[Satellite TODAY 03-25-10] Global consumer and enterprise demand for next-generation, IP-based satellite communications systems may grow to exceed historical industry trends, according to a report by analysis and consulting firms Sea and Space Exploration and GVF, released at the SATELLITE 2010 trade show.
    The firms unveiled the study, “2-Way Satellite Market Survey,” on behalf of the European Space Agency (ESA). The report pointed out a strong demand originating from service operators for innovative product features to serve the growing demand for Internet services worldwide and highlighted the technical challenges in meeting the demand.
    “Most operators require increased service speed in both directions and are asking for standard tools to measure service performance. Operators currently seek lower cost satellite terminals that are more reliable and with increased processing power and memory. … Product design has to be optimized in order to cope with a variety of end-user requirements and applications,” the firms wrote in the report.