Connected Devices Driving Consumer and Enterprise Satellite Mobility

New HTS-era in Mobility Will Generate More Than $10 Billion in Revenue by 2023

June 23, 2014

NSR’s Commercial Mobility via Satellite, 10th Edition report, published today, finds the need for device connectivity driving uptake of satellite-based mobility services for consumer and enterprise markets. By 2023, the market for satellite-enabled mobility solutions will be over 3.8 million In-service Units generating over $10.4 Billion in retail revenues.

“Bring Your Own Device is quickly becoming Bring Your Own Connected Device,” states NSR Research Director and report author, Claude Rousseau. “Enterprises and consumers are no longer satisfied being disconnected, ever. A flurry of satellite solutions in more form factors than we’ve ever seen is hitting the market to offer more bandwidth than ever before. These will not only grow the traditional enterprise markets, but also consumers who need always-on connectivity anywhere.” Although L-band solutions remain dominant in terms of in-service units, the advent of cheaper capacity for the mobility market from High-Throughput Satellites (HTS) promises to address the insatiable demand for connectivity on aircraft, ships, and land-mobile markets from passengers, crew, and operational requirements.

“Building on the strong desire for crew to remain connected, and fleet owners to improve operational efficiencies, the shipping market is itself an example of the growing importance of enabling mobility over satellite at sea, in the air and on land-mobile,” added Brad Grady, NSR Senior Analyst and co-author of the report. “There will be an onslaught of cheaper GEO-HTS and MEO-HTS satellite supply that will offer more coverage and create an impact on traditional high-revenue mobility markets for FSS and MSS operators in the coming decade,” he continued.

Narrow-body and wide-body aircraft, business jets, the offshore markets, and merchant maritime provide the key opportunities for HTS-enabled solutions, with another 64 Gbps of capacity demand across all enterprise and consumer mobility markets forecasted over the next decade. However, FSS players will not sit idle as HTS capacity enters the market, requiring an additional 150 transponders of FSS capacity demand.