Count down for commercial launch of regional BGAN

Regional BGAN is a satellite communications service that will offer users access to data transmissions twice as fast as GPRS, making it the fastest service of its type. Regional BGAN will be available in up to 99 countries: across the Middle East, northern half of Africa, Western and Eastern Europe, large parts of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and the Indian sub-continent.

Regional BGAN will deliver a seamless GPRS - compatible data service using 144kbit/s shared channels. Its key features include:
• Continuous coverage within the satellite footprint
• A lightweight, portable satellite IP modem
• Connectivity at more than twice the speed of current terrestrial GPRS services
• "Always on" access to the Internet and corporate data networks
• Value for money, with users being charged only for the amount of data sent

To date, six companies have signed up as distribution partners for Regional BGAN, due for launch in November 2002. They are France Telecom Mobile Satellite Communications, Morsviazsputnik and The MVS Group, Net Africa, Stratos Global Corporation, Telenor and Xantic. Morsviazsputnik and The MVS Group have also pre ordered 1,200 terminals prior to launch to ensure its customers can secure the service as soon after launch as possible.

Inmarsat also announces that it has successfully completed the Alpha testing of Regional BGAN and will move to Beta testing throughout October.