Digital Lifescapes

Satellite communications is now driven by Low Earth Orbit (LEO) networks. From once niche technology serving remote outposts, LEO satellites are becoming mainstream — delivering high-speed, low-latency broadband everywhere from city centers to far-flung islands. According to Gartner's latest market study, global spending on LEO satellite communications services will reach $14.8 billion in 2026, marking a 24.5 percent jump in just a single year. LEO Satellites Market Development Unlike traditional geostationary satellites positioned tens of thousands of kilometers above the Earth, LEO satellites orbit at much lower altitudes — typically between 500 and 2,000km. This proximity yields two key advantages for modern communications: 1) Lower latency: Data can travel from ground station to satellite and back much faster, unlocking real-time internet use and interactive applications. 2) Broader coverage and capacity: Large, multiplying constellations can tile the planet, reaching regions w...

From my vantage point, few areas are evolving as rapidly and with such profound implications as the space sector. For decades, satellites were essentially fixed hardware – powerful, expensive, but ultimately immutable once launched. That paradigm is undergoing a transition driven by Software-Defined Satellites (SDS). A recent market study by ABI Research underscores this transition, painting a picture of technological advancement and a fundamental reshaping of global connectivity, security, and national interests. LEO SDS Market Development The core concept behind SDS is deceptively simple yet revolutionary: decouple the satellite's capabilities from its physical hardware. Instead of launching a satellite designed for a single, fixed purpose (like broadcasting specific frequencies to a specific region), SDS allows operators to modify, upgrade, and reconfigure a satellite's functions after it's in orbit, primarily through software updates. The ABI Research report highlights ...

The global Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) and Direct-to-Cell (D2C) markets are poised for growth, driven by unprecedented collaboration between technology giants, satellite operators, and mobile network operators (MNOs). According to the latest worldwide market study, these sectors will collectively generate over $25 billion in revenue by 2035, reshaping connectivity paradigms. This convergence represents a strategic response to the escalating demand for ubiquitous, low-latency wireless connectivity across industries and geographies. Global Connectivity Market Development    The NTN market (encompassing satellite, airborne, and maritime connectivity) and D2C services are converging to create hybrid infrastructure models. By 2035, NTN services alone will account for $15 billion of the total revenue, driven by applications in IoT, emergency communications, and rural broadband. D2C apps enabling satellite-to-smartphone connectivity will grow at 32 percent CAGR to $10 billion by 20...

In an era where wireless connectivity is pervasive, Satellite Internet of Things (IoT) can change industries, offering leaders unprecedented opportunities to drive efficiency and innovation. As industries across the globe seek to enhance operational efficiency and sustainability, satellite IoT emerges as a pivotal enabler. According to a worldwide study by ABI Research, the Satellite IoT market is forecast to reach $4 billion by 2030, with over 26 million connections anticipated. "Prominent satellite IoT providers such as Inmarsat, ORBCOMM, Globalstar, Myriota, and hiSky have been actively working together with their partners to expand their service offerings and enhance connectivity solutions," said Jake Saunders, vice president at ABI Research . Satellite IoT Market Development The satellite IoT market's expansion is largely fueled by its application across key verticals, including agriculture, energy and utilities, fisheries and aquaculture, and environmental monitorin...

As a seasoned industry consultant with roots dating back to the early days of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite networks, I've witnessed firsthand the evolution of satellite technology and its transformative impact on global communications connectivity. Today, we stand on the cusp of another significant leap forward with the emergence of Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) satellites. A recent market study by Juniper Research sheds light on this emerging technology and its potential to revolutionize various industries. VLEO Satellite Market Development VLEO satellites, operating at altitudes between 150 and 450 kilometers above the Earth's surface, represent a new frontier in satellite technology. These satellites offer unique advantages over their higher-orbiting counterparts, including enhanced imaging resolution, lower latency, and improved operational efficiency. As the demand for high-resolution Earth observation and faster communication speeds continues to grow, VLEO satellites are...

The Internet of Things (IoT) is transforming industries by enabling vast networks of devices to collect and share data. This data empowers businesses to optimize operations, gain deeper insights into customers, plus develop new products and services. However, a significant hurdle to IoT adoption lies in the limitations of terrestrial networks. Cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity often falter in remote locations, hindering the potential of IoT in these areas. This is where satellite IoT steps in, offering a compelling solution for connecting devices in geographically isolated or underserved regions. Satellite IoT Market Development According to the latest worldwide market study by ABI Research, the Satellite IoT market is expected to reach a value of $4 billion by 2030. This forecast growth surge is driven by: Reduced Launch Costs: The space industry is witnessing a dramatic decrease in launch costs due to advancements in reusable rockets and launcher technologies. This makes it more cost-e...

Unlike traditional mobile communication ecosystems, an emerging market will be defined by the entrance of a new category of service providers, satellite vendors. These vendors will work with telecom network operators to deploy Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs) that are utilized alongside terrestrial networks. They are a joint development between terrestrial network operators and satellite vendors. In the future, NTNs will integrate directly with satellite-based networks to provide combined connectivity services. 5G Satellite Network Market Development According to the latest worldwide market study by Juniper Research, network operators will generate $17 billion of additional revenue from Third-generation Partnership Project (3GPP) compliant 5G satellite networks between 2024 and 2030. Juniper has urged terrestrial network operators to sign partnerships with Satellite Network Operators (SNOs) which will enable operators to launch monetizable satellite-based 5G services to their subscriber...

Modern satellite communication continues to evolve as new service providers explore niche applications that give them an opportunity to compete with the incumbent global providers. This is a area of wireless telecom infrastructure that is noteworthy, as more unique uses cases are explored.   Decreasing costs of satellite launches and lower capital outlays have enabled several new Small Satellite (SmallSat) operators to enter the Internet-of-Things (IoT) market with low-cost and low-power satellite connectivity offerings. SmallSat IoT Market Development These new entities seek to challenge the traditional satellite IoT service provider incumbents -- including Inmarsat, Iridium, ORBCOMM, and Globalstar -- to provide a more cost-effective solution for end customers in a variety of industries. According to the latest worldwide market study by ABI Research, total satellite IoT connections will increase from 10.4 million in 2022 to reach 27 million in 2030 (a CAGR of 12.7 percent). ...

Wireless communication services continue to evolve and serve the voice and internet access needs of people in rural or remote areas of the world. Geostationary satellites were first to market, and now other satellite systems are pervasive.  The deployment of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations for extending terrestrial network coverage are the current driver of new wireless services in the global telecommunications sector. According to the latest worldwide market study by ABI Research, this adoption will culminate in $141 billion worth of annual service revenues from satellites by 2030. Satellite Services Market Development "Satellite communications services have seen a new wave of enthusiasm and convergence with terrestrial networks looking to extend past their zones of coverage and bridge the digital divide," said Andrew Cavalier, industry analyst at ABI Research . Market developments have shown that satellite services like IoT, backhaul, commercial broadband, an...

In today's economy, broadband internet access is an essential enabler for users of online government services and active participants of commercial eCommerce applications. While people in most urban settings may have access to affordable offerings, that's typically not true for many rural residents. There's a significant need in most remote locations for high-speed internet connectivity. Demand for internet access via broadband services over both fixed and mobile networks has increased dramatically. Yet, despite telecom network expansions and upgrades, it's estimated that only half of the households worldwide currently have access to fixed broadband services. With the rollout of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations, satellite broadband services could improve broadband penetration. According to the latest market study by ABI Research, the satellite broadband market will reach 3.5 million subscribers in 2021 -- growing at a CAGR of 8 percent to reach 5.2 million users in ...

The video entertainment market continues to evolve in America. Low-cost, new and improved over-the-top (OTT) video streaming services have made it virtually impossible for the traditional pay-TV providers to justify their high-cost offerings. Meanwhile, the legacy pay-TV service providers can't halt the continued loss of subscribers, as consumers seek and find alternative sources of news, weather and video entertainment online. U.S. multi-channel defections ballooned in the third quarter, amplified by tighter promotions at a time when consumers need little additional motivation to seek OTT alternatives, according to the latest market study by Kagan, a TMT research group within S&P Global Market Intelligence . Pay-TV Market Development Kagan estimates traditional multi-channel subscribers fell by nearly 1.9 million in the three months ended September 30 -- that's a 25 percent spike from the previous largest drop in the second quarter of 2019. The combined tradition...

New satellite constellations are being launched to improve the connectivity options for the Internet of Things (IoT) market. Many application segments will benefit from these new constellations due to the larger range of coverage they offer when compared to terrestrial communication networks. Different IoT application segments require different types of communication connectivity. Some IoT apps will require real-time connectivity to have a constant flow of data and information, yet some will only require near real-time. IoT App Connectivity Market Development By 2024, there will be 24 million IoT connections made via satellite, according to the latest worldwide market study by ABI Research. Their analysis unveils the long-term opportunity within the satellite space for the growth of IoT deployments, particularly in application verticals, such as agriculture and asset tracking. "Terrestrial cellular networks only cover 20 percent of the Earth’s surface, while satellite netw...

In-flight Entertainment has been the norm on long-haul flights for several decades. In an age where permanent Internet connectivity is commonplace, in-flight Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity is now becoming a standard as well. Developing communications technology, the changing nature of the airline industry and the increasing desire for passengers to stay connected at all times are driving the deployment of new services. Broadband connectivity is drastically changing the consumer passenger experience, the business passenger experience and the operational challenges aircraft operators face. In-flight Entertainment Market Development According to the latest worldwide market study by Juniper Research, increasing adoption of in-flight entertainment and connectivity systems by airlines and private aircraft operators will drive annual service revenues from an estimated $3.7 billion in 2018 to reach over $8.4 billion by 2023. The research found that systems installation by Low Cost C...

It's interesting to look back over the last few years of ups and downs within the American video entertainment and associated broadband internet access markets. The ongoing market transitions have created a volatile environment, where service providers react to the constantly shifting customer demand. Leichtman Research Group (LRG) reported that the thirteen largest pay-TV providers in the U.S. -- representing 95 percent of the market -- lost about 380,000 net video subscribers in 2015, that's compared to a loss of about 150,000 subscribers in 2014, and a loss of about 100,000 subscribers in 2013. The leading American pay-TV providers now account for 94.2 million subscribers -- the top nine cable companies have over 49 million video subscribers, satellite TV companies 33.7 million subscribers, and the top telephone companies 11.5 million subscribers. Shrinking Demand for Pay-TV Service Truly, 2015 was another year of transition for American pay-TV service providers. Th...

Reporting on the American pay-TV market during the last couple of years was somewhat predictable -- it's been an ongoing decline of subscribers as price increases motivated consumers to consider other video entertainment options. More and more American baby boomers in urban areas bought a digital TV indoor antenna and switched to free over-the-air HDTV broadcast services. For younger adults, traditional pay-TV wasn't viable -- why pay for advertiser-supported content that's available online for free or at a much lower cost via Hulu? Furthermore, as more online subscription video-on-demand services -- such as Netflix and Amazon Prime -- gained momentum, it became clear that the traditional mass-media TV was losing its appeal. Besides, a movement toward the adoption of over-the-top video entertainment seemed to be perpetual. But this market shift could still decelerate, given some of the recent trends. According to the latest market study by Leichtman Research Group (L...

The video entertainment distribution sector is still evolving. Case in point: the pay-TV operators within North America continue to be challenged during the second quarter of 2015, as significant new subscriber losses pose an ongoing threat to their core business model. The latest market study by Strategy Analytics indicates that the top twenty pay-TV operators in the U.S. -- accounting for more than 95 percent of the total market -- reported subscriber losses of 479,000, while the Pay-TV operators in Canada lost 53,000 customers. According to their assessment, total subscribers among the tracked pay-TV operators in North America declined at the highest rate that they've seen so far. The transition from analogue to digital television platforms hasn't improved the situation. Digital TV subscriptions in the U.S. market fell by 62,000. Moreover, in Canada, digital TV subscriptions declined for the second straight quarter -- with estimated losses totaling 9,000. While subsc...

The worldwide pay-TV market has surpassed more than 900 million subscribers during the first quarter of 2015, representing 48 percent penetration, according to the latest study by ABI Research. The traditional pay-TV market is likely to grow slowly but steadily over the next 5 years, mainly boosted by the upside opportunity in emerging markets. "Half of the world's households will have access to pay-TV service by 2017, representing 1 billion subscribers," said Jake Saunders, vice president at ABI Research . As pay-TV service providers experience increasing competition from alternative platforms -- such as over the top (OTT) video services -- ARPU continues to decline across the various platforms in most markets. Many of the legacy operators have added OTT content, multiscreen services, and on demand services in order to compete with alternative video entertainment providers. These services have contributed additional revenue to pay-TV operators, as well as aid in ...

The North American video entertainment distribution industry is a perfect example of where disruption was desperately needed to unseat the incumbent providers who had become complacent. First, it was the video rental stores, then the legacy pay-TV service providers. The only question that most savvy consumers asked was "why did it take so long for someone to offer a substitute to pay-TV?" The introduction of over-the-top (OTT) video offerings, such as Netflix, was a much-needed alternative to the high-cost traditional pay-TV service that's most known for its programming re-runs and perpetual interruptions from advertising. Slow Pace of Pay-TV Disruption The consumer rebellion to abandon pay-TV is becoming a worldwide, but slow moving, phenomena. Parks Associates latest market study found that global OTT video service subscription revenues will increase from nearly $9 billion in 2014 to over $19 billion in 2019. Currently, 57 percent of U.S. broadband households su...

Traditional forms of video entertainment are already saturated in most of the developed nations around the globe. Meanwhile, some of the more promising emerging markets are growing at a more gradual rate than was anticipated, due to current economic pressures. According to the latest market study by ABI Research, the worldwide pay-TV market grew by just 4 percent in 2014 to reach 923.5 million subscribers. "Despite the growth in subscriber base, weak currency exchange rates resulted in a slower increase of pay-TV market service revenue. Worldwide, the pay-TV market generated $257 billion in 2014 and is expected to surpass 1.1 billion subscribers in 2020 with a CAGR 2.7 percent," said Jake Saunders, VP and practice director at ABI Research . Cable and terrestrial TV markets had weaker growth rates in 2014 compared to satellite and IPTV platforms. However, high definition (HD) penetration is increasing across all pay-TV platforms because of the increasing number of HD cha...

Looking back, last year was a period of great change and disruption for some of the legacy video entertainment market leaders across the globe. As an example, the overall worldwide pay-TV market is expected to have grown by just 5 percent in 2014 -- surpassing 924.4 million subscribers. Many saturated markets continue to shrink, but there's still pockets of regional expansion. According to the latest market study by ABI Research, global cable TV market growth is now being driven by the Asian-Pacific and Latin American markets. "IPTV is expected to grow a market leading 14 percent in 2014, followed by satellite TV platform at 7 percent. The growth rates of cable and terrestrial TV platforms are expected to slow to around 3 percent," said Jake Saunders, VP and practice director at ABI Research . A combination of the two growth regions is likely to add over 13 million new subscribers in 2014, while the cable TV market in North America is expected to decline by approxim...