News

Ultra-Broadband via Satellite

29/04/2010
Is satellite indispensible to the supply of end-user access?
Ultra-broadband via Satellite in Europe & North Africa

Ultra-broadband via Satellite
Is satellite indispensible to the supply for end-user access?

After having had a mixed reception in the early 2000s, two-way Internet access via satellite has been enjoying a revival for the past two years or so – especially in North America, Asia and now in Europe as well. Government programmes for reducing the digital divide, along with the gradual migration to ultra high-speed solutions are allowing satellite technology to play an ever-increasing role in the landscape.

"IDATE estimates that between 2010 and 2014, the number of broadband satellite subscribers in Europe and North Africa will increase by 45% annually, to reach 610,000 subscribers in 2014 compared to close to 138,000 at the end of 2010," says Project Manager, Maxime Baudry.
 
Main trends in ultra high-speed access via satellite
• With the growing number of programmes in Europe aimed at reducing the digital divide, satellite needs to capitalize on its assets to be among the potential technological solutions.
• Attracting even greater focus than the digital divide in Europe is the race to deploy ultra high-speed access.
• In the battle with terrestrial technologies, and particularly wireless ones (3G and LTE), satellite technology needs to leverage its assets – the main one being immediate availability at a reasonable cost.
• IDATE believes that ultra-fast broadband via satellite is a market that is poised to grow a tremendous rate in the coming years, not only because of programmes devoted to reducing the digital divide but also the efforts to deploy ultra high-speed solutions, as satellite will have an advantage in rural areas over LTE and FTTx which would not be cost effective solutions.
• While the Ka band is developing in Europe, and elsewhere around the globe, the future of ultra high-speed access via satellite could develop in even higher frequency bands that would enable speeds of over 100 Mbps by 2020.
What is the real market outlook for satellite technology when competing with terrestrial technologies, both wireline and wireless? What positioning strategies hold the greatest potential for satellite access providers, given the features of the broadband market in the different geographical areas being targeted? What future satellite technologies are currently in the works?

IDATE’s market report devoted to ultra-broadband via satellite provides the answers to these questions, among others, and supplies up-to-date figures on both the satellite and competing markets.

Project Manager
Maxime Baudry
m.baudry@idate.org