BGan data tips

Data services are a core component of Inmarsat’s BGAN offering and there are a few basic hints and tips to help end-users connect with ease.

Two key points to check before trying to connect are:

• Your SIM card has been activated for data services
• The correct Access Point Name (APN) is found within the BGAN LaunchPad software or, the web interface being used.

To check the SIM card is activated for BGAN data services, end-users are advised to contact the Inmarsat service provider who supplied the SIM when the BGAN was sold.

The correct APN will be given to the end-user by their service provider. To check this APN has already been selected on the LaunchPad, click on the LaunchPad toolbar and select “BGAN Services”. Then, in the BGAN Services menu, click “LaunchPad APN options”.

Web interface users should consult their user terminal manual for further instructions on checking their APN.

As an alternative to the Inmarsat LaunchPad, there are several web interfaces that are available with the different BGAN manufactured models – such as Thrane & Thrane, HNS and Addvalue. These web interfaces can be accessed via your computer’s web browser.

There are numerous APNs, advises Inmarsat’s customer support team. A common problem is that the APN may have been misspelt. This often happens if the APN has been keyed in manually.

Source: Inmarsat

New speeds for VOIP on Fleetbroadband

Two new Streaming IP rates are now being offered on Inmarsat's FleetBroadband. The new streaming rates - at 8kbps and 16kbps - are designed to support users who want to make multiple and simultaneous voice over IP (VoIP) phone calls through a FleetBroadband FB500 or FB250 terminal.

These Streaming IP connections are also capable of supporting the onboard GSM picocell technology that enables crew to use their own mobile cellular phones to make calls via the Inmarsat network. In future this is also expected to include access to personal mobile applications offered by GPRS and 3G services.

Until now, FleetBroadband customers have mainly used the Standard IP service, which offers an always-on data connection for applications such as email and web browsing.
The maximum speed offered is 432kbps, but this bandwidth may be shared with other users of the network in the same geographical area. Data rates may therefore vary.
With Streaming IP, customers can select a dedicated IP data connection offering consistent and assured data rates of 256, 128, 64 or 32kbps - as well as the new 16 and 8kbps channels. Streaming IP connections are charged on a time basis, unlike Standard IP, which is charged by the volume of data sent and received.

"Streaming IP can be used for a wide range of applications. Formerly, the lowest Streaming IP rate available over FleetBroadband FB500 and FB250 was 32kbps. While much lower than the data rates required for audio and video streaming, this was still far higher than needed for a good-quality voice call," explained Inmarsat solutions manager Manoj Mohindra.
"The introduction of the 8 and 16kbps rates makes it possible to manage the amount of bandwidth allocated to VoIP calls more efficiently and cost-effectively.
"VoIP operates by encoding the user's voice into data at particular bit rates, depending on the codec being used. Skype, the popular VoIP application, offers good quality voice connection, but using FleetBroadband Standard IP there is no control over the bandwidth it utilises, and hence the amount of chargeable data sent over the satellite.

Inmarsat therefore recommends the use of Streaming IP for VoIP applications such as Skype.

Source: Inmarsat

More Broadband on a shipping vessel

A fast-growing commercial shipping company, MPC Steamship, is the latest maritime business to sign up to Inmarsat FleetBroadband.

The German company, part of the MPC Group, which manages 17 container vessels and bulk carriers around the world, has deployed FleetBroadband on the Yangtze River bulk-carrier.

With plans to double its fleet by 2011, MPC is evaluating and deploying the industry's latest communications solutions to ensure peak vessel performance and crew satisfaction.

"Once deployment was completed, it became very clear that FleetBroadband is the future of maritime communications. It truly brings the vessel and the office closer together," said MPC Steamship's IT Manager, Thomas Hoenig.

Source: Inmarsat

Elections with the help of portable satellite Internet

Complex country-wide elections in the Philippines will rely on high-speed mobile communications powered by 3,000 BGAN terminals.
The Philippines' Commission on Elections signed a major deal for the terminals to help co-ordinate the presidential, legislative and local elections in May 2010.
The BGAN terminals services will help transmit election results to more than 1,700 canvassing and consolidation centres.

Source: Inmarsat

Tweet with your Satellite Phone

Twitter has become extremely popular over the last year. For those of you traveling to places with just your satellite phone, you can now send a tweet to twitter with your satellite phone. This will enable you to send a message to many people at once instead of one person with just one SMS. But how?

Simple:
- Go to Twittermail.com and register using your Twitter account. You will be given a unique email address (xxxx@twittermail.com) which you can use to send your tweets from the satellite phone.

Create a new text message (SMS) on your Iridium phone. In the message body: enter your Twittermail.com address, enter a space, and then enter your tweet.

E.g. "xxxx@twittermail.com Hello friends, our ship has docked at the harbor."

When asked for a recipient phone number, enter *2. Then send the message.

Maritime use of Satellite Phones

Found an interesting article on the use of satellite phones in Maritime situations..

The use of Satellite phones in Maritime

Author: Mark Sheldon

The sea covers around 75% of the earth. Given this, communication can sometimes be made difficult without the ability to position cell towers, and given the distance that cell towers cover an alternative method of communication has to be used.

Communication out at sea is vitally important. If the vessel is to run into distress it needs to be able to contact either the nearest military base or nearest coast guard. A vessel could be thousands of miles away from the nearest port or land making sea travel very dangerous at times.

Satellite phones are the ideal way to get complete communication coverage whilst out at sea, due to the fact that, apart from potential heavy cloud, there is very little to get in the way of the line of sight of the satellites.

1. A satellite phone requires a direct line of sight with the satellites, so at times; with heavy cloud the signal may become weak or distorted.

Various Navy’s around the world have started to make use of Satellite phone technology in their fleets to help support day to day combat. These phones can be used both on the vessels and within aircraft enabling constant contact during both peaceful and conflict situations.

Satellite phone technology plays an important role in helping to manage conflict and prevent potential crisis situations. If a central communications control is monitoring the location of a vessel it can quickly alert them of adverse weather conditions or a conflicting vessel allowing them to make a timely diversion away from the conflict. It is exactly this kind of situation that makes a satellite phone invaluable at times at it can help to save multiple lives and prevent disaster.

Of course, Satellite phones are not only valuable to large fleets such as the navy. Even private boat owners who run into distress can benefit from having the technology aboard their vessel. With advances in technology satellite phones have become more and more affordable and I would strongly recommend they are considered for anyone involved in maritime.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - The use of Satellite phones in Maritime

Win for Inmarsat in best of British business awards

Inmarsat has been named the best of Britain's top public companies at the UK National Business Awards 2009.

The company was unanimously judged to have demonstrated exceptional financial returns, strong growth, and innovation strategies.

Inmarsat's chairman and chief executive, Andy Sukawaty, collected the Coutts & Co Large Cap Business of the Year award in London. He commented: "This award recognises the strength and effort of the whole team at Inmarsat.
Mission-critical services
"We are very grateful to the judges for their recognition of our mission-critical services and our quality delivery."

More than 1,200 business leaders and their guests attended the awards ceremony, where the keynote speaker was Alistair Darling, the UK's Chancellor of the Exchequer.
The Chancellor said of the National Business Awards: "It is the pinnacle of business award ceremonies and this is where Britain's best, from across the public and private sectors, get the recognition and reward they deserve."
Inmarsat has also been named Best Satellite Provider by the South Asia Middle East and North Africa (Samena) telecommunications council.
The Samena Awards recognise companies for their outstanding efforts in expanding telecoms services and addressing the concerns and needs of the sector in the region and beyond.

Source: Inmarsat

Satellite Internet - Deadliest Catch

Sig Hansen, a star of the Discovery Channel's hit TV show Deadliest Catch, is using FleetBroadband to stay hooked up to shore as he navigates the treacherous Bering Sea.
Inmarsat partner Thrane & Thrane has installed a Sailor 500 terminal on Sig's king crab fishing vessel, Northwestern, to provide him with FleetBroadband telephone and internet connectivity.

The vessel can be at sea for months at a time, facing 20-metre (60ft) waves, winds of up to 150 knots and extreme ice nearly a metre thick, so hard-wearing and reliable communications equipment is vital to ensuring the safety and welfare of the crew.
"I really enjoy the fact that Sailor 500 FleetBroadband provides the capabilities to contact our loved ones," said skipper Sig.

"What could be more therapeutic than that? I have no problem with the guys using it. Our work is stressful and tiring, so it's like therapy for them - they can even use webcams when they talk to their family and loved ones.

"It will also play an important role in our day-to-day operations, especially when it comes to the weather. With instant, detailed weather reports we can stay out that little bit longer, haul more pots and make our time at sea more profitable."
The high bandwidth offered by Inmarsat's FleetBroadband service will also play an important role in any medical emergencies and equipment problems.

If a crew member is hurt in an accident, it will be possible to send pictures of the injury back to doctors on land to advise on a course of action.
Likewise, should there be an engine or equipment failure, pictures or video of the problem will help the supplier's technical support team to help the Northwestern crew address the problem.

Source: Inmarsat

Typhoon victims receive satellite help

Télécoms Sans Frontières (TSF), the Inmarsat-sponsored aid agency, completed its mission to the Philippines, which was recently hit by a typhoon. They provided a communications lifeline to more than 1,000 victims.

The aid agency deployed with satellite communication equipment including Inmarsat BGAN, and Mini M, in regions affected by typhoons Ketsana and Parma.
"We set up temporary calling centres enabling more than 1,070 calls," said Oisin Walton, TSF's head of mission in the Philippines. "Two thirds of these were international calls - people were able to get hold of family loved ones to let them know they were safe and to request money."

With landlines in rural areas still disrupted three weeks after the storms, the Mini M terminals proved invaluable.

The two typhoons killed 849 and affected millions more and TSF worked closely with local authorities and governing bodies to set up satellite-based communication centres to support the relief effort following the storms.

Source: Inmarsat