While Starlink's broadband contract wins often dominate headlines, a panel discussion at the Satellite Conference revealed that other multi-orbit satellite operators are experiencing substantial growth with enterprise and government clients. SES CEO Adel Al-Saleh stated on March 11th, “I still struggle with the fact that there is a narrative in the market that every time Starlink wins a deal, it’s amplified. The narrative is just wrong, and it’s not Starlink’s fault… they’re doing a great job — I think it’s just the market … whether it’s the capital market or the media, etc.” He emphasized that “we’re all winning our fair share of big deals” due to high global demand for connectivity. A key example cited was a program providing broadband capacity from SES’s O3b mPower MEO satellites for Luxembourg and NATO allies.

Al-Saleh also highlighted a deal to connect farming equipment in Brazil (announced last year between CNH and Intelsat, a company SES is acquiring) as comparable to Starlink’s partnerships with John Deere in Brazil and the United States. Intelsat CEO David Wajsgras noted that their hybrid LEO and geostationary orbit service is gaining momentum, with upcoming announcements anticipated for collaborations with two major international airlines. He mentioned seeing more RFPs requiring multi-orbital capabilities across various sectors.

Eutelsat CEO Eva Berneke, whose company utilizes both LEO and GEO satellites, explained that multi-orbit capabilities appeal to various industries for different reasons. “In some sectors, it’s because of resilience, because you always want to have a network to back up if you have issues of coverage,” she said. “In other areas, because that’s a better way to cover capacity spikes.” Berneke projects that LEO services will dominate (75-80%) the satellite connectivity market within six to seven years, but added that “that actually still allows growth in GEO. It’s not big, but it’s still growth in the GEO connectivity market.”

Al-Saleh underscored the ongoing importance of GEO for video distribution, a significant revenue stream for established operators despite the decline of satellite TV due to streaming. “So yes, we believe that there is a future in GEO,” he stated. “It will evolve, but it’s going to be there for the foreseeable future.”