This report explores the various initiatives aimed at developing hybrid satellite networks in Europe, involving both the space segment and a terrestrial segment of repeaters that are compatible with the satellite network. The award of two pan-European licences is expected to spur the development of mobile TV services, as well as mobile telephony and broadband solutions.

Key Questions

• What potential do these hybrid networks have?
• What is CGC/DVB-SH technology that makes it possible to develop this type of network?
• How do these hybrid networks work?
• Which players will rely on these hybrid networks?
• What strategies are chipset/device manufacturers employing, and what agreements have already been announced?
• What services will these players offer? Where is the added value?
• How do these players plan on positioning themselves with respect to mobile operators: as partners or rivals? 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

2. METHODOLOGY

3. MOBILE SATELLITE SERVICES
3.1. Mobile satellite services (MSS)
3.2. Frequency bands used
3.3. Emergence of new applications
    • Military and government activities
3.4. Mobile satellite operators and the development of mobile Internet
    • Mobile Internet applications
    • Where they are used
    • Growing use of smartphones
    • Outlook up to 2013
3.5. Launch of mobile TV offers
    • DVB-H versus T-DMB: Europeans divided
    • Mobile TV stalled in France
3.6. MSS sector: technological shift tied to hybridisation

4. CGC AND DVB-SH TECHNOLOGIES
4.1. Characteristics
    • How they work
    • MSS/CGC networks
    • MSS/CGC network variation developed by Alcatel-Lucent: DVB-SH
4.2. Projects planned for North America
    • SkyTerra
    • TerreStar Networks
    • ICO Satellite Management
    • Globalstar
    • Dish Network DVB-SH trials (EchoStar)
4.3. Projects launched in the Asia-Pacific region
    • In Japan, S-DMB loses out to mobile free-to-air DTT
    • In South Korea, S-DMB pay-TV service in the black by 2010

5. REVIEW OF PROJECTS PLANNED IN EUROPE
5.1. Procedure implemented by the European Commission
    • Spectrum allocation and timetable
5.2. Players and projects
  5.2.1. Inmarsat
  5.2.2. Solaris Mobile
  5.2.3. DVB-SH trials
    • In France, SFR has tested DVB-SH in the city of Pau
    • In Italy, the RAI and 3 Italia are testing DVB-SH

6. OUTLOOK COMPARED TO TERRESTRIAL NETWORKS
6.1. Mobile telephony and broadband
  6.1.1. Review of the key features of the main mobile technologies
    • 3G/3.5G
  6.1.2. Alternative technologies: Wi-Fi, etc.
    • Fixed and mobile WiMAX: 3G competitor and complement
  6.1.3. Upcoming 3G developments
    • Principle of 4G
  6.1.4. Government PMR networks
    • TETRA
    • TETRAPOL
  6.1.5. Technological competitiveness
    • Disparate rural population density in the different countries
    • Vast disparities in mobile network coverage
    • 3G coverage in France
    • 3G coverage in Italy
    • WiMAX rollouts behind schedule
    • TETRA/TETRAPOL network coverage and interoperability
  6.1.6. Economic competitiveness (cost of a rural zone rollout)
6.2. Mobile TV
  6.2.1. Key features of the main mobile broadcasting technologies 
  6.2.2. Insufficient DVB-H coverage behind the hybrid 3G broadcast/unicast solution
  6.2.3. Technological competitiveness
    • Possibility of terrestrial mobile network saturation
    • DVB-SH enables immediate coverage of rural areas
  6.2.4. Economic competitiveness
    • DVB-H VS DVB-SH network deployment costs

7. CONCLUSION
7.1. Competition or complementarity?
7.2. Development of hybrid DVB-H/DVB-SH devices: key to future success
7.3. Hybridisation that includes DVB-T could be detrimental to the mobile pay-TV model
7.4. Equipment manufacturers, mobile operators and media companies’ viewpoints