The conference gathered online over 170 representatives from 47 countries in Central and Southeast Asia, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and the Caspian Region.

NatSatTel 2025 was moderated by Virgil Labrador, Editor-in-Chief, Satellite Markets and Research. Ksenia Drozdova, Director General of Intersputnik, addressed the forum delegates with a welcome speech. She highlighted the importance of the conference for the satellite communications community, which brings together satellite operators, leading business analytics companies, technology experts, and international and national regulators. 

The topics of round table discussions, keynote speeches and presentations at NatSatTel 2025 were innovative services for satellite operators, key technologies for satellite and ground segments, video content distribution technologies, and key trends and drivers of the satellite communications and broadcasting industry. The conference addressed the hottest topics of the digital community development: connecting the unconnected, and equal access to digital services for all people on Earth.  

Vivek Prasad, Principal Analyst, Analysys Mason, briefed the delegates on key development trends in the satellite communications sector. According to estimates, the space economy revenues will grow to $250 billion in 2023–2033, with satellite communications revenues up 13%. Non-geostationary solutions will be key to global space economy growth, with broadband and D2D connectivity as the fastest growing applications. The key technologies to drive the development of satellite communications include low-cost terminals, inter-satellite communication links, and increased bandwidth.

Jean-Baptiste Thepaut, Principal-Satcom, Novaspace, presented his detailed assessment of the satellite communications market potential and a forecast for future developments. By 2033, video revenues will drop by 20%, while data revenues will triple. The expert also highlighted the prospects of D2D services. Among the market trends, Thepaut mentioned more mergers and acquisitions coming in the next 2 to 3 years. In the 2030s, the key trends in satellite network development will be hybridisation, automation, and virtualisation.

At a panel discussion dedicated to innovative services, Mark Dickinson, CTO, NEO Space Group (Saudi Arabia), outlined the new operator's plans to build a constellation of communications and remote sensing satellites. Brandon Seir, Chief Commercial Officer, Singapore-based Kacific Broadband Satellites, presented a broadband geostationary satellite communications project for Asia-Pacific, and multi-orbit subscriber terminals. Andrey Kirillovich, Director of Strategy, Marketing and Business Development, Intersputnik, outlined the Organization’s key priorities in the international market, and described Intersputnik’s potential in connecting the unconnected regions and innovative video content distribution technologies.

At a panel discussion dedicated to technologies, leading industry experts presented their vision of current state and future trends of various technologies. Armand Musey, President, Summit Ridge Group, covered the aspects of signal transmission from a satellite to an unmodified smartphone. Thomas Wrede, Managing Director, Technology Vision Consulting, reported on further development of content broadcasting via satellite. Bruce Elbert, President, Application Technology Strategy, presented a final overview of the technologies impacting the industry development on ground and in space.

Traditionally, NatSatTel focused on the activities of the international regulator International Telecommunications Union (ITU). This year, the landmark events in the communications industry will include the World Telecommunication Development Conference 2025 (WTDC-25) to be held on 17–28 November 2025 in Azerbaijan, and ITU’s 160th anniversary. Daria Korsu, representative of the ITU Regional Office for CIS, told the conference delegates about these and other ITU programmes, including the Girls in ICT initiative. 

Given the venue of WTDC-25, as part of the conference a round table discussion was held to address the development of digital satellite infrastructure in the Central Asia and the Caspian Sea regions. The round table was moderated by Natalia Vicente, VP Public Affairs, GSOA, and Andrey Kirillovich, Intersputnik. A representative of GSOA, the largest international industry organisation of satellite communications market players, stressed the crucial role of satellites in the programmes seeking to bridge the digital divide, and a representative of Intersputnik underlined the importance of international cooperation. Further at the round table session, delegates of national regulators from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan discussed the vital role of satellite systems in connecting the unconnected in the region. Sahiba Hasanova, Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Agzam Tajibayev, Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation, and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and Sirodjiddin Usmanov, Ministry of Digital Technologies of the Republic of Uzbekistan, spoke about satellite communications and broadcasting projects in their countries.

More information about NatSatTel 2025 is available at natsattel.com. Please welcome to join NatSatTel 2026 in April next year. Stay tuned in, special announcement will follow!