Broadband communications is a key element in many successful business operations today. For industries such as oil and gas, transport, military, telecommunications and aid agencies, getting broadband connectivity anytime, anywhere is vital, and the only way for this to be possible is through satellites. Izwan Ismail talks to the world’s biggest provider of mobile broadband satellite services, United Kingdom-based Inmarsat Plc, for some insights.

Melton believes that demand for satellite communications will continue to grow.

COMMUNICATIONS satellite technology is getting more advanced, as it provides not just voice but also broadband services to almost every type of business. Specifically, mobile satellite communications has seen good uptake over the past few years, especially by verticals such as oil and gas, aeronautics and maritime, due to its ability to provide ubiquitous coverage to any part of the world, says Inmarsat’s vice president, satellite and network operations Richard Denny.

To date, Inmarsat has 10 communications satellites in the Earth’s orbit, which are more than enough to cover all the broadband communications needs of most businesses worldwide, especially in areas without land-based communications infrastructure.

Despite its ability to provide broadband services at any location, satellite services do not compete but complement available communications technologies such as global system for mobile communications (GSM) and third-generation (3G), according to Denny.

And providing mobile broadband services through satellites is Inmarsat’s core expertise with the launch of Inmarsat-4, or I-4, satellites.



Service options

Since it started operations 30 years ago, Inmarsat has launched three generations of satellites into the Earth’s orbit covering three types of services: Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN), SwiftBroadband and FleetBroadband.

BGAN is the company’s flagship broadband service that offers simultaneous voice and high-speed data communications on land through a portfolio of small, lightweight user terminals. The technology is widely used by rescue operations in disaster-struck areas.

SwiftBroadband, on the other hand, is designed to meet demands for more bandwidth across all areas of aviation and enables key cockpit and cabin applications.

As for FleetBroadband, which was added to the Inmarsat portfolio just last year, it is the first maritime communications service to offer cost-effective broadband data and voice simultaneously through a compact antenna.

In terms of data transfer speed, BGAN is capable of half megabit per second for standard data applications, and guaranteed data rates of 256 kilobits per second (Kbps) for applications such as live video broadcasting.

“What users need to access this service is a small, lightweight notebook-sized satellite terminal,” Denny says, adding that BGAN is currently being used in over 180 countries.

With FleetBroadband, shipping crew can access e-mail, real-time electronic charts and weather updates, vessel/engine telemetry, conduct video conferencing and large file transfers at speeds of up to 432Kbps.

SwiftBroadband, on the other hand, allows a diverse range of in-flight applications for pilots, including air traffic control, safety communications, flight plan and weather updates.



Local initiatives

Malaysia presents huge opportunities for satellite service providers such as Inmarsat. With a mobile satellite communications market said to be worth over RM50 million over the last five years, uptake of broadband satellite services is expected to only go up.

Inmarsat’s vice president, sales and marketing Perry Melton says Malaysia’s contribution to the company’s global revenues has been growing at a steady pace, especially in the last five years, as the company has started to offer broadband capabilities.

Inmarsat’s main customers locally include TM, MISC, Jasa Marin, Hubline and Bumi Armada.

The company sells its services through a network of distribution partners and service providers. Currently, its services for the Asia-Pacific are sold by 200 business partners.

“We believe demand for satellite communications will continue to grow in the Asia-Pacific region to ensure business continuity, regardless of location,” Melton says.