Arabsat is the regional GEO operator backed by a Saudi-led consortium of Arab League states. It has been around since 1976 and operates out of Riyadh, with a fleet that has grown to cover the Middle East, Africa, and parts of Europe. The business is straightforward: capacity leasing for television distribution, telecom backhaul, and government connectivity.

The fleet includes Arabsat-5 and 6 series satellites, most of them built by Airbus or Thales and launched on Ariane 5. Arabsat-6A, launched in 2019 on Falcon Heavy, was the company’s loudest headline in years, less for its payload and more because it was SpaceX’s first commercial Falcon Heavy customer. Arabsat also signed contracts for the upcoming Arabsat-7A, a high-capacity satellite being built by Airbus for delivery in the second half of this decade.

Commercially, Arabsat leans heavily on broadcast. Nilesat in Egypt and Yahsat in the UAE are regional rivals, but Arabsat’s deep government backing and pan-Arab footprint keep it entrenched in DTH distribution. That market, however, is declining as streaming erodes traditional satellite television. Arabsat has responded by marketing itself more aggressively to enterprise and mobility customers, but the transition is still early and margins remain tied to TV.

The company has also been useful as a political tool. Arabsat provides secure capacity for member governments and gives Riyadh a regional communications instrument that is independent of Western operators. It also occasionally acts as a platform for joint Arab projects, though in practice the Saudis dominate strategy and financing.

The challenge is the same one facing every GEO incumbent. Arabsat must keep refreshing satellites while watching core television revenues shrink and new demand shift to LEO systems it does not control. With state backing, it is not at risk of disappearing, but it is unlikely to grow into anything beyond a steady regional utility. Its purpose is to guarantee sovereign and regional communications infrastructure, not to chase global market share.