A pan-European mobile multi-media broadcast system can be based on either a GEO or HEO satellite constellation but the implementation and economics of these two approaches are substantially different.
The recent announcement by SES and Eutelsat will have sent a strong signal from two experienced satellite operators that a geostationary platform offers an effective satellite component to a European mobile multimedia system. However, ONDAS has conducted extensive studies comparing the merits of GEO and HEO-based systems for the delivery of mobile multimedia in Europe and finds that the economic model of the GEO-based solution is just not as effective as a HEO-based system.
In fact, ONDAS estimates that the cost of implementing a terrestrial infrastructure to complement a GEO-based European mobile multimedia system would be of the order of 200-300M€ per country, as opposed to a cost of ~100M€ for the whole of Europe for a HEO-based system such as ONDAS.
One can clearly see that from an investors point of view the GEO-based solution may initially be seen as a palatable, low-cost entry into the mobile multi-media broadcast business. However, when one considers the cost of implementing a complementary terrestrial repeater network throughout Europe the overall project cost quickly escalates with each country and after 2-3 countries the cost becomes significantly more expensive than a HEO-based system which ONDAS estimates will cost of the order of 800M€.
A pan-European mobile multi-media broadcast system can be based on either a GEO or HEO satellite constellation but the implementation and economics of these two approaches are substantially different.
The recent announcement by SES and Eutelsat will have sent a strong signal from two experienced satellite operators that a geostationary platform offers an effective satellite component to a European mobile multimedia system. However, ONDAS has conducted extensive studies comparing the merits of GEO and HEO-based systems for the delivery of mobile multimedia in Europe and finds that the economic model of the GEO-based solution is just not as effective as a HEO-based system.
In fact, ONDAS estimates that the cost of implementing a terrestrial infrastructure to complement a GEO-based European mobile multimedia system would be of the order of 200-300M€ per country, as opposed to a cost of ~100M€ for the whole of Europe for a HEO-based system such as ONDAS.
One can clearly see that from an investors point of view the GEO-based solution may initially be seen as a palatable, low-cost entry into the mobile multi-media broadcast business. However, when one considers the cost of implementing a complementary terrestrial repeater network throughout Europe the overall project cost quickly escalates with each country and after 2-3 countries the cost becomes significantly more expensive than a HEO-based system which ONDAS estimates will cost of the order of 800M€.