Mobile Satcom Trends on Agenda

Inmarsat, a pioneer in mobile satellite communications for over 30 years, is hosting a government conference in Virginia Beach, Va. this July. Topics slated for this two-day conference include:

• Government satellite communications trends
• Introduction to land mobile services
• Future in maritime services and terminals
• Naval case studies
• Using satcom for GIS and situational awareness for remote teams
• Encryption over SwiftBroadband
• SwiftBroadband on helicopters (demo)
• Future Inmarsat developments
• Updates on aeronautical services
• IsatPhone Pro introduction (Inmarsat’s latest global satphone)

Full agenda (subject to change)

OODAkits to be Demonstrated

As an Inmarsat partner, OODAlink was invited to participate and will have OODAkits (integrated with Inmarsat BGAN services) on exhibit during conference breaks. Live product demonstrations will also be conducted outside.

With no fee to attend, the conference is open to end-users and procurement officers from government agencies and the military. For more information, please visit the Inmarsat Government Services Customer Conference website.

We applaud the work of Télécoms Sans Frontières …

Their Origin: During missions responding to the crisis in the Balkans and in Kurdistan during the 1st Gulf War, Télécoms Sans Frontières’ (TSF) founders realized that, in addition to medical and food aid, there was a critical need for reliable emergency telecommunications services. Conflicts and emergencies often led to massive civilian displacement and separated families. And affected populations are often left with no communications infrastructure in place to find assistance and loved ones. To address this need, TSF bought its first satellite phone eleven years ago and the organization was born. For all missions today, TSF offers a 3-minute call to any affected family.

TSF soon found that the international response teams that deploy to emergencies also had a critical need for reliable telecommunications services in the first days after an emergency. TSF, therefore, expanded its operations, improved its technology, and began to establish rapidly deployable emergency telecommunications centers to serve UN, government, and NGO humanitarian workers, and developed a reputation for being among the first to arrive after disasters.

Mission Haiti 2010: Deployed in Haiti the day following the terrible earthquake that struck the country, TSF teams remain mobilized, day after day, supporting the humanitarian community and the affected population. Three calling centers have been established in Port-au-Prince, Carrefour and Jacmel that are open for the people of Haiti: Union School in Port-au-Prince, Adventistes in Carrefour and Rue Febrile in Jacmel.

Everyone should know more about the work of this organization!

Nearly all satellite service providers have customizable plans to match an organization’s budget constraints. Numerous satellite-based Internet services at remote (fixed) locations are available with monthly fees typically ranging from $49 to $99 (competitive with terrestrial rates).

Recognizing the budget constraints of corporations and government agencies requiring higher grades of service (than just Internet access), satellite and wireless service providers have developed pricing plans starting as low as a few hundred dollars per month. Almost all of these providers now have mechanisms for quickly upgrading  service plans (often within an hour or less after a request) in the event of an emergency or ad-hoc requirement for higher transmission rates and data throughput.

Today you can subscribe to mobile satellite broadband services by activating a terminal and then paying for usage as you need it. Varying monthly allowance plans are also available if you can predict your  usage needs (much like a cell phone service plan). These services have monthly rates on the order of $30 to $50 per month to keep the mobile terminal or phone activated and then usage charges are invoiced at the end of each month based on actual voice minutes and data transmitted.

Many people are still under the impression that these services are expensive. However consider that satphone calls can be made for a little as $0.79  per minute with no monthly commitment. Under varying plan packages, the per call charge can go as low as $0.29.

For users requiring simultaneous voice and data capabilities, Inmarsat BGAN terminals are a good choice. These IP-based services enable voice calling and IP network access in a small form factor. Voice services  typically range from $0.79 — $1.29 (competitive with most cellular roaming charges) and data usage is charged at $6 to $8 per megabytes (bulk pricing discounts are also available).

When disaster strikes and there are no alternatives for communications — these mobile satellite broadband rates are a real bargain.

Consider the costs of not being able to make that critical call or send an email!