Is Hacking the Major Challenge Being Faced by Global Satellite Telephones Market?
Increasing digitalisation and IoT are driving the
global satellite telephones market, but hacking remains a major concern
TechSci Research
defines a satellite phone as “a type of mobile phone that enables the user to
communicate with each other by connecting directly to orbiting satellites,
instead of terrestrial cellular telephone sites”. Growing convergence of
digitalisation and enhanced productivity has culminated in a marked rise in IoT
(Internet of Things) usage, which is further driving the global satellite
telephones market. TechSci Research examines two trends, one negative and one
positive, that will shape the satellite telephones market in the years to come:
Tour de Force of Space Industry is Gaining Global Recognition
As prosperity
levels rise all across the world, governments are gaining an interest in space
as the next frontier to conquer. Emerging market economies and developed
countries both see space as a profitable enterprise, as it has something to
offer to any country, big or small. Relatively smaller players such as ISRO (Indian
Space Research Organisation), for example, are winning plaudits for the number of
launches and the cost effectiveness which is boosting the global satellite
telephones market. Only recently, ISRO launched the South Asia satellite (SAS)
satellite as a ‘gift’ to the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation) region. It enables a full range of applications and services in
the areas of telecommunication and broadcasting applications viz television,
direct-to-home (DTH), very small aperture terminals (VSATs), tele-education,
tele-medicine, disaster management support etc.
The trend of
launching nanosatellites and heavier satellites through Geosynchronous
Satellite Launch Vehicles (GSLVs) is gaining steam. Both provide different
benefits; nanosatellites are smaller, relatively cheap and easier to launch and
more of them can be delivered in one payload. GSLV satellites, while heavier
and more expensive, usually cover a much larger tract of area and can be
‘shared’ among countries, i.e. the benefits are not simply intranational. Both
set of satellites though, are critical in boosting the global satellite telephones
market.
Threats from Hacking
However, with
digitalisation, one of the growing threats to the satellite telephone market
comes from hacking. As humankind increasingly starts to depend upon satellites
for its existence, the loss of one or more of this to nefarious activities can
prove to be a major setback. New data suggests that the encryption used in
popular satellite phones, such as the Inmarsat, can be cracked in real time.
The issue with the decryption, when it was originally pointed out in 2012, the
company "immediately took action to address the potential security issue
and this was fully addressed".
TechSci experts
have previously raised questions as to the practicality of the hacking
technique pointed out by academics, saying that the theoretical aspect of it
may not necessarily translate smoothly into practical hacking. However, as per
TechSci Research report “Global Satellite Telephones Market Competition Forecast & Opportunities, 2011-2021”,
Inmarsat remains the dominant player in the global satellite telephones market,
with use in remote and underdeveloped areas, war zones etc. where satphone
services are a must. Communications security remains perhaps the biggest
challenge being faced by the industry today, and the problem is one that isn’t
going away any time soon.
Please follow our LinkedIn and Twitter pages
to get live updates on market research insights and analysis.