Inmarsat Orders Ka-Band Satellites from Boeing
2017-05-15
Inmarsat will invest more than $1 billion in three Ka-band satellites that will be manufactured by Boeing, which be based on the Boeing 702 high-power platform and used to launch Inmarsat’s Global Xpress service, the company revealed in its latest financial results issued Aug. 6.
Global Xpress will target what the operator views as a $1.4 billion incremental market opportunity in VSAT services for maritime, energy and government sectors, with further growth potential in developing markets such as the aeronautical sector. The company estimates the investment in its Inmarsat-5 constellation and Global Xpress will be $1.2 billion over four-and-a-half years, incorporating the fixed cost of the satellites as well as the cost of additional ground network infrastructure, product development, launch services and insurance. Operations are expected to start in 2014.
Global Xpress aims to deliver seamless coverage and mobile broadband with speeds up to 50 megabits per second to customer terminals from 20 to 60 centimeters in size. Inmarsat says it is targeting $500 million of annual Ka-band revenues five years after global service launch.
Boeing will act as a distribution partner for both Inmarsat’s Ka-band and L-band services and has pre-committed to capacity purchases representing more than 10 percent of Inmarsat’s target Ka-band revenues in the first five years after global service launch.
In Inmarsat’s 2010 six-month financial results, released Aug. 6, the operator generated revenues of $570.7 million, an increase of more than 12 percent compared to last year. Its profits before tax reached $151.8 million, an increase of more than 55 percent compared to last year.
Inmarsat’s maritime business revenues grew less than 1 percent compared to the same stage last year at $177.7 million.
