The Inmarsat Broadband Global Area Network
(BGAN) was launched in December 2005.
It is the newest and most powerful Inmarsat service providing data speeds up to 492 kbps and simultaneous voice and data calling capability.
BGAN offers on-demand guaranteed data rate "streaming IP" services up to 256 kbps, as well as 64 kbps ISDN circuit-switched data for backwards
compatibility with older GAN applications.
The land portable terminals needed to support BGAN are unprecedented in their small size and weight. Three classes of BGAN terminal are currently
available, weighing as little as 2.2 lbs.
An older variant of the BGAN service called RBGAN offers extremely low terminal cost if 144 kpbs data-only shared-bandwidth service is adequate.
Inmarsat BGAN services cover a large percentage of earth's land masses and certain ocean regions (see coverage map).
The Inmarsat M4 or Global Area Network
(GAN) uses land portable terminals to provide on-demand
voice, fax, and 64 kbps ISDN data services. GAN brings an ISDN environment to almost any remote location, and two GAN terminals can be
multiplexed to achieve 128 kbps. GAN's 3.1 kHz audio mode allows analog modem connections. A 2.4 kbps
circuit-switched data mode exists for backwards compatibility. GAN's mobile packet data service (MPDS) is an "always-on" internet/data service billed on the
amount of data transferred instead of connection time.
Typical applications of GAN include
email, web surfing, transmitting large data files, real time or store & forward video, and
secure communications.
Most of the earth's land masses are covered except for the polar caps (see coverage map).
Outfitter Satellite offers GAN terminals from several manufacturers.
The lightest and smallest GAN terminal is the Nera
World Communicator. It is a ruggedly constructed system
with a tri-fold antenna for compact storage during transport and a wireless DECT handset for voice communication.
Another popular GAN terminal is the Thrane & Thrane Capsat Messenger which comes in portable trifold, rugged small dish,
and
vehicular antenna configurations.
Inmarsat Mini-M provides Voice, Fax, and 2400 bps Data on most of the
world's land masses and much of its ocean regions (see coverage
map).
Inmarsat Mini-M is a good solution--if you don't need high speed data--because it has no monthly service feeand requires relatively small light weight terminals.
Outfitter Satellite recommends the
Nera World Phone.
It is about the size of a notebook computer. It has two RJ-11 analog ports for
auxilliary phone and fax equipment and a 9-pin serial data port.
In addition to land portable equipment, vehicular and marine equipment with autotracking antennas is available.
Inmarsat M is a service similar to Inmarsat Mini-M with a larger coverage footprint.
One alternative to Inmarsat high speed data services is broadband VSAT. Unlike Inmarsat, VSAT is not a portable global solution
though it is an excellent fixed or limited mobility regional solution.
This is primarily due to the bulky size of VSAT equipment and
the fact that VSAT regional operators in different areas of the world use
incompatible equipment. VSAT equipment is very expensive, and VSAT broadband typically requires 1 to 3-year term
commitments. However, VSAT does offer Megabit per second bandwidth, and if you
expect to need broadband extensively for 2 or more years, VSAT should be considered. Setup time for a new VSAT installation is typically 3 months, so
BGAN on-demand high speed data terminals
will remain useful during the interim and as a backup system.
