The annual ranking provides a unique look into the diverse teleport sector of the global communications industry. For the second year in a row, the teleport operators reported their total spending on satellite capacity. The Top Independent Operators in 2012 spent $830 million on satellite capacity, which represented 40 percent on average of their annual revenues. Rankings were reported in three categories: the Independent Top Twenty, the Global Top Twenty, and what the association calls the "Fast Twenty.”

The Independent Top Twenty
The Independent Top Twenty ranks teleport operators based on revenue from all sources. The list focuses on the independent operators at the core of the business, excluding companies whose primary business is ownership and operation of a satellite fleet or terrestrial network. The Independent Top Operators, consisting of companies that do not own and operate satellites, had combined revenues of $2.3 billion and grew more than 9 percent from $2.1 billion the prior year.

In order from largest to smallest, the Independent Top Twenty of 2012 are:

1. Harris CapRock (USA)
2. GlobeCast (France)
3. Arqiva Broadcast & Media (UK)
4. Globecomm (Services revenue) (USA)
5. Encompass Digital Media (USA)
6. TeleCommunications Systems Inc. (Govt Services revenue) (USA)
7. RRsat Global Communications (Israel)
8. Du (Emirates Integrated Telecom) (UAE)
9. Signalhorn Trusted Networks (Germany)
10. NewSat (Australia)
11. Essel Shyam Communication (India)
12. SatLink Communications (Israel)
13. CETel (Germany)
14. Jordan Media City (Jordan)
15. CET Teleport (Germany)
16. NewCom International (USA)
17. STN (Slovenia)
18. Elara Comunicaciones SA (Mexico)
19. Cobbett Hill Earth Station (UK)
20. Europe Media Port (Cyprus)

The Global Top Twenty
The Global Top Twenty ranks companies based on revenues from all customized communications sources and includes operators of teleports, satellite fleets and business-to-business fiber networks. The Global Top 20 Operators of 2012 had combined revenues of US$11.3 billion and grew 4.5 percent from $10.8 billion the prior year. In order from largest to smallest, the Global Top Twenty of 2012 are:

1. Intelsat S.A. (Luxembourg)
2. SES (Luxembourg)
3. Eutelsat (France)
4. Telesat (Canada)
5. SingTel Satellite (Singapore)
6. Harris CapRock (USA)
7. EchoStar Satellite Services (USA)
8. GlobeCast (France)
9. Arqiva Broadcast & Media (UK)
10. Hispasat (Spain)
11. AsiaSat (China)
12. Globecomm (Services revenue) (USA)
13. Encompass Digital Media (USA)
14. Thaicom Public Company Ltd (Thailand)
15. TeleCommunications Systems Inc. (Government Services revenue) (USA)
16. RRsat Global Communications (Israel)
17. MEASAT Satellite Systems (Malaysia)
18. Gazprom Space Systems (Russia)
19. Du (Emirates Integrated Telecom) (UAE)
20. Signalhorn Trusted Networks (Germany)

The "Fast Twenty”
The Fast Twenty ranks all teleport-operating companies based on year-over-year revenue growth in their most recent fiscal years. Encompass Digital Media was the fastest of the fast with 117 percent growth, moving them up from the second slot in 2011. Ranked by revenue growth, the Fast Twenty of 2012 are:

1. Encompass Digital Media (USA)
2. Elara Comunicaciones SA (Mexico)
3. CETel (Germany)
4. TeleCommunications Systems (Govt Svcs)
5. NewSat (Australia)
6. Essel Shyam Communication (India)
7. Thaicom (Thailand)
8. Jordan Media City (Jordan)
9. AsiaSat (China)
10. Globecomm (Services revenue) (USA)
11. Hawaii Pacific Teleport (USA)
12. RRsat Global Communications (Israel
13. Emirates Integrated Telecom (Du) (UAE)
14. STN (Slovenia)
15. EchoStar Satellite Services (USA)
16. SingTel Satellite (Singapore)
17. CET Teleport (Germany)
18. Eutelsat (France)
19. Intelsat (Luxembourg)
20. MEASAT Satellite Systems (Malaysia)

The association’s Top Operator rankings are compiled by surveying teleport operators around the world on their facilities, services and business results. These rankings provide a unique insight into the sometimes less glamorous realities of the teleport sector.

According to WTA Executive Director Robert Bell, “The results reflect the continuing challenges of the rocky global economic climate. In 2012, 79 percent of companies submitting data to WTA showed year-over-year growth while 21 percent experienced year-over-year decline in revenues. This compares with 84 percent reporting year-over-year growth in 2011 and 86 percent in 2010.”