Inmarsat Deal Boosts Boeing Bid

Inmarsat’s decision to go with Boeing Satellite Systems (BSS) for its Global Xpress deal marks a major step forward in the aerospace giant’s goal to return in force to the commercial satellite business.
 
In the last decade, BSS saw its commercial activities largely vanish in the wake of engineering glitches, lawsuits and skyrocketing defense demand that caused it to shift its focus to military space. However, with U.S. defense budget growth on the wane, illustrated by the department’s decision to cancel the Transformational Satellite (TSAT) system, the U.S. manufacturer is being forced to change course.
 
Craig Cooning, vice president and general manager of Space and Intelligence Systems (S&IS) at Boeing Defense, Space & Security, says the company will attempt to raise commercial satellite sales to 30% of the company’s space business within five years, up from 10% now.
 
Large investments in military broadband and other new technologies that are in heavy demand in the commercial world — many of them intended for TSAT — are expected to help. Rupert Pearce, senior vice president of Inmarsat Enterprises, notes that through its role in the Defense Department’s Wideband Global Satcom (WGS) system, Boeing has supplied more than 70% of Ka-band capacity worldwide.
 
BSS also moved to broaden its product line to more closely hew to commercial requirements. The launch of the 702 MP spacecraft last year provided an offering in the popular medium-size segment of the industry that immediately led to a four-satellite award — two firm and two to be assigned later — from Intelsat. The first spacecraft under that award, carrying an Australian-hosted military payload, is to be launched in 2012.
 
The three Global Xpress satellites, to be handed over by 2014, provide a welcome boost to the top-of-the-line 702 HP satellite bus (Aerospace DAILY, Aug. 9).
 

 
Equally important, they give Boeing a foothold in the fast-growing market for high-throughput Ka-band satellites, intended to meet mushrooming demand for broadband Internet access. This sector had previously been dominated by Space Systems/Loral — said to be one of the losing bidders for Global Xpress — and Astrium. The other reported loser, Thales Alenia Space, has been developing a new 12-18-kw. bus, in cooperation with Astrium, to better address the market.
 
Together, the Inmarsat and Intelsat sales have rejuvenated BSS’s commercial satellite business, which in recent years has averaged barely one unit per year. Jim Simpson, vice president of marketing development and sales at BSS, predicts at least one-two annual sales of 702 HP and MP models in the years to come.
 
Boeing management expects commercial success, in turn, to drive more government business, particularly in areas like communications, where technologies and satellites can be widely shared. Roger Krone, president of Network and Space Systems at Boeing, says, “There is more dialogue than ever before” for hosted payloads, in particular. Krone also thinks the Defense Department will need up to six more WGSs, including two units for which only long-lead items have been ordered to date.

Boeing wins order for three next-gen satellites

Boeing Co. has received a new contract from communications technology provider Inmarsat to build three Ka-band satellites that will expand its current mobile satellite services fleet. The value of the contract was not reported, but Inmarsat has confirmed it is investing $1.2 billion in a new fleet of next-generation satellites in response to a shift in demand from voice communications to data services.
 

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The Boeing units, to be known as Inmarsat-5 satellites, will allow Inmarsat to adapt to changes in subscriber usage, involving high data rates, specialized applications and evolving demographics over a projected 15-year service. Inmarsat will arrange the launch of the satellites, which Boeing will design to be compatible with the Ariane, Sea Launch, Proton, and Atlas launch vehicles.
 
Separately, Boeing entered into a distribution partnership with Inmarsat to provide L- and Ka-band capacity to key users within the U.S. government.
 
Boeing’s contract, a fixed-price deal, with options, calls for it to build three 702HP commercial spacecraft with 89 Ka-band beams that will operate in geosynchronous orbit with flexible global coverage. The new satellite series, to be known as Inmarsat-5, draws on Boeing's 40 years of experience with satellite technology and Ka-band satellite communications systems. It claims to have produced more than 175 commercial communications satellites and its extensive expertise in Ka-band satellite communications systems.
 

 

"This contract represents a best-value solution that combines Boeing's unmatched commercial satellite heritage and Ka-band satellite communications experience to meet Inmarsat's satellite requirements," stated vice president and general manager Craig Cooning of Boeing Space & Intelligence Systems. "Boeing has produced more Ka-band satellite communications systems than any other manufacturer, and we are currently producing the Wideband Global SATCOM satellite series, which is the primary Ka-band system for the U.S. government. We are committed to a successful partnership with Inmarsat for this newest addition to their service fleet."
 

New Technology Brings African Nations Together

For the first time ever, an operational satellite phone call was made from the African continent using the Inmarsat network. Zambian Colonel Wilson Tembo, African Union delegation chief, made an international call from the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College during Africa Endeavor (AE) 2010 in Accra on August 10, 2010. This call showcased the technology and ease of use of this new product.
 

 
"This was a significant moment for Imarsat. AE 2010 allowed us to demonstrate to more than 30 African nations the outstanding voice quality in a call to a cellular phone over our satellite network," said Steff Taylor, Inmarsat business development manager. "It proved the capability and applicability of the product that can now be used by African nations anywhere on the continent."
 
Inmarsat launched the IsatPhone Pro, which was used to make the call, in June 2010, and it was built for the Inmarsat network.
 
This is the first time Inmarsat has participated in Africa Endeavor and the company is providing equipment to the exercise and training to country delegates pro bono.
 
According to Taylor, the participation is part of the outreach that the company does and the exercise was an excellent opportunity to reach the African audience. This is one of many outreach projects the company does, providing free equipment and financial support to restore communications in disaster zones.
 
Throughout the exercise, Inmarsat representatives will be providing training to participants on satellite phones, as well as voice and data capability. There will be an opportunity to do real-time demonstrations of satellite communications during the second week of AE 2010.
 
One of the purposes of AE 2010 is to promote interoperability among the African nations, and this training and equipment at the exercise enables ease of communication.
 
Inmarsat has a current fleet of 11 satellites that provides seamless mobile voice and data communications around the world. Inmarsat enables users to make phone calls or connect to the internet whenever and wherever they need - on land, at sea or in the air.
 

Inmarsat’s iSatphone Pro: Satellite communication goes handheld

Our mobile phones have become such an everyday part of our lives, it’s almost impossible to imagine what it would be like without one. Well, in the middle of the Atlantic on an oil rig would be a good place to start, or perhaps in deepest Amazonia or even up at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro. Just spotting a ‘no service’ warning on our handsets are enough to raise the blood pressure levels a notch or two, hell it even happens in central London!
 

 
All that angst is now a thing of the past however, with the launch of Inmarsat’s first hand held satellite phone the ISatphone Pro. Once the sole domain of secret agents and government men in black, the satellite phone is now available to mere mortals, for a more than mortal price tag of between $500 – $600.
 
It’s splash proof, dust proof, shock resistant and able to withstand extreme temperatures from -20 up to plus 55 degrees centigrade. More than enough then for a typical day in the UK countryside. It is however aimed solely at the ‘remote environment market’ such as gas and oil engineering or the construction trade and with 8 hours talk and 100 hours stand by time, it will provide the kind of global portable communications access that has long been needed in those sectors, although as far as main stream public use is concerned, it is another stepping stone in the development of mass global communications.
 
It has Bluetooth connectivity (unique in this market), a high visibility colour display, text and email capability and a keypad designed to be used while you’re wearing gloves. It will be, as Inmarsat CEO Andrew Sakawaty bullishly predicts, “a game changer” for the industry. The benefits to users such as the military or remote engineering are obvious and while this all sounds very exciting and clearly a step up in mobile technology, the one thing missing so far is detailed information on call charges, something that, at the end of the day will prove crucial in such a competitive marketplace.

Inmarsat announces £752m advanced satellite services investment

UK satellite communications firm Inmarsat has announced a $1.2bn (£752m) investment in next generation satellite network services.
The primary investment is a contract with aerospace company Boeing for the manufacture of three 702HP Ka-band satellites.
 
The constellation formed by the three Inmarsat-5 satellites will enable Inmarsat to offer global coverage, and unparalleled bandwidth to customers in remote locations, said Inmarsat chief eexecutive Andrew Sukawaty.
 
The Ka-band satellites will be used to deliver Inmarsat's Global Xpress service, which will address growing markets in maritime, energy and government sectors, along with the developing aeronautical market.
 

 
Such bandwidths have aroused interest because of the postponement of government plans to rollout a UK-wide broadband network of 2Mbit/s to 2015.
 
Global Xpress will use Ka-band microwave frequencies of between 18 and 31GHz, which although faster and less expensive than current Ku-band (12-18GHz) frequencies, can be more vulnerable to signal quality issues.
 
Each Inmarsat-5 satellite can transmit 89 Ka-band beams. "These are capable of flexing capacity and enabling Inmarsat to adapt to shifting subscriber usage patterns over their projected lifetime of 15 years," said the company.Services will start in 2014.
 
Inmarsat also plans to spend £313m replacing its existing, lower bandwidth, L-band satellites over the next 11 years.
Inmarsat estimates the total cost of Inmarsat-5 and Global Xpress will be £752m over four and half years.
 
Inmarsat's latest half year financial results announced last week, showed revenue up 12 per cent at £358m, with profit before tax up 56 per cent to £85m.

Inmarsat UK Brings 50Mb Satellite Internet and TV

Inmarsat, a UK broadband ISP and communications operator, has announced the signing of a major new contract with Boeing for the delivery of three state-of-the-art Ka-Band (702HP) satellites. The new additions are capable of offering live television and "super-fast" internet download speeds of up to 50Mbps (Megabits per second) to both ships at sea and airliners.
 

 
The satellites will make up a new Inmarsat-5 (I-5) constellation and should enter operation sometime in 2014, forming part of the groups new Global Xpress™ network. The service will cost £750m ($1.2bn) to develop and target an £880m (US$1.4bn) incremental market for VSAT services.
 
Boeing itself will become a key distribution partner for Inmarsat's Ka-band and L-band satellite services, committing itself to a capacity purchase for over 10% of the target Ka-band revenues. Inmarsat has set its target at £314m (US$500m) for five years after the new service is launched.

 

The move represents a significant upgrade for Inmarsat, which currently offers the only simultaneous global voice and 0.5Mbps data service available anywhere on the planet, using satellite terminals the size of laptops.

Inmarsat Seeks Ex-Im Backing for Satellite Deal

Inmarsat is seeking U.S. Export-Import (Ex-Im) Bank backing for a financial package valued at about $500 million to cover the London-based company’s three-satellite contract with Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems.
 
In an interview, Inmarsat Chief Executive Andrew Sukawaty said he expects negotiations with the export-credit agency to conclude one way or another by the end of the year. He reiterated that Inmarsat, which provides mobile satellite services worldwide, has access to sufficient capital for the $1.2 billion Global Xpress project without Export-Import Bank support.
 
Boeing will deliver the first of three 702HP Ka-band satellites being built for Inmarsat in 36 months, with the other two to be ready at six-month intervals after that, Boeing officials said Aug. 6.
 
Boeing officials declined to disclose the throughput of the satellites but said each will provide 12 kilowatts of power at the end of its 15-year life. Unlike the Boeing-built Spaceway 3 Ka-band broadband satellite operated by Hughes Communications of Germantown, Md., the three Inmarsat satellites will be so-called bent-pipe designs that do include on-board processing.
 

 

Each satellite will have 89 fixed spot beams and weigh about 6,000 kilograms at launch.
 
Boeing will be leveraging its work providing the U.S. Air Force Wideband Global Satcom spacecraft as it builds the Inmarsat Global Xpress satellites, said Craig R. Cooning, general manager of Boeing Defense and Intelligence Systems of El Segundo, Calif.
 
Three WideBand Global Satcom satellites are in orbit, with three more in production. In a conference call with reporters, Cooning said more than 20 702HP satellite platforms of the kind to be used by Inmarsat are already in orbit.
 


Boeing has agreed to purchase 10 percent of the Global Xpress satellite capacity for the first five years of the system’s operations, or through 2018 under the current schedule.

Boeing - Contract from Inmarsat

Boeing announced that it has received a contract from Inmarsat to build three Ka-band satellites to add to Inmarsat's current mobile satellite services fleet. Financial details were not disclosed.

The fixed-price contract, with options, calls for three 702HP commercial spacecraft with 89 Ka-band beams that will operate in geosynchronous orbit with flexible global coverage. The new satellite series, called Inmarsat-5, draws on Boeing's four decades of experience gained from the production of more than 175 commercial communications satellites and its extensive expertise in Ka-band satellite communications systems.

"This contract represents a best-value solution that combines Boeing's unmatched commercial satellite heritage and Ka-band satellite communications experience to meet Inmarsat's satellite requirements," said Craig Cooning, vice president and general manager of Boeing Space & Intelligence Systems. "Boeing has produced more Ka-band satellite communications systems than any other manufacturer, and we are currently producing the Wideband Global SATCOM satellite series, which is the primary Ka-band system for the U.S. government. We are committed to a successful partnership with Inmarsat for this newest addition to their service fleet."

The Boeing satellites will provide Inmarsat with the ability to adapt to shifting subscriber usage patterns of high data rates, specialized applications and evolving demographics over a projected 15-year lifetime. In a separate arrangement, Boeing has also entered into a distribution partnership with Inmarsat to provide L- and Ka-band capacity to key users within the U.S. government.

Inmarsat - Investment in Next Generation Ka-Band Satellite Network

Global Services to iPad-sized AntennasInmarsat, the leading provider of global mobile satellite communications services, announced that it has agreed a contract with The Boeing Company ("Boeing") for the delivery of three state-of-the-art 702HP Ka-band satellites. The Inmarsat-5 constellation will enable Inmarsat to provide a unique global high speed mobile broadband service offering.

With operations expected to start in 2014, Inmarsat-5 will support a next generation global service, Global Xpress, which will target a $1.4bn incremental market opportunity in VSAT services. Global Xpress will address the established, growing markets for VSAT services in the Maritime, Energy and Government sectors, with further growth potential in developing markets such as the Aeronautical sector. Global Xpress will deliver seamless global coverage and unprecedented mobile broadband with speeds up to 50MB/s, to customer terminals from 20-60cm in size.

Inmarsat will target $500m of annual Ka-band revenues 5 years after global service launch. Under a separate arrangement, Boeing has agreed to become a distribution partner for both Inmarsat's Ka- and L-band services and has pre-committed to capacity purchases representing more than 10% of Inmarsat's target Ka-band revenues in the first five years after global service launch.

Inmarsat estimates that the total cost of Inmarsat-5 and Global Xpress will be $1.2bn over 4.5 years, incorporating the fixed cost of the satellites, as well as the cost of additional ground network infrastructure, product development, launch services and insurance.

Inmarsat buys 3 Boeing satellites for $1 bln-source-UPDATE 1

Inmarsat has ordered a fleet of three advanced satellites from Boeing for about $1 billion to deliver faster broadband service to customers by the end of 2014, a person close to the deal told Reuters.
 
The major upgrade to Ka-Band satellites will let Inmarsat offer broadband to commercial and government clients at speeds up to 20 times faster and at less cost than its ageing L-Band fleet, which operates at the opposite end of the frequency spectrum.
 
Britain's Inmarsat will continue to operate its existing network of 11 L-Band satellites, which provide voice and data to shipping, aviation and land-based customers working in war zones and disaster areas.
 


 
Broadband has been the fastest growing part of Inmarsat's business in recent years, offsetting a decline in voice traffic.
 
Analysts at Credit Suisse said demand for Ka-Band capacity was set to grow substantially over the next 10 years from current low levels, and it was a positive move by Inmarsat to implement a Ka-Band strategy sooner rather than later.
 
The shares closed down 3 percent at 722.5 pence on Wednesday. Shares in Boeing, meanwhile, were 0.8 percent higher at 1626 GMT.
 
Boeing beat Thales Alenia Space of France to win the order. Thales shares shed 1.4 percent. (Editing by Paul Hoskins and Michael Shields)

First global handheld satellite phone from Inmarsat

Global Telesat Communications has announced that the first global handheld satellite phone from Inmarsat – the IsatPhone Pro – is now available. The IsatPhone Pro will perform anywhere in the world, with the exception of the Poles, supported by Inmarsat’s global network coverage.

With the IsatPhone Pro, all boating enthusiasts can be safe in the knowledge that years of comprehensive research, development and testing has resulted in a handheld satellite phone that works in any conditions from rain storms to searing heat or sub-zero temperatures. Being miles from nowhere is not a problem either as the battery life is the longest in the market (up to 8 hours talk time and 100 hours standby).

Other features include voicemail, text and GPS location data, and in 2011, additional email, data and fax services will be available.

The ultimate in handheld satellite phone performance also comes at a very affordable price. Global Telesat Communications is offering the IsatPhone Pro with extremely competitive airtime offers, and will happily advise upon the most suitable and cost-effective airtime option for the customer’s intended usage.

The IsatPhone Pro and the various airtime contracts are available now from Global Telesat Communications at the most competitive prices around, made all the more attractive with a one year warranty. Being a Bronze Inmarsat partner, Global Telesat Communications is endorsed as a quality provider of Inmarsat products, and provide around the clock customer service wherever in the world they are needed

ISAT Phone Pro is now ready for delivery

The first bluetooth handheld satellite phone from Inmarsat is packed with features on top of its basic functions of satellite telephony, voicemail, text and email messaging and GPS location data. Some of its extra features include up to eight hours talk time and up to 100 hours standby battery time and the ability to operate at extreme temperatures down to -20 and over 55 degrees Celsius.
 
It's also dust, splash and shock resistant and will tolerate humidity up to 95 per cent. The ISAT Phone Pro has been designed with crew in mind with an extra large keypad for easy dialing with gloves on and high-visibility colour screen as well as an intuitive GSM-style interface.
 
Inmarsat says the phone will have a reliable network connection, operating over global geostationary satellites, that will be operational into the next decade, meaning there's significantly less possibility of the connection dropping out mid-call.

Inmarsat Partners with GateHouse to Deliver BGAN to JTRS Program

Inmarsat has signed a partnership agreement with technology developer GateHouse for the two companies to create a development program to enhance the BGAN Software Defined Radio (SDR) waveform originally developed by GateHouse, Inmarsat announced 9th July 2010.
 

 
The mobile satellite company said the partnership is an effort to deliver the complete BGAN SDR waveform to the U.S. Department of Defense’s Joint Tactical Radio System program in compliance with its software communications architecture framework.
 
BGAN SDR aims to establish on-the-move broadband satellite communications that are beyond-line-of-sight for military forces engaged in remote regions where BGAN currently is the only viable option.
 
GateHouse CEO Michael Bondo Andersen said that the technology has proven mature and will significantly reduce development efforts and allow both military and commercial radio and terminal manufacturers to quickly bring unique communications solutions to the market.

Inmarsat Poised To Order Ka-band Sats from Boeing in Mobile Broadband Push

Inmarsat, mobile satellite services operator, is in final negotiations with Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems to purchase three or four large satellites as part of what is likely to be a $1 billion investment to position the London-based operator in the growing market for mobile broadband, particularly for Inmarsat’s core maritime business, industry officials said.
 

 
Signaling a dramatic new direction for Inmarsat, the satellites would operate in the Ka-band portion of the radio spectrum. Inmarsat has built a 30-year business using L-band frequencies to deliver voice and, increasingly, data transmissions to airborne, maritime and land-mobile customers.
 
If negotiations with Boeing conclude as expected, the El Segundo, Calif.-based satellite builder will have found a second major customer for its new line of 702MP satellites, which were introduced in 2009 in a Boeing win of a $500 million, four-satellite contract with Intelsat of Luxembourg and Washington.
 
One industry official said the Inmarsat contract is likely to include a requirement that Boeing agree to purchase a part of the Ka-band payload and take responsibility for its subsequent sale. The U.S. Defense Department is the most likely customer, although Boeing may have difficulty securing a firm commitment from any U.S. government agency for capacity that will not be available until 2013.
 
It was unclear whether the Inmarsat satellites would carry civilian Ka-band only or would include military Ka-band frequencies as well.
 
Boeing has made the ability to accommodate so-called hosted payloads from the U.S. government as a key selling point for its 702MP product line. The first of the four Intelsat satellites is carrying a UHF-band payload for the Australian Defence Force.
 
Inmarsat also is looking for a partner to agree to a prelaunch commitment for part of the Ka-band payloads’ coverage of landmasses, according to one industry official.

 

Whether these Ku-band terminals placed on ships pose a near-term threat to Inmarsat’s business is a subject of debate in the industry.


 
Industry officials said the contract negotiations with Boeing followed a competitive bidding round that included Astrium Satellites of Europe, which built Inmarsat’s current fleet of Inmarsat-4 satellites and is building the large AlphaSat spacecraft for Inmarsat, to be launched in 2012, which will provide additional L-band spectrum to Inmarsat; Space Systems/Loral of Palo Alto, Calif., which is building the ViaSat and Hughes all-Ka-band satellites; and Thales Alenia Space of France and Italy, which had been scheduled to build Inmarsat’s S-band Europasat mobile communications satellite before that project was put on hold.
 
One industry official said Inmarsat had selected Thales Alenia Space and Boeing as finalists for the contract before entering “preferred bidder” negotiations with Boeing. The contract is for three satellites — enough to provide global coverage except for the polar regions — with an option for a fourth satellite to be built as a spare. Each spacecraft is expected to weigh at least 5,000 kilograms at launch, with a four-satellite deal to be valued at between $500 million and $600 million.
 
Launching and insuring three of the satellites would bring the program’s total value to around $1 billion.
 
Inmarsat spokesman Christopher McLaughlin said July 2 that the company would have no comment on “market speculation.”

EMS Global Tracking and Participant Sports Partner to Cover Tour de France 2010

Participant Sports, the official provider of the Tour de France iPhone application, and EMS Global Tracking, a division of EMS Technologies, today announced that fans will be able to follow the progress of this year's 97th Tour de France online with near real-time tracking updates and animated replay videos.
 

  
The two companies have partnered to cover the race and will use EMS Global Tracking's SAT-202 terminals, which provide global two-way messaging using Inmarsat's IsatM2M, a two-way burst messaging service. The animated video functionality will allow fans to follow the race using virtually real-time map rendering, which will show the course and track the riders' movements on it.
 
The EMS Global Tracking satellite system's terminal and network performance capabilities were first tested in the 96th Tour de France in 2009, which allowed sporting fans to view charting progress and live video footage of the peloton and key groups at each stage. Powered by EMS Global Tracking, fans were able to receive race-critical information in areas where connectivity is typically limited or unattainable, particularly during stages that took place through mountainous terrain.
 
Four IsatM2M devices will be placed on race organizer's vehicles and will follow the both the leading cyclists and the break-away groups as they separate from the main pack, which typically splits the field into separate racing groups. This approach will allow race officials and fans to track the distances between the groups stage-by-stage.

US Army engineers choose BGAN to build resilience

Inmarsat Press Release - BGAN is supporting US Army engineering operations and helping boost the morale of troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Two new contracts awarded by the US Army to Inmarsat partners demonstrate the range of applications offered by the mobile broadband solution. The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is using BGAN for remote planning, building and disaster recovery.

Disaster response

USACE provides engineering and infrastructure services for navigation, flood control, disaster response and also constructs military facilities. The corps has in recent years been deployed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and has assisted in Iraq and Afghanistan. Global satellite communications provider Vizada is sub-contracting services to Delta Wave Communications, who will provide BGAN and other mobile satcom services to USACE.

Constant contact

Vizada says BGAN will make possible the smooth-running of operations by enabling constant contact between headquarters and teams in the field. BGAN will also give greater autonomy and improve morale for people working remotely for USACE through broadband data connections.

"Vizada continues to enhance its service and solution offerings to meet the rapidly changing needs of customers such as USACE," said Bob Baker, president of Vizada Inc.

Link with home

BGAN is also providing a much-wanted link with home for US Army soldiers stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan. TS2 Satellite Technologies is supplying rugged, lightweight Thrane & Thrane Explorer terminals so soldiers can access the internet and email, with airtime provided by Satcom Group. Able to withstand temperatures of up to 80 degrees C and also resistant to water, humidity, shock and dirt, the terminals are highly portable and quick and easy to set up.

"The internet access has resulted in major morale improvements. Troops no longer feel cut off from home - this is especially important for the many who are married and have young children," said TS2 chief executive Marcin Frackiewicz.

More information on Inmarsat website