The satellite IoT market is expected to become increasingly competitive in the coming years due to the massive entry of new companies into the market and regulations that require greater controls over certain sectors. Globalstar, as one of the big players in this segment, sees that, for example, the new laws of Ecuador and Panama, which include satellite control of maritime vessels, will cause the market to have exponential growth in the region. In Ecuador, the recent law enacted on the fishing sector proposes the inclusion of satellite monitoring devices on vessels, after the threat from the European Union (EU) to prohibit the importation of fish from the country, as part of its fight against the illegal market .

With a constellation of 72 low-orbit satellites (LEO), Javier Pinilla, Commercial Director of Globalstar Latin America, assured Convergencialatina that the strongest vertical in 2020 is in IoT, within the Oil & Gas market, with the maritime one behind.

In Oil & Gas the installation of satellite communication modules that transmit data with solar panels grows, which, for example in Argentina, will allow the IoT market in Vaca Muerta to expand. In fact, 15% of Globastar's total revenue in 2019 was generated by clients that mainly operate in the oil and gas industry, as highlighted in the latest report. The company's sales in the first quarter of 2020 increased 7% compared to that period of 2019, to US$32.2 million.

The executive noted that the mobile telephony segment also performs well, after the launch of the Sat-Fi2 equipment, which will be commercially operational in Argentina before July this year. The device incorporates a remote antenna that can be used in vehicles or vessels and creates a Wi-Fi satellite access point so that users can stay connected while on the go with voice and data services.

Regarding broadband services, Pinilla assures that they are not focused on this segment, because Internet service for remote areas is limited and "user experience must be interesting".