-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- smt007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueBox Build
One trend is to add box build and final assembly to your product offering. In this issue, we explore the opportunities and risks of adding system assembly to your service portfolio.
IPC APEX EXPO 2024 Pre-show
This month’s issue devotes its pages to a comprehensive preview of the IPC APEX EXPO 2024 event. Whether your role is technical or business, if you're new-to-the-industry or seasoned veteran, you'll find value throughout this program.
Boost Your Sales
Every part of your business can be evaluated as a process, including your sales funnel. Optimizing your selling process requires a coordinated effort between marketing and sales. In this issue, industry experts in marketing and sales offer their best advice on how to boost your sales efforts.
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Events
||| MENU - smt007 Magazine
US Satellite D2D Market Expected to Hit $6.5B by 2027, Taiwanese PCB and Antenna Manufacturers Set to Enter Supply Chain
March 14, 2024 | TrendForceEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
TrendForce’s projections foresee that the US satellite direct-to-device (D2D) market is expected to undergo significant growth, expanding from $430 million in 2023 to $6.5 billion by 2027 at a CAGR of 36%. This growth is driven by increasing subscriptions to satellite D2D services, potentially enabling telecom operators to expand beyond traditional mobile communication services into satellite communications.
TrendForce highlights that Starlink, a leading US satellite operator, has progressively deployed residential satellite communication services in the US and the Philippines. To further increase user penetration, Starlink has announced a collaboration with telecom giant T-Mobile to offer satellite D2D services. With temporary certification granted by the FCC, Starlink is set to launch its direct-to-cell services in 2024. Initially, the service will only be offered to US regional users, allowing them to send and receive simple text messages in the 1.9 GHz frequency band through the satellite’s built-in eNodeB modem using 4G signals.
Additionally, following successful voice communication tests between the Blue Walker 3 satellite prototype and 5G smartphones, AST SpaceMobile secured approximately $207 million in investments from major firms like AT&T and Google. AST SpaceMobile is expected to launch the Bluebird satellite—equipped with D2D services—aboard a Falcon 9 rocket in 1Q24. This initiative, in collaboration with AT&T, aims to deploy the service in the US market. The US is anticipated to be a key region for telecom operators willing to expand satellite D2D services with satellite operators.
Taiwanese PCB and antenna manufacturers poised to enter satellite D2D supply chain
TrendForce notes that as an increasing number of satellite operators begin deploying D2D services, Taiwanese suppliers of key components can extend their manufacturing capabilities from ground stations to satellite component production, thereby entering the satellite D2D service supply chain.
For example, COMPEQ supplies HDI products exclusively to Starlink satellites, including those for direct-to-cell services. Meanwhile, Auden Techno is investing in the development of phase array antennas for C-band and L-band applications, targeting narrowband scenarios for Starlink’s D2D services.
Overall, Taiwanese manufacturers are not only assisting satellite operators in producing key components required for satellite D2D services but are also actively collaborating with these operators to test critical satellite components under various conditions, such as low-volume irradiation and extreme temperature variations. These tests are expected to meet the stringent demands of a harsh space environment—including low temperatures and high pressure—potentially leading to significant orders for critical components from major satellite operators.
Suggested Items
Rocket Lab Successfully Deploys Satellites
04/24/2024 | BUSINESS WIRERocket Lab USA, Inc., a global leader in launch services and space systems, today deployed two satellites to two different orbits approximately 500km apart on its 47th Electron mission.
Fraunhofer IIS Opens Laboratory in Space
04/19/2024 | Fraunhofer IISRadiation, vacuum, and substantial temperature fluctuations: extreme conditions prevail in space, presenting a tough challenge for satellite communications. With the Fraunhofer On-Board Processor (FOBP), experiments can be conducted in space to explore whether new technologies are operational under real conditions.
RTX Provides Blue Canyon Satellite to Help Solve a Crucial Climate Challenge
04/16/2024 | RTXBlue Canyon Technologies, RTX's small satellite manufacturer and mission services provider, announced the successful launch and initial contact with the MethaneSAT satellite.
AST SpaceMobile ASIC Chip Enters Tape-Out Phase in Collaboration with TSMC
03/28/2024 | BUSINESS WIREAST SpaceMobile, Inc., the company building the first and only space-based cellular broadband network accessible directly by everyday smartphones designed for both commercial and government use, proudly announces the commencement of the tape-out phase for its Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), in collaboration with TSMC, the world's leading foundry.
Global Beam Telecom Joins Viasat’s ELEVATE Program to Provide Remote Connectivity and Industrial IoT
03/26/2024 | InmarsatViasat, Inc., a global leader in satellite communications, announced Global Beam Telecom, a global satcom solutions provider, has joined its ELEVATE program.