BGAN is a Blessing

BGAN News
Pole to Pole duo finish epic journey

20-05-2008 - Two intrepid young explorers have reached Sydney, Australia, after a year-long man-powered trek across the world to raise awareness about climate change.

Young Britons Rob Gauntlett, aged 20, and James Hooper, aged 21, sailed into Sydney Harbour on 9 May on board the yacht Blizzard after reaching their final objective in raging seas - the magnetic South Pole.

The pair set off in April 2007 from the North Pole on a journey that took them from the Arctic to the Antarctic via the Americas.

On 24 April they reached the ever-shifting magnetic South Pole - currently at around 63 degrees S and 138 degrees E, just off the Antarctic's Adelie Coast.

Walking, cycling and sailing 22,000 km (13,500 miles), Rob and James kept in touch with the world using an HNS 9201, an Inmarsat BGAN terminal loaned by our partner BT. Airtime was sponsored jointly by BT and Inmarsat.

During their travels they highlighted mankind's destructive impact on the environment, while travelling - for the most part - using only man-powered means.

Dangerous momentsAlong the way they experienced some harrowing moments, as well as plenty of stunning scenery and good old-fashioned human kindness.

On one occasion, Rob fell through the ice into freezing waters as they crossed the Arctic. But, fortunately, James quickly pulled him out and used the BGAN terminal to call a rescue helicopter to rush him to hospital.

And hours before reaching magnetic South, a raging storm up-turned their boat, causing havoc inside the cabin.

This terrifying incident helped prove the resilience of the ruggedised BGAN equipment and laptop PC, which remained watertight and undamaged below deck.

EnvironmentalistsWeeks earlier, in warmer climes, their BGAN helped them relay video blogs from El Salvador in Central America, where they highlighted how deforestation has made the soil vulnerable to erosion, exacerbating the impact of extreme weather and natural disasters.

After reaching Patagonia in Argentina at the southern-most tip of South America, Rob also took time to explain - via video blog - just how useful BGAN has been during their journey.

"It really helps to have satellite gear that allows us to always be in contact in a really modern way," he said.

"Basically it provides us with broadband speed internet [so we can] set up the terminal and download all our emails and stay in touch."

They sailed into Sydney harbour on a boat manned by three professional mariners.

During the expedition they have also been raising funds for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and The Prince's Trust.

BGAN NEWS

Mixed fortunes as Makalu expedition summits

12-06-2008 - The dramatic final days of the British Armed Forces' Makalu 2008 expedition were relayed to the world via BGAN as four teams reached the end of an exhausting six weeks in the Himalaya.

Family, friends, sponsors and an avid online audience of thousands saw daily updates in words, pictures and video relayed via Inmarsat's broadband global network to the expedition website.
The main team in the joint services' Makalu 2008 expedition successfully summitted three of its number on Makalu at 8,463 metres (27,770 ft), approaching up the southern slopes.

South-east ridgeThe success of Flight Lieutenant Jonathon Percival and his Sherpa, Dawa, was followed a few days later by Major Matt Hing and Lieutenant Lara Herbert with their sherpas, Dendi and Dayula.

A team scaling via the south-east ridge were less fortunate. Despite reaching further along the ridge than any other team since 1976, the final push for the peak proved elusive.

After First Warrant Officer Dick Gale suffered from a sore throat and possible chest infection, south-east team leader Squadron Leader Colin Scott wrote about their struggle to re-climb from base camp at 5,800 metres (19,029 ft) to pre-established camps two, three, four and five in their preparations to reach the summit.

Physical difficultiesAfter cresting a ridge and setting off in glorious sunshine for camp two at about 6,800 metres (22,310 ft), Colin faced his own physical difficulties.

"I began to experience similar symptoms to those that had affected Dick earlier in the day. Step after step had me convulsing in an extreme coughing fit and my upward progress slowed to a snail¿s pace," he wrote.

"After wrestling with the problem for 20 minutes, we agreed that my condition would only worsen as we went higher and the only sensible option was to descend to base camp."

High altitudeHowever, the expedition's high altitude development team did succeed in achieving their initial goals.

They trekked 240km (149 miles) with a total vertical ascent of nearly 10,000 metres (32,808 ft) - higher than Everest. They also successfully and safely navigated their intended route and climbed their chosen mountains. More importantly they developed the skills required for future Himalayan expeditions.

Video reportageThe junior team also succeeded in achieving all of their pre-expedition goals. They trekked through the foothills of the Himalaya and successfully climbed Mera Peak at 6,476 metres (21,247 ft).

The expedition's video and web log reportage was made possible by Inmarsat partner NSSL, a global provider of satellite services and equipment, which provided the teams with four BGAN terminals.

The Makalu 2008 expedition involves about 40 people selected from the UK's army, navy and air force, and comprises two Makalu ascent teams, one high-altitude acclimatisation group and a "junior" trekking contingent.

The expedition also raised funds for SOS Children's Villages, an international charity that provides family environments, schools and communities for orphaned and abandoned children.

Thuraya IP is finally here....

ThurayaIP

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A generation ahead in design and performance, ThurayaIP satellite broadband modem combines ultimate performance with a customized rugged design and protection to sustain rough usage. It is very portable and easy to setup - a simple plug and play mechanism that comes with user friendly graphical user interface.

ThurayaIP is ideal…

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• Internet access – High speed Internet at speeds of up to 444 Kbps.
  
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Awards Given to BGAN Developers

Innovation award honours pioneers of BGAN

14-05-2008 - Two Inmarsat experts have been presented with an innovation award by the mobile satellite industry for leading the development of BGAN.

The Mobile Satellite Users Association (MSUA) presented its innovation award to Inmarsat's chief scientist Marcus Vilaça and director of systems and network engineering, Alan Howell, at its annual conference in Baltimore in the US on May 13.

MSUA president Tim Farrar said: "The award recognises the exciting new broadband applications that BGAN has enabled on a worldwide basis - including highly portable video, data and voice communications."

Transforming Communications

Both Marcus and Alan are proud that Inmarsat's team has been recognised for introducing a system which has transformed global mobile broadband communications.

Alan said: "The award is all the more welcome because it came out of the blue. It' s great that the industry is recognising that BGAN is a highly innovative system.

"Both Marcus and I feel a lot of personal attachment to BGAN - the fact that other people recognise its capabilities too is even more appreciated."

The pair started working on ideas for a new system back in 1995 - focusing on trying to harness emerging technologies such as the internet and mobile data.

The team expanded over time, and BGAN owes its success to the effort and dedication of all those involved in the project.

Future successAnd it was the move to develop a satellite version of the universal mobile telecommunications mobile broadband system - for people who are out of range of terrestrial services - which eventually proved pivotal to Inmarsat's future success.

The team carried out painstaking research, working with external companies to create a flexible and efficient standard BGAN system - which could deliver high-speed data and voice services simultaneously - via satellite.

Alan said: "The result was a very capable system which can continue to be evolved and built on over time."

BGAN Saves The Day....again

Pole to Pole duo finish epic journey

20-05-2008 - Two intrepid young explorers have reached Sydney, Australia, after a year-long man-powered trek across the world to raise awareness about climate change.

Young Britons Rob Gauntlett, aged 20, and James Hooper, aged 21, sailed into Sydney Harbour on 9 May on board the yacht Blizzard after reaching their final objective in raging seas - the magnetic South Pole.

The pair set off in April 2007 from the North Pole on a journey that took them from the Arctic to the Antarctic via the Americas.

On 24 April they reached the ever-shifting magnetic South Pole - currently at around 63 degrees S and 138 degrees E, just off the Antarctic's Adelie Coast.

Walking, cycling and sailing 22,000 km (13,500 miles), Rob and James kept in touch with the world using an HNS 9201, an Inmarsat BGAN terminal loaned by our partner BT. Airtime was sponsored jointly by BT and Inmarsat.

During their travels they highlighted mankind's destructive impact on the environment, while travelling - for the most part - using only man-powered means.

Dangerous momentsAlong the way they experienced some harrowing moments, as well as plenty of stunning scenery and good old-fashioned human kindness.

On one occasion, Rob fell through the ice into freezing waters as they crossed the Arctic. But, fortunately, James quickly pulled him out and used the BGAN terminal to call a rescue helicopter to rush him to hospital.

And hours before reaching magnetic South, a raging storm up-turned their boat, causing havoc inside the cabin.

This terrifying incident helped prove the resilience of the ruggedised BGAN equipment and laptop PC, which remained watertight and undamaged below deck.

EnvironmentalistsWeeks earlier, in warmer climes, their BGAN helped them relay video blogs from El Salvador in Central America, where they highlighted how deforestation has made the soil vulnerable to erosion, exacerbating the impact of extreme weather and natural disasters.
After reaching Patagonia in Argentina at the southern-most tip of South America, Rob also took time to explain - via video blog - just how useful BGAN has been during their journey.

"It really helps to have satellite gear that allows us to always be in contact in a really modern way," he said.

"Basically it provides us with broadband speed internet [so we can] set up the terminal and download all our emails and stay in touch."

They sailed into Sydney harbour on a boat manned by three professional mariners.

During the expedition they have also been raising funds for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and The Prince's Trust.