Jerry Petersen
For Iridium Communications CEO Matt Desch, the resolution of the various issues surrounding satellite-cellular convergence is “inevitable” but it is taking some time, RCR Wireless News reported Thursday.
One of the issues that remains unclear involves viable and profitable business models for direct-to-device converged services, though the satellite and cellular industries appear interested.
“Nobody still knows how money will be made in [direct-to-device]. That’s one big question I keep asking,” Desch, a 2024 Wash100 winner, said at the Satellite 2024 conference, which took place from March 18 through 21 in Washington, D.C.
Pricing is another issue, which, according to the Iridium chief executive, would be determined by user experience quality. Unfortunately, predicting that is difficult “because we can’t exactly architect that well ahead of time.”
“There’s just a lot, a lot of questions right now,” Desch said but expressed confidence that “[it’s] coming together.”
