For SES/Intelsat, 'Consolidation Alone Is Not a Strategy': Eutelsat Exec

SES' now-completed purchase of Intelsat (see 2507170002) needs "a forward-looking, multi-orbit strategy," Eutelsat Senior Vice President of Strategic Programs Letterio Pirrone wrote Monday. SES and Intelsat are exposed to the ongoing trend of legacy geostationary orbit (GSO) operators being challenged by growing demand for low-latency, high-throughput connectivity, Pirrone said. Both companies' margins are under pressure, and neither owns a globally deployed, low-latency low earth orbit constellation -- "an increasingly critical asset in this evolving landscape." The newly combined company's success will depend on integrating GSO and non-GSO services, as well as transforming its network, he said.