Viasat’s Big Move
Viasat is talking with Telesat to use their future LEO satellites as they face more competition from Starlink.
During a call with analysts, Viasat’s CEO Mark Dankberg mentioned that the company is considering new strategies for parts of its business. Back in September, Viasat made a deal to use Eutelsat’s OneWeb satellites for fast internet service for ships, and soon, OneWeb plans to offer services worldwide. SpaceX will begin launching Telesat’s Lightspeed satellites in 2026, aiming for commercial services the next year.
Dankberg said they’re looking for ways to show the true value of their assets, which are not appreciated much by the stock market. Analyst Ric Prentiss suggested Viasat could be focusing on defense and advanced technologies or using L-band radiowaves for smartphones.
The Starlink Challenge
Facing Starlink’s growth, Viasat sees the fixed broadband market as a big challenge, although there’s hope due to potential new enterprise clients. They reported a dip in revenue for their fixed services but are shifting focus to airplane Wi-Fi due to satellite issues. Airplane service delays hurt them, but there’s still strong demand, even as Starlink attracts major airlines.
We think it’s interesting how competition pushes companies to innovate.
Maritime sales went down, but they’re optimistic about future improvements with new technology. Overall, their total earnings fell slightly compared to last year, but they did better than last year’s big loss thanks to fewer satellite problems. They expect small growth this fiscal year.
Starlink’s Edge
Elon Musk, a strong supporter of Trump, helped him during his campaign, and Trump thanked him for Starlink’s help after a hurricane. This relationship might impact the space industry. Meanwhile, Viasat’s smartphone plans compete with Globalstar, which just got a big investment to grow its constellation. Viasat’s stock has dropped significantly, showing the tough environment they’re navigating.
