Roadpost to bring broadband satellite services to North America

North America’s remote worker has been given a large hand-up in the quest to transform isolated workplaces into standard office environments with the announcement on February 6 that Roadpost Inc. has entered a partnership with France Telecom to provide broadband global area network (BGAN) services to customers. Available in mid-2006, introduction of this revolutionary portable satellite technology will provide remote workers with reliable, flexible and easy-to-engage interconnectivity. It is also the first mobile communications service to offer guaranteed data rates on demand. Morris Shawn, president and CEO of Roadpost, says that he expects heavy penetration in traditional satellite markets. "BGAN can give a lot more functionality and access to broadband data at much lower cost. Within minutes, you can create a Wi-Fi network, set up a remote office, use VoIP or run live video feeds." Put simply, it will offer instant infrastructure to underserved areas. Eric Verheylewegen, France Telecom’s director of the Americas region, notes that " market reach and considerable expertise in providing mobile satellite services to a diverse base of customers will be instrumental in building BGAN adoption in North America." France Telecom Mobile Satellite Communications is the world’s fourth-largest telecommunications carrier. Besides local, long-distance and international telephony, France Telecom provides businesses and consumers with data, wireless, multimedia, Internet, broadcasting and cable TV services. BGAN benefitsShawn is enthusiastic about the benefits of BGAN and is confident of its very large impact on the current communications landscape. " putting such tremendous resources towards the BGAN launch because we really see this as one of those rare ‘disruptive’ technologies. It’s so clearly superior to what’s out there now in terms of mobile satellite data that it will both replace many existing solutions and grow the market into new applications and user groups. We’re in this for the long haul." The broadband revolution is all about a huge increase in the range and the speed of fully interactive data, video and audio communications. BGAN, with its many unique selling points takes this revolution another step. BGAN allows users to remain productive away from the office and gives them reliable access to standard desktop applications at speeds that match terrestrial broadband services. Since it is based on Internet Protocol technology, BGAN can be used to connect computers to the Internet or corporate networks at upload and download speeds as high as 500 kbps, a vast improvement over the older Iridium satellite system that transfers data at about 2.4 kbps. BGAN is simple and easy to use. No technical expertise is required to set up or use the service. All that’s required is a laptop, a BGAN satellite terminal and a telephone handset or headset. BGAN terminals are compact and lightweight, with backpack mobility. The highest bandwidth terminal only weighs 2.2 kilos. There are BGAN terminals for single users and small teams, which can be connected to a laptop via a wired or wireless connection. The same BGAN device can be used worldwide and the user interface is standard across all terminals. BGAN is ideal for rapid deployment with a broadband mobile office being set up and shut down in minutes. BGAN will deliver seamless coverage across 85% of the world. The broadband satellite service also allows for multiple tasks over the same bandwidth, much like Internet over cable plant and DSL allow for Internet access and telephone calls to be conducted simultaneously. This is achieved through a separate voice channel. For applications such as live video or videoconferencing, BGAN offers an on-demand streaming IP service at speeds up to 256kbps.BGAN supports the latest IP services, as well as circuit-switched voice and data. Integrating seamlessly with corporate networks, it supports legacy applications while providing a smooth upgrade path to IP. The broadband satellite service meets the stringent requirements demanded by military and government users supporting all major VPN products and encryption standards. It also offers significantly lower costs for both terminals and airtime compared with previous generations of mobile satellite services, which translates into a competitive edge. While those already accessing satellite service such as the military, the media, aid workers and survey crews will benefit from the reliability and portability of the new BGAN terminals, other potential users will include civil engineers, consultants, project managers and anyone who needs broadband access when travelling in remote locations. The hardwareNot only are services and terminals less costly than older technology, the installations are also more cost-effective. VSAT hardware can cost from $15,000 to $50,000 per installation, with dishes that are six feet in diameter. A current BGAN base station is about the size of a laptop computer (future versions are expected to be as small as palmtop computers) and BGAN hardware ranges from $3,300 to $5,000, plus subscription fees. These charges include a monthly fee plus per-minute and per-megabyte rates for transmission of voice and data. Fees are expected to be comparable with existing satellite systems, but the speed of the service may mean savings over slower air-time-based satellite systems when large files are being transferred. BGAN has a diversity of devices: the smallest terminals are for single users with portability in mind and the larger terminals offer higher bandwidth and are more appropriate for small teams with temporary offices that are established for longer periods. Roadpost offers the next generation in satellite broadband servicesRoadpost, among the first to offer subscription plans, is uniquely positioned to play a large role in BGAN’s introduction and growth. "Roadpost brings a number of things to the BGAN table...Our experience in mobile satellite means we already understand the connectivity requirements of existing satellite verticals like media and oil and gas," says Shawn. "Our experience in international cellular and BlackBerry gives us a strong presence in the new markets that will be opened by BGAN’s capabilities, such as the legal and financial industries. Also, in addition to regular rate plans, we’ve got the best short-term rental solutions in the business. We can take an order at 3:00 p.m. and get it to you the next day. And we’ve got 24/7 customer care."

Roadpost to bring broadband satellite services to North America

News | February 23, 2006

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