David Hartshorn appointed as CEO of Geeks Without Frontiers. Photo Credit: Space Foundation

It is not often in this day and age, that someone leads for over 20 years, but David Hartshorn can say he did exactly this. He has led the Global VSAT Forum (GVF) for more than 20 years. Therefore, it came as a surprise that Hartshorn announced he was resigning his position as the Secretary General of the GVF. He has been a well-known speaker, and has played a prominent role in bringing the industry together ahead of major International Telecommunications Union (ITU) events.

Hartshorn left GVF to become the CEO of Geeks Without Frontiers, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) focused on addressing global connectivity challenges with a view to closing and narrowing the digital divide. Here, we talk to Hartshorn about his time at the GVF and where he hopes the industry goes next.

VIA SATELLITE: Why did you decide to leave the GVF? How difficult a decision was this for you considering you had been doing this job for two decades?

Hartshorn: As you might expect, the decision wasn’t made lightly. With GVF, I’ve had the privilege to work with great people doing great work to expand access to satellite communications worldwide. What more could anyone ask for? The reason for my departure is that I now want to focus on implementation of projects. Together with the team at Geeks Without Frontiers, we’ll be focused on addressing delivery of connectivity beyond the edge — villages, refugee camps, conflict and disaster zones, and other challenging operational environments. Leveraging cost-effective technologies and services with sustainable business models… that’s the next adventure.

While we’ll be working with all types of communications and information technologies — the baseline will be cost effective solutions to help reach the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals — it’s my expectation that satellite will be particularly important due to its unique value proposition for remote populations. I expect to be working with the satellite industry more than ever before, but at the deployment level.

VIA SATELLITE: What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishments in your two decades of services? Can you name three personal highlights?

Hartshorn: Without hesitation, I’d say that my single greatest “accomplishment” was simply holding a job that enabled me to stay in the room with so many talented professionals, not to mention so many fascinating characters. Every GVF program was developed by the industry’s top experts in their fields. From training, terminal approvals, cybersecurity, and end-user support, to promotions, regulatory, and spectrum… you name it.

So, highlights. Here’s one: The very first regulatory meeting that GVF held was in the late ‘90s with the Indian government where there was an emergency: Regulations prevented local industry from using any satellite other than INSAT, but there wasn’t any INSAT capacity available, and the latest replacement satellite had suffered a launch failure. Indian Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) service providers couldn’t meet any new market demand, and their livelihoods were in real jeopardy.

Together with our local affiliate, the VSAT Service Providers Association of India, we sat with the government in Delhi for several hours of negotiations. Finally, there was a compromise: They would permit India’s international gateway licensees to use satellites from other countries. Shortly after the new regulation was implemented, I remember getting a thank-you note from a major operator who’d just signed a multi-million-dollar contract and whose services were being provided for the first time across the Indian sub-continent; from air traffic control, and energy, to schools, health clinics, and first responders. I thought to myself, “Man, this is going to be fun.”

Here’s another: The ITU World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC) in 2007 was our baptism by fire in the spectrum world. I had zero — repeat, zero — experience with spectrum issues when GVF was called upon to help coordinate a global campaign to defend satellite spectrum from major wireless interests. A real deer-in-the-headlights moment.

So, I will never forget when, months later, our issue was first addressed during the major WRC plenary meeting. It was crunch time. In the air miles and long days leading up to that moment, our team and our campaign partners — Abrasat, APSCC, CASBAA, ESOA, IRG, MSUA, SIA, SSPI, WTA, and others — had worked very hard to encourage as many governments as possible to stand up for our cause. And when the ITU meeting chairman introduced the agenda item, an unbelievable thing happened… a wave of government officials’ hands raised across the room in support of satellite spectrum. It was really thrilling and showed what our industry could accomplish by working together at a global level. By the way, the same scene played out again at the most recent WRC. Spectrum advocacy? Exciting? Who knew?!

And here’s a third: Last Thursday, I was honored to join a ceremony at Luxembourg’s Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, where, GVF, ESOA, the UN aid agencies and satellite industry leadership signed agreements to implement the “Crisis Connectivity Charter.”

For decades, our industry has supported the UN and other first responders during disasters and with good effect. What distinguishes the charter is that leading industry members — Arabsat, Eutelsat, Global Eagle, Hispasat, Inmarsat, Intelsat, SES, Thuraya and Yahsat — demonstrated their willingness to begin working collaboratively as an industry collective for more effective disaster response. But the charter goes further, setting the stage for more financially sustainable emergency preparedness. As the charter now gets put into action, this is a story that is still being written so watch this space. The charter is a great milestone that holds the potential for our industry to help the UN save lives more effectively than ever before. And opportunities are there for even broader involvement by our industry.

VIA SATELLITE: You have often been a spokesperson for the industry bringing people together, particularly ahead of the crunch ITU meetings. Do you believe the satellite industry is in much better shape than it has been to deal with these threats?

Hartshorn: Absolutely. During the WRC-07 and WRC-15 campaigns, our industry gained experience that will be instrumental in the WRC-19 preparations. One of the best reflections of that fact is the recent announcement, made during SATELLITE 2018, of the formation of the Global Satellite Coalition (GSC).

GSC is a formalized framework for the industry’s association partnerships established during the previous spectrum campaigns. It is another example of our industry’s commitment to collaboration around shared interests, and it is envisioned that GSC will extend industry coordination into international promotions and other initiatives that create opportunity and help meet challenges head on.

VIA SATELLITE: The satellite industry is at a new inflection point. All the talk of LEO; people like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson now staples of the industry. How do you assess the future for the industry?

Hartshorn: Certainly, there has never been a more dynamic time in our history. It was only a matter of time before the world’s leading entrepreneurs began to get involved with satellite. As you say, there are many new players, but also new technologies, business plans, and a redefinition of the entire value chain.

I’m sure this is stating the obvious, but it has to be said that the future is going to continue to be characterized by disruption, and those who prevail will have the opportunity to take the satellite industry to an exciting new level: VHTS, IOT, mobility, 4G, 5G, LEO, MEO, GEO, HEO, mergers, acquisitions, coopetition… it’s going to be a wild ride.

VIA SATELLITE: What impact will LEO satellite systems have on the overall industry?

Hartshorn: LEOs have already demonstrated that they have a valuable contribution to make in the communications — and in the Earth observation — ecosystems. Now, with the step change in LEO launches getting underway, figuring out when, where, how and with whom to integrate those capabilities into portfolios backed up by solid business cases will be all important. I firmly believe that our industry is up to it. But hang on to your hats!

VIA SATELLITE: In two decades, do you reflect on any disappointments in your time at the GVF? Is there anything you would do differently?

Hartshorn: Things I’d have done differently? How many pages do you have allocated for this interview?

VIA SATELLITE: Finally, do you have a message for the satellite industry?

Hartshorn: Yes. Heartfelt thanks to the friends and colleagues who took me on such an incredible journey… and I look forward to continuing our work together down the road!