head towards the end of 2008, leadership, change and the future are the three most prominent words in speeches  given in the world of politics. Both Senators Barack Obama and John McCain in their quest to be the future leader of the United States have campaigned hard on a theme of “change,” (although their definition “change” seems to change with each day’s headline!)  Theirs follows last May’s election in France, where  President Sarkozy  was swept into power on the winds of change.  In Russia and Latin America new leaders, verbally dedicated to the changes needed to create a better world, have been installed.  Sit quietly for a moment and you will no doubt hear the sighing of cynics, who maintain that in politics plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose.   Perhaps in politics this will again be proven.  However, there is one business where change is taking place quietly and with results.

With many industries around the world in the doldrums due to the current economic crisis, NSR's latest multi-client market research report released December 3rd, 2008 entitled the Global Assessment of Satellite Demand, 5th Edition, projects that the commercial satellite transponder leasing market should emerge relatively unscathed.