Comms Alliance forms new satellite working group

The relentless growth of the Australian satellite industry has earned it a new unified voice on the policy, regulatory and promotional front, with a new Communications Alliance satellite service working group founded to bring together key stakeholders to tackle critical issues.

But the new group also reflects the imperative for Comms Alliance itself to evolve and keep pace with the needs of its constituents, while the telco sector undergoes a profound transition – and while many other industry bodies are collapsing or downsizing.

The group’s roster of foundation members runs the gamut of key players in the Australian satellite space, including Optus Satellite, Telstra, Newsat, NBN Co, Indigo Telecom, SES New Skies, Intelsat, Thales, APN and Coutts Communications. Formally launched last week after a number of preliminary meetings, the group’s members will next be convening behind the scenes at the talk Satellite / CommsDay Australasia Satellite Forum in mid-April. Its foundation comes during a boom period for the Australian satellite market, with NBN Co hiring Space Systems/Loral to build two Ka-band satellites for some A$620 million; NewSat remaining on-track to launch its own Jabiru-1 satellite in 2014; and Optus’ satellite revenues continuing to ramp up.

“We’ve had operational standards [previously] that have had relevance to satellite – but it’s probably not been as big a mainstream part of our operations as it could have been. Equally, there have historically not been as many satellite players in Australia,” Comms Alliance CEO John Stanton told CommsDay.

“But there’s a growing cabal of players, from resellers of handheld [devices] through earth station operators, component manufacturers and operators like Optus and now NBN Co; we see it as a growing part of the connectivity scene in Australia, and certainly there was a groundswell of thought that it’d never had a strong mainstream voice.”

“A number of industry players approached us; they felt the satellite sector was important but tended to disappear in the noise a bit in terms of the way the industry promotes itself, and that it was time to give it a body that could contribute on the policy front and promote the very positive aspects of satellite communications.”

Stanton also noted the current satellite industry boom was something of a resurgence. “When I entered this industry, 70% of our international communications went via satellite, primarily via Intelsat, and only 30% by cable,” he said. “That mainstream point-to-point communication on satellite faded away quite dramatically, but the utility of satellites for other services, be they mesh networks or satellite broadcasting or a range of other types of services… and communications to remote areas, have really brought
satellite back into its own.”

“And in a country that’s one of the least densely populated world, I think inevitably there’s going to be an important role for satellite to play.”

The satellite working group will collaborate with the Satellite Industry Association of Australia and the Australian Communications and Media Authority, which is responsible for international space coordination
activities on behalf of Australia. It will focus on activities including policy development and advocacy on behalf of the satellite sector at both state and federal levels; satellite services; expert input into new Comms Alliance codes, guidelines and standards; and the monitoring of international standards work relevant to the Australian satellite sector. “And there’s a range of policy issues out there, longer-term policy issues around spectrum and the siting of earth stations in urban areas and so forth that I’m sure will be among the things that the group is active on going forwards,” added Stanton.

TOUGH TIMES FOR INDUSTRY GROUPS: Stanton also made the point that the new group would generate new memberships for CommsAlliance. This is important benefit at a time when several ICT industry groups are downsizing or folding, citing falling membership numbers and problems sustaining industry
events, from the closure of the Australian Telecommunications User Group last year to the recent staff cuts at the Australian Information Industry Association. Comms Alliance enjoys a somewhat unique position, in part due to its work on industry codes and other self-regulatory initiatives; however, even this may not guarantee sustainability in an era when voices like the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network have been challenging the
future of self-regulation in some areas.

“In terms of memberships and financials, we’re in very robust shape; no issues there. But in this environment, associations will only continue to exist if they remain relevant, and provide genuine value to their members,” remarked Stanton. “We’re constantly re-examining the way we do things and what it is
that members are looking for out of an association like Comms Alliance.”

“We’ll continue to evolve; we’re involved in issues now like online copyright… because there was a desire to have Comms Alliance add value. And we’ve got to stay responsive to our members’ needs in our changing environment.”
Petroc Wilton, COMMSDAY.