Demand for Commercial Satellite Capacity To Grow at 4.8% Per Year, Driven by DTH, Satellite Broadband and HD Channels, According to Northern Sky Research.

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Global Revenues from Commercial Transponder Leases Expected to Top US$8.3 Billion in 2009

Northern Sky Research today released its newest market survey and forecast report, "Global Assessment of Satellite Demand, 1st Edition: A Demand-Driven, Region-Specific Analysis of the Commercial Geostationary Satellite Transponder Market for 2003-2009". This innovative report provides the most detailed evaluation to date of demand for C-, Ku- and Ka-band satellite transponder capacity, including seven specific satellite applications in twelve distinct regional markets.

As every industry insider knows, the market for commercial satellite transponder capacity is not a monolithic block easily defined. It is instead an aggregate of many unique satellite-suited applications that are promoted and sold differently in each part of the world. This new study drills down into the detailed drivers and restraints of demand for satellite capacity for video distribution, Direct-To-Home, video contribution & OUTV, telephony & carrier, broadband services, narrowband VSAT and a number of other services. Not content to simply provide a global forecast, Northern Sky Research has built its market assessment using a bottom-up approach in each of the following regional markets: North America, Central America & Caribbean, South America, the Atlantic Ocean Region, Western Europe, Central & Eastern Europe, the Middle East & North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Ocean Region. In excess of 100 individual demand forecasts were performed for this study in order to provide the detailed information this industry requires to successfully grow within an ever more competitive marketplace.

"NSR's goal with this new study was not just to provide by far the most detailed demand assessment of the satellite market available to the industry today", said Patrick French, Senior Analyst for Northern Sky Research and author of the report. "NSR also wanted to provide a tool to be used by our clients in their own assessments of the market. This is why NSR includes all of the study data in Excel files, along with a point-by-point description of NSR's forecast methodology, which will allow the study's users to manipulate the data to suit their own internal forecast needs and their view of how each separate satellite application will develop in the twelve distinct regional markets."

In terms of market growth, Northern Sky Research's assessment of demand for commercial satellite transponder capacity determined that, on a global basis, the number of leased C-band and Ku-band 36 MHz transponder equivalents (TPEs) will increase from 4,058 in 2003 to nearly 5,383 in 2009. This represents an average annual growth rate of 4.8% with a large share of the growth coming from expanding DTH services, an emerging satellite broadband market and, later in the forecast period, a rapid climb in the broadcast of HD channels for pay TV services and free-to-air TV programming.

Through the end of 2003, the commercial Ka-band market had yet to develop in a significant manner. However, NSR believes this will rapidly change in the near term with the launch of a number of new services, and demand for Ka-band capacity is anticipated to grow at an average year-on-year rate of 41.1% over the forecast period. Increasing transponder demand drives increasing revenues from leased commercial satellite capacity. NSR forecasts that revenues for leased C-band and Ku-band transponders will chalk up a 3.9% average annual growth rate.

For additional information on this report, including a full table of contents, list of exhibits, and executive summary, please visit www.northernskyresearch.com or call Northern Sky Research at 407-352-5295.

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