Inmarsat broadband goes global

Following the launch of the third I-4 satellite in August 2008, and a successful satellite repositioning programme that ended on 24th February 2009, Inmarsat is now the only satellite operator to offer mobile broadband services on a global basis.

The repositioning programme - which involved three generations of Inmarsat satellites, five satellite movements, and the associated transitioning of voice and data traffic between the repositioned satellites - was completed as planned and on schedule. The relocations were carefully orchestrated such that there was either no impact on services - such as Inmarsat's safety services, or a very limited period of interruption.

"This is an extraordinary achievement and a testament to the world-leading expertise of our satellite control and network operations teams. We were established as a global operator, and the core of our service provision has always been seamless global coverage, so it is important for us to deliver our broadband services globally too. It reflects the requirements of our government, NGO and commercial users around the world, and underpins our commitment to those users."

said Perry Melton, Chief Operating Officer of Inmarsat.

Inmarsat's award-winning mobile broadband services are BGAN, FleetBroadband and SwiftBroadband - for use on land, at sea and in the air, respectively.

"Our users want the assurance that the services they adopt will be around for the long term," said Melton. "We now have the world's only fully-optimised, fully-funded, next-generation satellite network, delivering mobile broadband globally, with service into the 2020s".

The increased coverage comes as great news for Inmarsat's customers in the Middle East. This is particularly important for the maritime and the aeronautical industry, for which global coverage is a must. "This blanket coverage of the planet is extremely useful for our Middle Eastern customers, especially those enterprises that are now breaking the regional barrier and expanding worldwide", said Samer Halawi, Vice President of Strategic Corporate Development. "The global coverage also mirrors well the developments in the Middle Eastern airline industry along with their increasingly global routes, and fulfils well the requirements of those airlines adopting GSM in the air, which is of course facilitated through Inmarsat's aero services", added Halawi.

The first users to access Inmarsat's broadband services in the Pacific Ocean were the competitors in the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-2009 - currently heading south in the race's longest leg from Qingdao, China to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - who established connectivity in the early hours of 24th February.

In Australia, experiencing countrywide satellite mobile broadband coverage for the first time, celebrations involved a unique HDTV link between Michael Butler, President of Inmarsat, and Andrew Cape, navigator onboard the PUMA entry, Il Mostro. Chris Nicholson, PUMA's injured watch captain and an Australian Olympic sailor, joined the event in Sydney to hear how his team mates are coping with conditions.