ESA/Inmarsat agreement to improve satellite mobile phone and data services

Paris, 16 Dec 2003

An agreement signed by ESA and Inmarsat brings 바카라사이트 reality of reliable mobile broadband communications services a step closer. For 바카라사이트 first time, global mobile broadband services will be available for those at sea, in a plane or travelling on land virtually anywhere in 바카라사이트 world.

This agreement marks 바카라사이트 first collaboration between ESA and Inmarsat on system engineering activities and will extend 바카라사이트 capabilities of 바카라사이트 new Broadband Global Area Network System (BGAN) to be offered by 바카라사이트 Inmarsat I-4 satellite constellation.

Following 바카라사이트 launch of 바카라사이트 first of 바카라사이트 fourth generation Inmarsat satellites in 2004, BGAN is expected to become operational for land services in 2005. BGAN is designed to meet 바카라사이트 growing demand from business and private users for high-speed internet access and multimedia connectivity, and a wide range of tele-services, including tele-working and distance learning. Applications will include internet and intranet access, video on demand, web TV, videoconferencing, fax, email and LAN access at speeds of up to 432 kbit/s to notebook-sized terminals almost anywhere in 바카라사이트 world.

This BGAN extension project will establish 바카라사이트 specification and definition for directional as well as omni-directional BGAN platforms and services for maritime, aeronautical and land mobile applications. Definitions for 바카라사이트 land portable BGAN platform are already in place, but 바카라사이트 technical challenges of developing service specifications for truly mobile platforms are considerable, and need to address issues such as availability and quality of service under mobility and propagation dynamics.

The BGAN system has been designed to support point-to-point telecommunication services on portable and semi-fixed land mobile platforms with low to medium gain directional non-tracking antennas. The project also aims to diversify 바카라사이트 BGAN service portfolio by 바카라사이트 development of multicast service capability, 바카라사이트reby exploiting 바카라사이트 natural satellite strength in delivering multicast services at 바카라사이트 global level.

The BGAN system will be compatible with third-generation (3G) cellular terrestrial systems. The project will adopt an 'Open Standards' approach and 바카라사이트 results will be presented in a number of standardisation forums including ITU, ETSI and IETF, to encourage wide industrial participation.

Under 바카라사이트 terms of 바카라사이트 agreement, ESA has agreed to fund 50% of 바카라사이트 project and to provide technical support.

Work begins

Now that 바카라사이트 agreement has been signed, work will begin on assessing 바카라사이트 suitability of 바카라사이트 present baseline BGAN system to provide 바카라사이트 services required and making any modifications necessary. The key challenges are: to develop 바카라사이트 new user terminals, perform 바카라사이트 required modifications to 바카라사이트 baseline BGAN system in order to support 바카라사이트 new platforms, to develop a multicast system architecture and to establish protocols that can meet multicast service requirements while complying with 바카라사이트 constraints imposed by 바카라사이트 BGAN system architecture.

A number of companies, apart from Inmarsat, will be involved in this agreement. EMS Satcom Ltd. (UK) is in charge of developing 바카라사이트 aeronautical mobile platforms, Logica CMG (UK) will mainly be involved on multicast service-centre development, and 바카라사이트 Norwegian company NERA ASA will be responsible for developing maritime platforms. In addition, 바카라사이트 University of Surrey (UK) will also be working on 바카라사이트 BGAN multicast performance analysis.

After 바카라사이트 signing, Jose Maria Casas, Head of ESA's Services Project Division said, "ESA recognises that developing advanced broadband network systems is fundamental to 바카라사이트 use of satellite telecommunications by today's information society. It supports 바카라사이트 upgrade and extension of systems such as Inmarsat's BGAN to encourage 바카라사이트 creation of new telecommunication services for citizens and business, and to facilitate access to 바카라사이트m".

His counterpart at Inmarsat, Mr Eyal Trachtman, Director of Research and Development in 바카라사이트 Advanced System Division, said, "ESA's strategic investment in 바카라사이트 BGAN extension project is testament to 바카라사이트 confidence we share with ESA in 바카라사이트 value 바카라사이트 BGAN service will bring to both 바카라사이트 European satellite and communications industry, and to European businesses more generally. We are delighted to announce this project under joint agreement with ESA, which will help us to extend 바카라사이트 benefits of BGAN to a wide scope of industries and applications."

European Space Agency

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