Inmarsat saw revenues rise in Q3, driven by large increases in its aviation and mobile satellite businesses.
Total revenues for the quarter were $323.1 million, an increase of 7 percent year-on-year.
Due to financing costs in the quarter, profits fell to $62 million from $78.7 million.
The aviation unit was Inmarsat’s biggest grower, rising $11.9 million, or 57.5 percent, to hit $32.6 million. The quarter saw a partnership signed with Deutsche Telekom to produce an LTE-based hybrid satellite and ground network for airlines, as well as an MOU signed with Lufthansa to provide in-flight connectivity.
Wholesale Mobile Satellite Service revenues rose 11.3 percent year-on-year to hit $213.7 million.
In addition, LightSquared paid $17.9 million to Inmarsat as part of the cooperation agreement between the two companies over spectrum, an 83 percent increase year-on-year.
Revenues from the maritime and government businesses saw rises of 1.8 percent and 1.2 percent respectively, while enterprise fell 2.9 percent.
The quarter saw the successful launch of I-5 F3, the third Global Xpress satellite, joining a constellation that when operational will provide a global satellite broadband network through one provider.
Why satellite comms is "not for the faint-hearted" and how Inmarsat will soon return to double-digit growth: read CBR’s exclusive interview with Rupert Pearce, Inmarsat CEO, here.
