CAMBRIDGE, Mass.- NSR’s Aeronautical Satcom Markets, 7th Edition report forecasts inflight connectivity (IFC) will be a $36 B market over the next decade, as more airlines outfit fleets with high throughput satellite (HTS) services. However, the IFC market endured a challenging 2018 due to delays in installing equipment, indecisions by airlines, and uncertainty on business models, on top of technical and regulatory hurdles.
Overall, the market lost a bit of its shine as aeronautical connectivity grew in 2018 by $400 M – about 40% less than expected – but on the bright side, passenger aircraft retail revenues reached more than $1B for the first time. NSR expects 2019 revenue growth to be the same with a faster pace of inflight connectivity hardware installs to catch up on backlog.
Globally, all major airlines are signed up for some form of connectivity, and the remaining ‘greenfield’ opportunity now shifts to smaller airlines where passenger experience is not a major preoccupation, but connecting aircraft is seen as inevitable. “New and future customers have watched and learned from early adopter mainline carriers and understand better what they can get today from an IFC service onboard aircraft,” said Claude Rousseau, NSR Research Director and report author. “As a result, the expectations of cheaper and better IFC with higher capacity and more reliable service is a deeply-rooted impression amongst airline customers,” he continued.
To amortize the still-high cost of IFC hardware and installation, the delivery of a quality service will become paramount for airlines who have growing needs across fleets for different types of connections for both cabin and crew. Over the next decade, NSR believes capacity pricing will decrease substantially and the associated savings passed to customers such that service providers will need to grow their value-added services to maintain margins.
About the Report
NSR’s Aeronautical Satcom Markets, 7th Edition study is the longest running in-depth analysis and forecasts of aeronautical connectivity markets for commercial aircraft. It offers the widest coverage of emerging High Throughput Satellite (GEO-HTS & Non-GEO HTS), and established FSS Ku-band, MSS L-band and ATG services to aircraft, and is a unique tool to evaluate and assess addressable markets, in-service units, revenues and capacity demand for in-flight connectivity. Its assessment of take rates, IFC pricing, business models, connected airlines, modem and terminal manufacturers’ market share offers readers the most unique tool to plan their strategy in this highly competitive market.
For additional information on this report, including a full table of contents, list of exhibits and executive summary, please visit www.nsr.com or call NSR at +1-617-674-7743.
About NSR
NSR is the leading global market research and consulting firm focused on the satellite and space sectors. NSR’s global team, unparalleled coverage and anticipation of trends with a higher degree of confidence and precision than the competition is the cornerstone of all NSR offerings. First to market coverage and a transparent, dependable approach sets NSR apart as the key provider of critical insight to the satellite and space industries. Contact us at [email protected] to discuss how we can assist your business.
