Posted: 08th Dec, 2005 By: MarkJ
BT has become one of the first UK operators to take advantage of Inmarsats new BGAN (Broadband Global Area Network) satellite platform. The service is targeted at roaming workers and delivers speeds of up to 492Kbps to 98% of the worlds population:
BTs BGAN is a telephony, IP, ISDN and video or audio streaming access service, with all the service support expected from BT. The range of small, laptop-sized units, provide both the modem and the satellite antenna and offer IP access peaking at rates up to 492kbit/s in each direction. Benefits include:
- Always-on IP access to the internet or corporate network
- Portability the lightest of the available user terminals weighs under 1kg
- Independence from terrestrial networks
- A reliable satellite service that can provide connectivity in the harshest and most remote locations
- Support for Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)
BT can also offer a range of value-added services to match the standard BGAN functionality to specific corporate needs. For example:
* a dedicated backhaul linking to a corporate network, avoiding use of the public internet
* delivery of streaming over MPLS
Insurance assessors, trouble-shooters, disaster response teams, oil exploration engineers, TV and press reporters and travelling executives can all benefit from the new BGAN office in a box capability enabling them to work as efficiently as if in their corporate headquarters.
Sadly we have no details on pricing, although its not designed as an open consumer service anyway and is likely to be quite costly.