Failed OneWeb/Intelsat Gives Breathing Room to Other NGSO Plans, NSR Analyst Says

The failed OneWeb/Intelsat merger might be a win for other geostationary orbit (GSO) satellite network operators, giving them a chance to pursue their own medium earth orbit (MEO) or low earth orbit (LEO) ambitions, Northern Sky Research analyst Gagan Agrawal blogged Wednesday. If the deal hadn't fallen apart (see 1706010066), it potentially could have pushed other GSO operators with non-GSO ambitions "out of the game," it said. The post also said other major GSO operators are varied in their approaches to non-GSO, with Intelsat, Eutelsat and JSAT focusing on strategic partnerships that give them "a very limited play in this arena," Telesat "going aggressive" with LEO plans and SES -- through its investment in and subsequent acquisition of O3b -- "has materialized MEO-GEO synergies into one of the more promising growth areas in the near term."