Changing market demands have prompted a major satellite telecommunications company to diversify its services. Moving beyond its traditional niche leasing transponder space on its large constellation of spacecraft, the company is branching into new areas such as broadband and cellular services. The Washington, D.C.-based firm also is a major provider of video, data and voice communications to the U.S. government. In recent years, the commercial satellite communications industry has been troubled by technological change and stiff competition from terrestrial fiber optic networks. To survive, many companies acquired smaller regional firms or diversified their portfolios into other communications markets. Commercial profits stagnated, but the industry has benefited from increased government business since 2001.
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