What has been the evolution of the satellite industry in the face of new consumer demands in the market?

It is no secret to anyone that the lifestyle and needs of people and companies have changed dramatically thanks to technological advances and the need to be more competitive, agile and efficient day by day. Many of these new needs have been generated by the different technological tools available that make our lives easier and more controlled, as is the evolution of the satellite industry.

Now the business market is increasingly efficient and productive thanks to the emergence of new technologies; not only of communications but software and tools focused for these purposes, making companies to become dependent on communications by default, breaking geographic barriers when working online and being able to make strategic decisions no matter where they are. This, plus other technological developments have increased capacity demand continuously and in the coming decades this growth is expected to continue.

Some examples:

Technologies such as Internet of Things IoT have increased the number of connected devices that basically seek to systematize and automate processes to reduce risk, costs, burden and human errors. The applications in the business field are wide, through remote control or telemetry that are basically raw devices that permanently capture information applicable to many economic sectors. IoT allows you to make fast and increasingly accurate decisions and visualize critical variables in a practical and efficient way.

In a few years all cars will have tracking devices in response to regulatory issues and to allow passengers to access the network and for entertainment.

The tourism industry, particularly the large cruise ships, have taken a great turn to their marketing and service experience models that now focus on the use and access to the internet for all crew members and users.

In the sector of ground mobility with mass transport, within the scheme of smart cities will allow its users new features for entertainment (television, radio, streaming) and security (vehicle tracking, failure or emergency reporting and telemetry).

This growing demand for capacity will be applicable not only for terrestrial technologies, but will allow other technologies such as satellite, to become permanent players for this type of applications. The satellite service providers previously sold 64 Kbps and 128 Kbps communication channels but thanks to better capacity and functionalities this has changed.

Years ago, satellite technology was basically used to surf the Internet, check email or access a bank account; but today the technological gap with terrestrial connectivity is smaller, becoming a communication tool that allows companies to be more productive and efficient, improve decision-making and control in real-time the activities and movements of their operations. Now, we find various applications of satellite technology in sectors such as Oil and Gas, Mining, Energy, Infrastructure, Banking, Commerce, Agribusiness and Fisheries.

Today, satellite communications capability makes this technology a valid player in many market verticals where terrestrial infrastructure still has limitations. Additionally, the costs gap between terrestrial and satellite solutions is getting smaller, just 5 years ago the difference in price between the two could be up to 10 times; currently this ratio can be 3 to 1.

In addition, traditional industries where satellite connections are natural technology continue to evolve, grow and therefore demand greater capacity.

Verticals such as the aviation industry will be one of the sectors that will require the most satellite capacity, not only because of the requirements to guarantee a better user experience inside the plane, (being able to watch television online, browse, talk on the phone, make video calls, see Netflix, etc.) but to improve safety and operational efficiencies.

In the same way the satellite cellular backhaul will continue with a growing market penetration as well as the use of mobile devices, not only in the main cities, but in the intermediate and rural areas where terrestrial networks do not reach or have limitations. It is evident how satellite operators are complementing terrestrial networks, facilitating the expansion of NNOs and expanding the transport capacities required by 4G-LTE cellular technologies.

The demand for capacity will definitively continue to grow. With changes in the satellite industry, we can expect to be increasingly a valid and significant player in the field of telecommunications. The demand for capacity will definitively continue to grow. With changes in the satellite industry, we can expect to be increasingly a valid and significant player in the field of telecommunications.