Supporting policy public practices - The role of satellite telecommunication services
From INVESaTWIKI
The role of satellite telecommunication services
Satellite services represented 46,4% of total satellite industry revenues in 2001 and are estimated at
52,2% of total satellite industry revenues in 2002 (2001-2002 Satellite Industry Indicators – Futron
Corporation-). Cumulated yearly revenues of top 10 Fixed Satellite Service operators amount to over 6
billion Euro (Euroconsult 2002).
Satellite telecommunications services are an essential part of space
industry and cannot be neglected when building a European Policy on Space. On the contrary, we
believe satellite communications have a primary role to play in the development of the information
society and in bridging the digital divide thanks to their capability to provide cost-effective services to
less-densly populated areas.
A European Space Policy contributing to the success of European satellite operators and service
providers in fulfilling their role in the Information Society will generate manifold benefits by
contributing to:
- Providing access to information for European citizens on a wide-spread democratic basis.
- Creating highly skilled jobs in the satellite telecommunications field.
- Generating turn over in the satellite manufacturing industry and in the satellite launch industry to provide the necessary in-orbit capacity to fulfil demand.
For the above reasons, we believe satellite telecommunications should be in a high priority ranking
when setting up a European Space Policy and defining the associated programmatic actions to
implement such a policy.
Unfortunately, observing the market trends of commercial satellite telecommunications services
during the last twelve to eighteen months does not bring to an encouraging picture. The reason for this
is that today we have an excess of offer compared to the demand, for already operating satellites, and
great concerns are on commercial exploitation of satellites ordered or in the production pipeline.
Therefore, it is vital that the European Space Policy strongly addresses the development and pervasive
adoption of services knowing that an inversion of the current trend can only be obtained by
revitalizing and developing the market and improving services capability. [1]
References
[1] European Satellite Operators Association
"ESOA General Comments on the European Space Policy and Research and Development Policy in the field of Satellite Telecommunications".
