Mobile Satellite Services Industry Readies for Change Amidst Turbulent Times

CAMBRIDGE, MA--(Marketwire - July 30, 2009) - NSR today released its newest market survey and forecast report: "Mobile Satellite Services, 5th Edition." The report is a comprehensive analysis of MSS demand trends, covering eight regions of the world for equipment and services as well as transponder demand for satellite handhelds, maritime, land-mobile and aeronautical platforms, and MSS-ATC/CGC for the period 2007-2018. In total, NSR forecasts the global MSS market to grow from 1.8 million in-service units in 2008 to more than 15.5 million units and $18.6 billion in revenue by the end of 2018.

"With just fewer than 2 million in-service units in 2009, most of the MSS players are holding their own in the difficult economic environment," stated Claude Rousseau, Senior Analyst for NSR and author of the report. "Some parts of the market have taken a hit, but at much less strength than what was expected. With the MSS industry entering a high-risk phase that will either see it get a facelift or go through an extreme makeover, NSR is more cautious than ever about the short- to mid-term prospects."

Indeed, the industry may look very different in the next twelve to eighteen months as some consolidation, consumer-play products, public offerings and bankruptcies or shutdowns could change its composition. The near term will tell if huge looming debt repayments will be handled easily and place the MSS market on more solid foundations and expectations.

MSS operators as a whole experienced growth last year of almost 8%, even while some players were not so healthy. What looks inevitable is that the MSS market is on track to offer more bandwidth than ever, which will stretch most operators who need new targets to surmount the economic uncertainty. The economic jitters of the past twelve months are influencing some MSS operators who are setting their revenue targets to single-digits in the near-term as they take into account delayed or lower communications budgets in key verticals.

However, one market that is seemingly unfazed is data. With one-way or two-way data communications proving to be the killer application of the MSS market, data is helping operators garner more revenues as the fastest growth area of the MSS business today and providing value across all platforms.

About the Report

"Mobile Satellite Services, 5th Edition" is a multi-client report now available from NSR. The report builds on NSR's history of tracking the MSS industry since its emergence. This completely updated report provides data to evaluate MSS markets around the world and gives proper attention to trends, drivers and restraints to growth in several vertical markets that are key to operators, resellers, distributors and service providers alike. For additional information on this report, including a full table of contents, list of exhibits and executive summary, please visit www.nsr.com or call NSR at 617-576-5771.

About NSR

NSR is an international market research and consulting firm specializing in satellite and wireless technology and applications. NSR's primary areas of expertise include emerging technology, IP applications, and broadcast services. With extensive expertise in all regions and a number of broadband sectors, NSR is a leading provider of in-depth market insight and analyses.