1. Inmarsat’s Broadband Global Area Network (“BGAN”)
Arab Telecom and Internet Forum, 2006
Samer Halawi
Regional Director, Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia

2. Agenda A global NGN in a box Human dimension of BGAN Coming soon…
Today, I will update you on our humanitarian efforts since then, but I would also like to focus on the theme of this session ‘The Next Generation in Satellite Communications’ because today, Inmarsat has given birth to a new era in broadband connectivity with BGAN, which I am proud to declare as the world’s first global mobile Next Generation Network. Finally, I will talk a little about our plans ahead.

3. Evolution of mobile telecommunications
If we look back at the mobile telecommunications timeline, we’ll realize that we have come a long way in the last century. From tin cans, to megaphones, to cellular systems, mobile voice communications has become more widely available and cheaper. Data rates and bandwidth has been increasing with GPRS, Edge, 3G, 3.5G, and beyond.

4. Evolution of mobile telecommunications
Satellite communications, such as Inmarsat’s mini-M and Inmarsat GAN have complemented the terrestrial services that I just mentioned in terms of the coverage that they offered. Having a terminal that works anywhere on the planet is a feature that many industries or individuals have come to desire and rely on.

5. And then came BGAN
As people’s lives began to revolve around mobile communications that were always on, there was an increasing demand and necessity for technology to satisfy the human appetite to communicate not only with voice, but also with data. Inmarsat was satisfying that appetite with previous services, including RBGAN, but our vision was to deliver broadband connectivity and voice almost anywhere in the world. This called for BGAN!

6. The birth of BGAN
After a 6-year commitment and a $1.5 billion investment, BGAN was born. BGAN is the world’s first and only global mobile satellite communications service that provides voice, broadband data, and video, simultaneously, through a single and truly portable device. That makes the service a next generation network in a small box.
With BGAN, we can now offer speeds of up to 492 kbit/s in both directions (depending on the terminal), we can offer ISDN, IP streaming services at speeds of up to 256 kbit/s, and a separate voice service with all of the standard voice and value added services such as SMS, voice mail, call forwarding, barring, etc.
Those of you in the audience that are coming from the broadcast industry would realize the benefits that a small device could bring them when broadcasting from the field. They can send live video from anywhere in the world (without having to worry if the OB Van can reach the area), at anytime they want (without having to book for satellite time in advance), and broadcast as much as they want (without having to worry about paying for unused time).
If anyone in the audience is from the oil industry, you would appreciate being able to send geological data from the middle of the desert for instant analysis so that you can continue your work.
And I can give several examples like this of usage of BGAN.

7. Embracing the planet Only service to provide global coverage!
In a standard office environment, broadband access is now taken for granted. In today’s highly mobilized commercial world, more and more people spend a significant amount of time away from a central office, making access to essential business information critical. For those whose jobs take them away to more remote or rural locations, accessing the corporate network or the internet often means a return to slow dial-up connections, or worse still, no access at all. In this respect, BGAN is a breakthrough in satellite communications, with no comparables, as it delivers seamless network coverage covering 85% of the world’s landmass, or 98% of the world’s population, which makes it the only mobile satellite communication service to be virtually global.
BGAN was launched first in the Middle East last December 2005, which in itself is a testimony to Inmarsat’s commitment to the region’s end-users. BGAN is highly welcomed by our customers in this part of the world including media organizations, corporate executives and construction personnel who often need web or phone access in isolated areas.

8. The range of BGAN devices
How is the service delivered, well it is delivered via one of five small satellite terminals which provide different characteristics to suit different operational needs. With the smallest terminal weighing less than a kilo, BGAN terminals are all lightweight, compact and can be carried as easily as a laptop. Some are designed for single use, where others are designed for multi-use. Terminals can be connected quickly and easily to laptops via wired or wireless connections, including Bluetooth and WiFi. With any BGAN terminal, a fully functional broadband office can be set up and shut down in minutes.
Our devices are showcased in the exhibition area if you would like to see them.

9. Create BGAN hotspot anywhere in the planet!
BGAN hotspots
Easy to use
Multi-user capability
Global coverage
Create BGAN hotspot anywhere in the planet!
Because it is easy to use and requires no technical expertise, because it has the capability of supporting multiple users simultaneously, and because of its global coverage, you could set a hotspot anywhere in the planet within 5 minutes, using an Inmarsat BGAN!

10. BGAN Hotspot – Desert!
In the desert

11. BGAN Hotspot – Desert Storm!
And under the worst conditions in the desert!

12. BGAN Hotspot – City!
In the city while waiting for the traffic to subside

13. BGAN Hotspot – Mont Blanc!
In the North Pole! I think you get the idea…
Now, it is specifically because of this capability of having a flexible device that allows multiple users to be connected instantly by voice and high-speed data from anywhere in the world, that Inmarsat services are instrumental in supporting aid and disaster relief efforts.

14. Human dimension of BGAN
Hurricane Katrina: Aug 05
South Asia & Pakistan Earthquakes: Oct 05
Bolivia Floods: Feb 06
Philippines mudslides: Feb 06
BBC: Feb 21, 06
Niger humanitarian phoning operations: Mar 06
Inmarsat is the communications channel of choice for the media when reporting from the world’s danger zones and for NGOs, and government agencies when coordinating rescue efforts, such as the recent Mudslides in the Philippines, the earthquakes in South Asia and Pakistan last year, and Hurricane Katrina in southern USA.
In the wake of the February 2006 mudslide disaster in the Philippines, the BBC used BGAN to report on the disaster. This was the first ever news report to be transmitted using the BGAN service. Under harsh conditions, the BBC used the Hughes Network Systems device to transmit streaming video and standard IP to provide viewers clear footage of the relief efforts taking place in the Philippines. Following their experience there, the BBC used BGAN again for a live report of a breaking news story in Vietnam.

15. BGAN on the seas…
In terms of what is coming ahead, well first there will be more terminals introduced this year targeting the land sector, including vehicular terminals. Then, we will be introducing next year our Fleetbroadband service, which extends BGAN to the maritime sector.

16. BGAN in the air…
Also next year, we will be introducing Swiftbroadband, which extends BGAN to the aero industry. We are also involved currently in a consortium that is working on bringing the GSM service to the aeroplane, so that you could use your phone and phone number even when you’re in the air.
At the beginning of this presentation, I talked about the necessity for technology to live up to user’s standards and satisfy the human appetite to communicate. The handset market is another segment that has been on the mobile satellite technology radar and Inmarsat will be introducing within the next 3 years handheld devices to its extensive range of products and services.

17. Conclusion
To summarize my presentation, we believe that the next generation in satellite communications is portable, mobile, and also global. I have talked about Inmarsat’s role in the support of aid and disaster relief. Finally, I outlined our plans to bring by next year a maritime and aero version of BGAN, and to bring handheld devices to the market before 2008.
On that note ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your attention and enjoy the rest of your afternoon.