Arabsat

What Arabsat does

Arabsat (Arab Satellite Communications Organization) is an intergovernmental satellite communications operator founded in 1976 and wholly owned by the 21 member states of the Arab League. Headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the company operates a fleet of 8 geostationary satellites at orbital positions 20°E, 26°E, 30.5°E, and 39°E (via its 2013-acquired Hellas Sat subsidiary), providing C-band, Ku-band, and Ka-band coverage across MENA, Africa, Europe, and Central Asia. Its technology stack includes Ka-band HTS payloads, market-specific spot beams, hosted payload and condosat capabilities, optical communications demonstrators, and 100% in-orbit redundancy across collocated satellites.

Arabsat generates revenue primarily through recurring subscription-based leasing of satellite transponder capacity across three product lines: Broadcast Services (DTH broadcasting reaching 300+ million viewers across 650+ TV channels and 245+ radio stations), Data Services (government connectivity, military communications, oil and gas, broadband, cellular backhaul, and maritime), and Satellite Ecosystems (Sat-IoT via GlobalStar partnership, hosted payloads, cloud services, and emerging optical communications). Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with contracts typically structured as multi-year capacity leases. The go-to-market is enterprise field sales through regional offices in Riyadh, Cairo, Paris, and Dubai, supplemented by channel partners (ADMC, First Gulf Company) and inter-operator distribution agreements with AsiaSat, Galaxy 19, Hispasat, and Hotbird for the Global Arabic Bouquet.

Strategically, Arabsat is transitioning from a pure-play GEO broadcaster to a multi-orbit, multi-product connectivity provider: in May 2025 it added Telesat Lightspeed LEO capacity, launched cloud-based playout services with Grass Valley AMPP and an OTT platform with Qvest, and in 2026 committed USD 5M to Seraphim's SpaceTech fund. The company is governed by Arab League ownership rather than public or private shareholders, is led by President and CEO Dr. Badr Alsuwaidan (appointed August 2025), and continues a fleet refresh with the upcoming ARABSAT-7A software-defined satellite and ARABSAT-6E.

Name

Arabsat

Legal name

Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Arabsat)

Website

https://arabsat.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Arabsat is an intergovernmental satellite operator, wholly owned by the 21 Arab League member states, that leases GEO capacity for DTH broadcasting, government and enterprise data, and IoT services across MENA, Africa, and Europe from a fleet of 8 satellites at four orbital positions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Satellite Communications Services

NAICS

Satellite Telecommunications (5174), Satellite Telecommunications (517410), Satellite Telecommunications (51741)

SIC

Computer Communications Equipment (3576)

akta.pro primary industry

Satellite Network Operations & Capacity Services (NOC, Capacity Leasing, Managed Payload Services) (HDAIAJAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Satellite Wholesale Capacity & Backhaul (transponder/HTS capacity, teleport services) (HDAIAEAJ), Enterprise Satellite Connectivity & Managed Services (VSAT, SD-WAN over Satcom) (HDAIAJAB), Satellite Ground Segment & Gateway Services (Teleports, Gateways, Ground Station-as-a-Service) (HDAIAJAH), Satellite Video & Media Distribution (DTH, Contribution/Distribution, Occasional Use) (HDAIAJAG)

Keywords

• Satellite communications operator
• DTH broadcasting services
• Satellite capacity leasing
• Cellular backhaul connectivity
• Geostationary satellite fleet

Headquarters

HQ city

Riyadh

HQ country

Saudi Arabia

HQ region

Middle East

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Satellite Capacity Services: Leasing satellite transponder capacity on a subscription or usage basis across C, Ku, and Ka frequency bands for broadcast, data, and telecommunications services.
2. Broadcast Services: DTH broadcasting, contribution services, back-haul, occasional TV services, and platform services for television and radio channels reaching over 300 million viewers.
3. Data Services: Government connectivity, secure military communications, oil and gas connectivity, broadband connectivity, cellular backhaul, and maritime services for enterprises, telcos, and governments.
4. Satellite Ecosystem Services: Hosting services, hosted payloads, cloud services hosting/backup, and IoT via satellite services for customers requiring space-based infrastructure.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Arabsat operates a fleet of geostationary satellites providing wholesale broadcast, data, and satellite ecosystem services to broadcasters, telecom operators, governments, and enterprises across MENA, Africa, Europe, and Central Asia. The company leases satellite transponder capacity in C, Ku, and Ka frequency bands for direct-to-home television distribution, government and military communications, cellular backhaul, broadband, and maritime services. Arabsat also offers satellite ecosystem services including IoT via satellite, hosted payloads, cloud services hosting, and optical communications.

Product overview

Arabsat is a satellite communications operator offering three core product lines: Broadcast Services (DTH, Global TV, Contribution/Back-Haul, Occasional TV, Platform Services), Data Services (government, military, oil & gas, broadband, cellular backhaul, maritime), and Satellite Ecosystems (Sat-IoT, hosted payloads, cloud hosting, optical communications). The company operates a fleet of satellites including ARABSAT-5C, BADR-5, BADR-7, BADR-8, ARABSAT-5A, and ARABSAT-6A at orbital positions 20°E, 26°E, and 30.5°E. Upcoming satellites include ARABSAT-7A and ARABSAT-6E. Customer-facing tools include Look Angle Calculator, Sun Outage Calculator, and Link Budget Tool. The company also offers mobile applications (Arabsat TV Everywhere and Arabsat Mobile App) for viewing content and accessing satellite information.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BADR Fleet: Satellite fleet at 26°East providing DTH broadcasting and data services covering MENA, Africa, Europe and Central Asia.
• Arabsat TV Everywhere
• Global Arabic Bouquet (GAB)
• SEE-digital-ALL
• Arabsat

Products and services

• Broadcast Services Comprehensive satellite broadcasting services including DTH Broadcasting reaching 300+ million viewers across 21 Arab countries, Global TV reach via partnerships with AsiaSat, Galaxy 19, Hispasat, and Hotbird, Contribution Services and Back-Haul, Occasional TV for temporary capacity, and Platform Services for media cities and teleports. Delivers 650+ TV channels and 245+ radio stations.
• Data Services Satellite data connectivity services spanning government connectivity, secure military communications, oil and gas connectivity for remote exploration and production sites (including offshore rigs), broadband connectivity, cellular backhaul for mobile and fixed telecom operators, and maritime communications for commercial vessels across MENA, Africa, Europe, and Central Asia.
• Satellite Ecosystems Satellite ecosystem services including Internet of Things via satellite (Sat-IoT) through GlobalStar partnership, hosted payload opportunities for customers who cannot afford standalone satellite capex, cloud services hosting and backup, and emerging technologies including optical communications demonstrator and Direct-to-Device (D2D) connectivity.
• Arabsat TV Everywhere Mobile TV application providing live streaming of Arabsat's Arabic TV bouquet to consumers across smartphones, tablets, and PC, enabling online access to Arabic television channels.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% in-orbit redundancy ensures continuous service availability
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered strategic and core.

• AUDIMATICstrategicTechnology or Integration · 4 February 2026Arabsat subscribed to AUDIMATIC's real-time IoT television viewership detection platform to monitor satellite TV reach and channel activity across MENA region, gaining second-by-second detection signals.
• BBC Arabic and BBC NewscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 3 February 2026Long-term partnership renewal for BBC channels broadcasting on Arabsat's BADR-8 satellite at 26°E, ensuring free-to-air access to award-winning journalism for millions of MENA households.
• ADMCcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 18 December 2025Strategic reseller agreement to expand media and connectivity services across MENA and EMEA regions, strengthening Arabsat's regional presence and meeting increasing demand for satellite-based services.
• Al Maha for Artistic ProductionstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 August 2025MoU signed for development of 'Damascus Media Gateway,' a 2 million square meter media city project in Damascus with 50+ production studios. Arabsat will provide satellite broadcasting and advanced video technology solutions.
• First Gulf Company (FGC)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 July 2025Agreement to deliver exclusive VSAT and satellite data services across Saudi Arabia, leveraging Arabsat's Geo KU-band infrastructure and FGC's operational capabilities for high-capacity managed data services.
• QuadsatstrategicTechnology or Integration · 14 May 2025MoU signed at CABSAT 2025 for advanced antenna testing, spectrum management, and satellite signal validation. Aims to optimize ground equipment performance and ensure spectrum integrity for Arabsat customers.
• TelesatcoreTechnology or Integration · 14 May 2025Arabsat selected Telesat Lightspeed LEO services for its multi-orbit connectivity portfolio, combining GEO and LEO capabilities to provide comprehensive connectivity solutions.
• Grass ValleystrategicTechnology or Integration · 12 May 2025Partnership to launch new playout services powered by Grass Valley's AMPP platform, ushering in cloud-based broadcasting era across MENA region.
• QveststrategicTechnology or Integration · 21 February 2025Agreement to launch advanced OTT streaming platform for Saudi Arabia and beyond, combining Arabsat's satellite expertise with Qvest's media-focused capabilities.
• GlobalStarstrategicTechnology or IntegrationPartnership agreement with GlobalStar for Satellite IoT services, providing economical and ubiquitous IoT solutions beyond terrestrial network reach.
• Hellas SatcoreTechnology or IntegrationAcquired Hellas Sat in 2013, a leading satellite communications group in Southeast Europe, providing access to orbital slot at 39°E and expanding coverage into Europe.
• RED TVstrategicChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership agreement for broadcasting content via BADR-8 satellite at 26°E, expanding regional reach for Lebanese TV station.
• EutelsatcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic corporate backer in Seraphim Space fund, alongside Arabsat and other satellite operators, supporting early-stage SpaceTech investments.
• NECcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic corporate backer in Seraphim Space fund, contributing to early-stage SpaceTech investments and innovation ecosystem.
• SKY Perfect JSATcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic corporate backer in Seraphim Space fund, supporting early-stage SpaceTech investments alongside Arabsat and other partners.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• SES: Luxembourg-headquartered GEO fleet operator with the world's largest broadcast reach and integrated O3b mPOWER MEO layer — the closest scale and business-model analog to Arabsat, competing directly for DTH, government, and mobility capacity contracts in EMEA.
• Eutelsat Group: French GEO operator that merged with OneWeb to combine GEO and LEO — directly comparable mix of broadcast, data, and government verticals and an obvious competitor for Arabsat's MENA/Europe footprint.
• Intelsat: US-headquartered operator of one of the world's largest commercial GEO fleets serving media, government, and network operator customers — a directly competing vertically integrated satellite capacity provider with overlapping enterprise/government go-to-market.
• Yahsat: UAE government-backed satellite operator serving exactly the same Arab-world government, enterprise, and broadcast segments — the closest regional analog and direct competitor for sovereign MENA connectivity contracts.
• Telesat: Canadian operator and Arabsat's explicit multi-orbit partner via Telesat Lightspeed LEO — competes with and complements Arabsat across broadcast, enterprise, and government verticals through their co-selling arrangement.

Regional players

• AsiaSat: Hong Kong-based GEO operator historically focused on video distribution and now extending into connectivity — comparable DTH-led business model but anchored to Asia rather than the MENA corridor Arabsat serves.
• Hispasat: Spanish GEO operator serving broadcast and connectivity across Latin America, Europe, and North Africa — comparable video-plus-data mix and frequently partners with Arabsat via the Global Arabic Bouquet.
• Turksat: Turkish state-backed GEO operator serving a neighboring footprint with broadcast, data, and government offerings — a regional competitor particularly for Anatolian, Caucasian, and Central Asian connectivity deals.

Emerging players

• Thaicom: Thai GEO operator pursuing multi-orbit strategies and regional broadband — comparable emerging-market broadcast + connectivity play but smaller scale and focused on Southeast Asia.
• OneWeb (Eutelsat Group): Global LEO broadband constellation now part of Eutelsat Group — emerging threat to GEO economics in maritime, government, and cellular backhaul use cases that overlap with Arabsat's data services portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCz8QaiXh_3vzJaFK4lZUxyg
• Facebookfacebook.com/arabsat
• Xx.com/arabsat
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/arabsat

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Arabsat