Amazon is preparing to launch the first 27 internet satellites of its Project Kuiper constellation, marking a new phase of rivalry between two of the world’s richest men, Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk.
The launch, set to take place aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on April 9, will mark Amazon’s entry into the satellite broadband market, currently dominated by SpaceX’s Starlink.
While Starlink has already placed more than 8,000 satellites into orbit and serves more than 4.6 million people globally, Amazon’s long-awaited debut brings serious competition, backed by its $10 billion investment and the power of its global logistics, e-commerce and cloud services ecosystem.
Kuiper’s game plan: leverage Amazon’s empire
Analysts say Kuiper is not aiming to beat Starlink at its own game.
“Amazon doesn’t need to compete with Starlink head-on to win,” said Sahith Madara, founder of advisory company Bumi & Space. “Its real advantage lies in integration – leveraging its e-commerce platform AWS (Amazon Web Services) and logistics network to create bundled services that serve consumers and enterprises.”
Mr Madara said that Amazon has a track record of entering mature markets and still managing to dominate.
“Kuiper could mean seamless connectivity for AWS-powered infrastructure, or bundling Kuiper access with Prime in underserved regions,” he said. “Rather than chasing mass consumer markets immediately, Kuiper can focus on enterprise, government and IoT sectors – areas where Amazon already has deep reach.”
Kuiper has already signed launch agreements with three major rocket providers, including United Launch Alliance, Blue Origin and Arianespace, and aims to deploy more than 3,200 satellites in low Earth orbit over the next six years.
It has also announced plans to manufacture user terminals in-house to help drive down costs and scale quickly.
Dr Sarath Raj, director of the satellite ground station at Amity University Dubai, said this strategy could allow Kuiper to edge into markets that Starlink has yet to fully dominate.
“Kuiper can differentiate itself by focusing on enterprise and government contracts, expanding into developing nations, enhancing maritime and aviation connectivity and leveraging AWS for 5G and IoT integration,” said Dr Raj. “Starlink has struggled to secure government contracts beyond the US, but Kuiper is able to pursue international agreements with defence departments, airlines and enterprises.”
He said that Eutelsat OneWeb, through partnerships with the UK government and India’s Bharti Airtel, has been able to establish footholds in regions where governments seek alternatives to Starlink.
“Kuiper can ally with countries like Indonesia or Brazil by offering low rates and cloud-based educational services – something Starlink may not be prioritising,” he said.
Developing world is key
The developing world is emerging as a key arena for the satellite internet race. Both Dr Raj and Mr Madara said that emerging economies will largely shape the success of both Starlink and Kuiper.
“Emerging economies will be the pivotal actors for Starlink and Kuiper – they hold the bulk of the untapped users,” said Mr Madara. “But gaining traction there means navigating local demands. Many countries insist on local partnerships, infrastructure investment or regulatory concessions before opening their markets.”
India only approved Starlink after it partnered with domestic telecoms, while South Africa has required foreign operators to include 30 per cent local ownership in their operations. “And China, of course, is building its own constellation while keeping foreign systems out,” he said.
Dr Raj said that local politics and national security will also play a significant role. “India’s Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel (via Eutelsat OneWeb) are introducing local satellite services, and it is challenging for foreign players to compete,” he said. “SpaceX has been excluded in China, and government-backed companies like China SatNet have thrived as a consequence. Amazon may have to face similar barriers.”
Demand in the market
While SpaceX is dominating the satellite internet business, Mr Madara said he believes there is still space in the market.
“The global demand is so massive but only a few companies have the deep pockets and staying power to go truly global,” he said. OneWeb, for example, merged with Eutelsat in 2023 to compete with giants like Starlink.
Dr Raj echoed Mr Madara’s thoughts on the market. “Despite multiple players including Starlink, OneWeb, Viasat, and soon Kuiper, the market is unlikely to consolidate into a monopoly,” he said. “Rather, a duopoly or an oligopoly in which companies dominate different markets and bases of consumers may arise.”
RESULTS - ELITE MEN
1. Henri Schoeman (RSA) 57:03
2. Mario Mola (ESP) 57:09
3. Vincent Luis (FRA) 57:25
4. Leo Bergere (FRA)57:34
5. Jacob Birtwhistle (AUS) 57:40
6. Joao Silva (POR) 57:45
7. Jonathan Brownlee (GBR) 57:56
8. Adrien Briffod (SUI) 57:57
9. Gustav Iden (NOR) 57:58
10. Richard Murray (RSA) 57:59
Gulf Under 19s final
Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B
2021 World Triathlon Championship Series
May 15: Yokohama, Japan
June 5: Leeds, UK
June 24: Montreal, Canada
July 10: Hamburg, Germany
Aug 17-22: Edmonton, Canada (World Triathlon Championship Final)
Nov 5-6 : Abu Dhabi, UAE
Date TBC: Chengdu, China
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
AVOID SCAMMERS: TIPS FROM EMIRATES NBD
1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details
2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet
3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details
4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure
5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs (one-time passwords) with third parties
6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies
7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately
Company profile
Name: Fruitful Day
Founders: Marie-Christine Luijckx, Lyla Dalal AlRawi, Lindsey Fournie
Based: Dubai, UAE
Founded: 2015
Number of employees: 30
Sector: F&B
Funding so far: Dh3 million
Future funding plans: None at present
Future markets: Saudi Arabia, potentially Kuwait and other GCC countries
War
Director: Siddharth Anand
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, Ashutosh Rana, Vaani Kapoor
Rating: Two out of five stars
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Batti Gul Meter Chalu
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Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
