Global Consolidation is Changing the Dynamics of the Sector

Welcome to our July edition of Via Satellite. It has been a hectic first half of year. The headline moment was undoubtedly SES’s acquisition of Intelsat which changes the makeup of the global satellite sector, assuming the deal gains regulatory approval. The theme at many trade shows this year is that we are in an era of disruption. SpaceX continues to be the player that has turned the satellite industry on its head, forcing others to raise their game and come up with new strategies to grow their businesses.

Speaking of major consolidation, around one year ago Viasat and Inmarsat completed the deal to combine after a lengthy regulatory process. This move has really kickstarted the latest wave of consolidation. My colleague Rachel Jewett interviewed Mark Dankberg, as well as new President Guru Gowrappan, in one of his first interviews since joining Viasat last year. Gowrappan is an interesting hire for Viasat, having come from Verizon and being immersed in the telecoms world. In this feature, Dankberg and Gowrappan talk about a turbulent last 12 months and what is next for one of the global giants in satellite.

Marisa Torrieri looks at the vibrant region of Latin America and how the emergence of new players, as well the expected impact of SpaceX and Amazon is changing the dynamics of the market. With low levels of broadband penetration, this remains an intensely interesting market for a number of players within satellite. We look at how it could develop over the next few years.

We hope you have had a good year so far, and we wish you all the best for the second half of the year.