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

An agreement signed by the European Space Agency (ESA) and Inmarsat will result in global mobile broadband services being available from almost anywhere in the world.

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

Following the launch of the first of the fourth generation Inmarsat satellites in 2004, BGAN is expected to become operational for land services in 2005.

The BGAN system will be compatible with third-generation (3G) cellular terrestrial systems and will adopt an ‘Open Standards’ approach.

From a disaster recovery point of view, BGAN will offer a more cost-effective means of ensuring that data availability is no longer dependent upon fixed communications infrastructures.

•Date: 18th December 2003 •Region: Various •Type: Article •Topic: IT continuity
Rate this article or make a comment - click here