Editorially Speaking: "The Coming Battle for IFC - Who Wins, Who Loses" "Feature: Eutelsat's Advance: The Unstoppable Shift to Managed Services" with P.J. Beylier "As Cruise Sets Sail, Speedcast Launches a a Broadbrand Upgrade" With Bent Horwitz "Blue C Mobile: Hot, New VSAT VNO" with Wesley Tham "All Waveforms in a Single Modem: ST Engineering iDirect's Multi-Mode 5010" with Andrew Faiola
Table of Contents Industry Trends and Analysis: (pg. 3) Patee Sarasin, former CEO of Nok Air: "Unlocking the Riches of In-flight Wi-Fi" (pg. 4) David Bruner, former V.P. Panasonic Avionics: "Buckle Up! :Turbulence Ahead in Airline Connectiviy Markets" (pg. 15) "The Promise of the New Iridium and Aireon Services: Big Advancements in Air Traffic Management on the Horizon" (pg. 26) Ernst Peter Hovinga, CEO Hiber: "Disrupting the Satellite IoT Connectivity Market: The Promise of Hiber" (p.31) "Upcoming and Recommended Satellite Mobility Events" Pg. 38)
Satellite mobility World
Highlighting Disruptive, New, Mobility-Focused Satellite Ventures and Technologies
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Cover: P.J. Beylier
Volume VI, No. VII July-August 2021
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Welcome to the July-August 2021 Issue of Satellite Mobility World., our last issue until September. Our big story this month is the unveiling of Eutelsat's Advance, Eutelsat's new, Managed Services platform. In our feature interview, Eutelsat's Advance, The Unstoppable shift to Managed Services, P.J. Beylier, the well-known former CEO of Speedcast, talks about Advance and the impact of Managed Services on the VSAT Industry. It's an insightful interview that demands your attention. To compliment Beylier's interview, we follow up with one of the maritime VSAT industry's first Managed Service VNOs, Blue C Mobile, In an interview with CEO Wesley Tham, he unveils its strategy and value-added service portfolio. Next, Brent Horwitz, Spedcast's Sr. V.P. and General Manager for Cruise, Yacht, and Ferry, covers the recovery in the Cruise market, including the new constellations and technologies designed to meet the soaring demand for bandwidth. In an interview with Andrew Faiola, V.P. of Mobility for ST Engineering, we learn about their innovative new MDM 5100 modem that combines the Newtec Dialog modem with a separate and independent SCPC link. Maritime VSAT and enterprise are already major adopters. Lastly, in our Editorial, The Coming Battle for IFC - Who Wins, Who Loses, we assess the impact of free inflight Internet, the technologies best suited to deliver it, and the winners and losers in the battle to control the market. Enjoy and have a great summer! Satellite and Mobility World is published monthly (except August) by Gottlieb International Group., Inc. Suite 100, 1209 South Frederick Street, Arlington, VA USA 22204 © Copyright 2021 (Tel +1-703-622-8520)
Table of Contents... "Hot News and Commentary" (pg.3) "SmallSat News and Ventures" (pg. 4) Editorially Speaking: "The Coming Battle for IFC: Who Wins, Who Looses?" (pg.6) "Eutelsat Advance: The Unstoppable Shift to Managed Service" With P.J. Beylier (pg.9) "As Cruises Sail, Speedcast Launches a Broadband Upgrade" With Speecast's Sr. V.P. of Cruise, Ferry and Yachts Brent Horwitz (pg. 18) "Blue C Mobile: Hot New Maritime VSAT VNO" With CEO, Wesley Tham (pg.28) "All Waveforms in a Single Modem: Ste's Multi-Mode 5510" with ST Engineering iDirect's Head of Mobility. Andrew Faiola (pg. 39) Upcoming and Recommended Mobility Events (pg.44)
SATELLITE MOBILITY WORLD
Hot News and Commentary
Eutelsat Launches Eutelsat ADVANCE for End-to-End Managed Connectivity Services Paris, 24 June 2021: Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) has launched Eutelsat ADVANCE, a global network solution for unlimited reach in a world where increasing digitalisation is having a massive impact on connectivity requirements for businesses. Eutelsat ADVANCE is an end-to-end managed connectivity service, including network interconnection, a management portal and APIs for Service Providers and their clients, terrestrial connectivity, Ku and Ka-band capacity, and satellite terminals. Available via Eutelsat’s certified network of partners, Eutelsat ADVANCE enables clients to enhance their service portfolio by increasing the range of services they offer, leveraging Eutelsat’s powerful global capabilities and 24/7 support. The new solution includes a suite of tailored offerings addressing multiple markets, notably Maritime, Aviation, Enterprise for businesses including energy, construction, banking and retail, Government and Telecoms - with custom backhaul solutions supporting all 4G/5G coverage expansion needs and high-speed transmission links. Eutelsat ADVANCE’s global Ku-band network leverages the ST Engineering’s Newtec Dialog platform. It facilitates application-use identification and prioritisation at a compelling cost that scales with demand. The high-performance Ka-band network will enable powerful connectivity for Enterprise markets using Eutelsat’s in-orbit Ka-band resources combined with Hughes Network Systems’ ground network system. Kymeta Joins the U.S. Army Armored Brigade Combat Team Pilot Program Redmond, Wash., June 22, 2021 — Kymeta (www.kymetacorp.com), the communications company making mobile global, announced today that it has been selected to participate in the U.S. Army’s Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT) satellite communications on the move (SOTM) pilot program. The program will assess communications solutions on select vehicles to enhance battlefield network and command post communications. The ABCT pilot program will be led by General Dynamics Mission Systems, and Kymeta will supply eight u8 terminals for integration and testing on a variety of ABCT vehicles. Kymeta is the world’s first and only metamaterial-based SOTM terminal, and its electronically steered flat panel antenna platform utilizes satellite and cellular connectivity for communications on the move and on the pause. “Kymeta’s advanced technology has become an operational asset in many Special Operations units. We are honored to support the U.S. Army in its efforts to modernize ABCT communications,” said Rob Weitendorf, Vice President, Business Development, Kymeta. “On-the-move tactical connectivity is essential for combat teams during mission-critical operations, and we are proud to support PEO C3T and PM Tactical Network in its efforts to improve communications in the armored brigades.” Today, the u8 terminal is the only electronically steered antenna available and capable of supporting both low Earth orbit (LEO) and geostationary (GEO) satellite constellations. The u8 includes future-proof capabilities with its ability to automatically switch back and forth from GEO satellite constellations with linear polarization and LEO constellations with circular polarization. Kymeta’s advanced SOTM terminals automatically acquire and track satellites, join associated networks, and establish communications without moving parts or operator intervention. In addition, the u8 supports multiple modems and network architectures, ensuring that legacy systems are interoperable and that they have the highest levels of security, encryption, and authentication. Visit www.kymetacorp.com to learn more. Flexjet, Viasat Will Bring Industry-Best In-Flight Connectivity to Flexjet Customers CLEVELAND, Ohio and CARLSBAD, Calif., June 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Flexjet LLC, a global leader in fractional private jet travel, and Viasat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), a global communications company, today announced a partnership to install Viasat's industry-leading in-flight connectivity (IFC) system on select Flexjet fleets. This partnership is two-fold: it will provide Viasat's high-speed Ka-band IFC service on Flexjet's Embraer Praetor 600 super-mid cabin fleet, which serves transatlantic and domestic European routes; additionally, the partnership will provide Viasat's Ku-band IFC service to Flexjet's Bombardier Global and Gulfstream G450 and G650 aircraft with a path to transition these aircraft to Viasat's Ka-band system in the future. The Flexjet/Viasat relationship is designed around creating an exceptional connectivity experience that will provide Flexjet with better service economics, enhanced service flexibility gained through Viasat's vertical integration strategy, and greater service accountability. Intellian’s new R&D Center Boosts Growth for Satcom Innovation and Production 14 June 2021 – Intellian is pleased to announce that its new state-of-the-art Research and Development Center in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, is now complete and operational. The facility provides a new home for the continually growing engineering team, houses state of the art product and quality verification facilities, and will accelerate product development. In particular, antennas using emerging phased array technology will benefit from a new compact test range to assist with development and testing. The expansion also allows production to be significantly increased in the existing Innovation Center, meeting the increased order volume recently experienced by Intellian and providing capacity for new product lines. “This new building, which extends our headquarters by nearly 80%, is a clear demonstration of our commitment to rapid growth and continuing advancement through new technology,” said Eric Sung, CEO, Intellian Technologies. “With several new markets soon expected to come to prominence, we are investing in the future through development, innovation and expansion, determined to further our mission to empower connectivity for all. Our R&D Engineering team is at the heart of this strategy, and we’re pleased to give them the facilities they need to grow from strength to strength.” Growth and innovation are key to Intellian’s plans for the future, and this construction project is the first of several new premises which will open in the coming months. A new European Headquarters and Logistics Center will be completed this summer in Rotterdam, reaffirming Intellian’s commitment to the region and providing the fastest, most cost-effective product delivery to customers. Intellian’s UK team will take up new offices in London, making space for the growing team and offering close proximity to many key partners. Finally, a new R&D facility focused on emerging technologies will also begin operations in Maryland, USA. These new facilities will further enable Intellian’s strategy to devise and deliver innovative, customer-focused and future-proofed solutions, as demonstrated by recent product launches. In particular, the imminent launch of multiple new low-orbit (LEO) networks – a key driver in the development of phased array antennas – is expected to generate new business opportunities and facilitate increased use of satellite communications across the maritime, land and government markets. Globalstar Spot Gen4 to Provide Tracking and Safety For Thousands of Adventure Travelers In 25 European Destinations Dublin, Ireland – 17 June, 2021 – Globalstar Europe Satellite Services Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Globalstar Inc. (NYSE American: GSAT), announces that IoT track and trace specialist GeoDynamics is deploying SPOT Gen4 satellite GPS messengers to support its customers in the adventure travel business sector. The company has procured 600 rugged, reliable and economical SPOT Gen4 devices, the newest member of the award-winning SPOT family, credited with over 7,500 rescues worldwide to date.GeoDynamics’ first deployment in this field is for Travelbase, a Belgian travel company which organises trips for over 50,000 people each year, including adventure holidays to any of 25 European destinations. In 2017, Travelbase Managing Director, Mathieu Botta approached GeoDynamics asking for a satellite tracking device to give to his customers while on their adventure holidays, GeoDynamics procured GSM trackers which it provided to Travelbase, and also made the devices available to other holiday providers through rental. However, as Travelbase launched several new, extremely isolated holiday locations, it was soon realised that they required a device that offered much wider coverage and longer battery life. In light of these factors, GeoDynamics turned to Globalstar and SPOT. KVH introduces TracPhone LTE-1 Global Communications for Offshore Internet Access KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq: KVHI), announced yesterday that it has introduced the TracPhone® LTE-1 Global marine communications system designed to provide recreational boaters and commercial mariners in more than 150 countries with internet access up to 20 miles offshore. The system utilizes LTE Advanced (LTE-A) cellular network technology, which is faster than regular 4G LTE, and builds on KVH’s award-winning U.S.-only TracPhone LTE-1, which was introduced in 2018. With its ultra-compact 34 cm (13.5 inch) dome, the TracPhone LTE-1 Global is suitable for small and mid-size recreational boats such as sailboats, center console boats, and sportfishers as well as smaller commercial fishing and work boats that often rely solely on cellphones for internet access close to shore. The TracPhone LTE-1 Global is designed to enable various applications for mobile connectivity, such as streaming HD videos and music; Wi-Fi-based voice, messaging, collaboration, and video applications; browsing the internet; and posting on social media—all while offshore. Iridium Announces Operation Arctic Lynx More than 20 international organizations are involved in Arctic-focused communications exercises demonstrating the scope, quality and range of satellite capabilities supporting governments and NGOs in the polar regions MCLEAN, VA., June 10, 2021 – Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: IRDM) today announced Operation Arctic Lynx (OAL), a series of partnership-driven field exercises deploying Iridium® and Iridium Connected® technologies and involving more than 20 organizations, primarily focused above 60 degrees north latitude and stretching as far as 82 degrees north latitude. Taking place between June 11 and June 26, 2021, OAL involves an international contingent of organizations including existing Iridium customers like the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. federal agencies, Alaska state and local organizations, Canadian government organizations, scientific research organizations and multiple aerospace industry companies. During OAL, Iridium and Iridium Connected weather resilient satellite communications technology will be deployed through a combination of on-base, communications-on-the-move (COTM), at-the-halt (ATH) and remote environment applications. Technologies being featured include weather-resilient broadband (Iridium Certus®), Iridium Push-To-Talk (PTT), a variety of unattended sensors capable of tracking, environmental monitoring, remote control functions and managing data and image delivery, beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) capabilities enabling truly global real-time command and control for drones and autonomous vehicles (Iridium Global Line of SightSM), in-vehicle solutions and demonstration of cutting-edge capabilities like real-time on-the-move 1080 HD video over L-band. Iridium remains the only commercial satellite communications company with truly global coverage and a 20-plus year pedigree of providing reliable Arctic communications. “Iridium’s Arctic and Antarctic communications capabilities have long been a part of the fabric of government, NGO and civil enterprise activities in those regions and now with our upgraded constellation and new technologies developed, we have turbocharged our portfolio of solutions to address an increasing range of polar communication requirements,” said Scott Scheimreif, executive vice president, Government Programs, Iridium. “With more than 20 participating organizations, Operation Arctic Lynx will exercise the ability to provide real-time interoperability, communications-on-the-move, command-and-control and develop and maintain a common operational picture in austere polar regions. We’re proud to have so many esteemed organizations participating.” Kymeta Broadens Network Offerings for Government and Military Through Strategic Partnership with Comtech REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kymeta (kymetacorp.com), the communications company making mobile global, announced today a strategic technology partnership with Comtech EF Data Corp. (comtechefdata.com), a leading provider of satellite communication equipment. The agreement enables Kymeta to broaden its network of offerings for the Kymeta™ u8 terminal through interoperability with Comtech’s SLM-5650B modem. The pairing of the u8 antenna and Comtech modem using the Open Antenna to Modem Interface Protocol (OpenAMIP), an industry-wide open-source standard for antenna-router integration, allows for seamless integration and automatic operation through the use of both Low Density Parity Check (“LDPC”) waveforms and STANAG 4486 Edition 3, Annex E (EBEM) waveforms. (ARSTRAT) Wideband Global SATCOM certified modem for critical commercial backhaul, as well as government and military applications. It is fully compliant with MIL-STD-188-165A/B, complies with and supports FIPS 140-2 certified encryption. Kymeta u8 terminals, antennas, and ODUs are easy to set up and acquire service within minutes of installation. The u8 is also available in a transportable configuration called the u8 GO, which is ideal for rapid deployments. The u8 GO enables safe transport with a hardened case for protection and provides a built-in car mount to support easy communications on the pause (COTP) and on the move (COTM). Skylo and Inmarsat Work Together to Enable the World’s First Commercial Narrowband IoT Over satellite Solution London, UK: 8th June 2021: Skylo, a satellite-based narrow-band (NB) IoT solution company, has today announced that Inmarsat will provide the satellite capacity backbone to deliver its IoT solutions for connecting machines and sensors. The agreement pairs Inmarsat’s exceptionally reliable global satellite network with a complete, easy-to-use IoT solution that provides even the most remotely located application users with real-time, actionable insights; helping improve efficiencies, increase profits, improve sustainability, and save lives. The solution is available now in India through a partnership with in-country partner BSNL and expansion plans will be announced later this year. “The most effective IoT solutions require a truly resilient and flexible network that can scale as demand grows,” said Rajeev Suri, Inmarsat Chief Executive Officer. “Inmarsat’s industry-leading L-band network provides a unique capability for enabling the billions of connected IoT devices in India and across the world that are being deployed at an extraordinary speed. We are delighted to work with Skylo to provide the IoT fabric that matches their ambition.” “Skylo makes simple, reliable IoT connectivity available to everyone at disruptively affordable rates,” commented Skylo CEO and co-founder Parth Trivedi. “Even more attractive than a sharp increase in adoption due to low barrier-to-entry, is deploying critical new business capabilities as machine data becomes readily available and accessible. Our global IoT connectivity fabric makes way for thousands of life-changing applications — from managing vaccine efficacy during delivery, to advancing precision farming, to providing early warnings in the event of natural disasters. We look forward to expanding globally and making our platform available to small and large enterprises, companies deploying new sensors, systems integrators, distributors, Governments and OEMs.” Speedcast Extends Kinross Gold Network to Support Exploration of New Sites in Russian Far East Aberdeen, United Kingdom – June 8, 2021 – Speedcast, a leading communications and IT services provider, has received a contract from JSC Chukotka Mining and Geological Company, a Kinross subsidiary, to expand the company’s very small aperture terminal (VSAT) network supporting the development of the Udinsk Gold open-pit mine to two new license areas in the Russian Far East. Kinross Gold Corporation is one of the world’s leading gold mining companies. The Kayenmyvaam and Kavralyanskaya areas are early-stage gold prospecting sites that previously depended on satellite phones for connectivity. Speedcast will provide a fully managed wide-area network (WAN) connectivity service for Kinross and has installed dedicated WAN connections over VSAT at each site to establish a corporate virtual private network (VPN). The contract is the second extension received by Speedcast since its original start of service in 2020. Recently, Speedcast doubled bandwidth speeds available at the Udinsk mine. “Kayenmyvaam and Kavralyanskaya sites required a compact Ku-band VSAT terminal which needed to be flown in by helicopter due to their extremely remote locations. Providing this type of critical communications solution at the most challenging and remote sites is our business,” said James Trevelyan, Senior Vice President of Enterprise and Emerging Markets at Speedcast.
Smallsat News and Ventures
Hawkeye 360 Sucessfully Launches Next Generation RF Satellites Herndon, Virginia (June 30, 2021) — HawkEye 360 Inc., the world’s first commercial company to pioneer radio frequency (RF) data and analytics from space-based satellites, today announced that its HawkEye Cluster 3 satellites have successfully deployed to orbit and established communications with the company’s satellite operations center. HawkEye Cluster 3 joins the company’s HawkEye Cluster 2 on orbit as part of its second generation of advanced RF-sensing satellites. “We’re pleased that our latest satellite cluster has reached orbit and we look forward to ramping up operations to fully integrate the satellites into our constellation to broaden our products and services,” said CEO John Serafini. “Our constellation is leading the commercial field in RF intelligence, and with the addition of our second-gen satellites, we’ll offer more frequent, timely and actionable data and insights to our government, commercial and humanitarian partners. At a milestone like this, we’re grateful for our excellent mission partners, UTIAS Space Flight Laboratory and Spaceflight, Inc., who work alongside our amazing HawkEye 360 team to make our operations possible.” HawkEye 360’s satellites were built on a bus designed by UTIAS Space Flight Laboratory and contain a state-of-the-art RF payload developed by HawkEye 360. The trio of satellites launched from Cape Canaveral on Wednesday aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 and was dispensed from Spaceflight, Inc.’s Sherpa-FX orbital transfer vehicle. Once tested and moved into formation, Cluster 3 will significantly expand the current constellation’s global revisit and collection capacity. “The increased revisit and capacity Cluster 3 brings to our constellation are essential to detecting, characterizing, and understanding the continuously changing RF activity important to our clients,” said Alex Fox, Executive Vice President for Sales and Marketing. “Seven additional clusters are fully funded and scheduled for launch in 2021 and 2022 to achieve collection revisits as frequent as every 20 minutes. Each cluster will offer new innovations to address a rapidly growing set of requirements needed by our defense, security and commerce clients. We plan on expanding the constellation past the initial ten clusters to achieve near-persistent monitoring of global RF activity, which will drive even more value and ensure our continued dominance in the industry.” HawkEye 360 delivers a layer of intelligence — one never before commercially available — essential to understanding human activity on Earth. Today, many electronic systems across sea, air, and land generate RF signals. The HawkEye 360 constellation detects, characterizes and precisely geolocates these RF signals from a broad range of emitters, including VHF marine radios, UHF push-to-talk radios, maritime and land-based radar systems, L-band satellite devices and emergency beacons. By processing and analyzing this RF data, the company delivers actionable insights and a unique knowledge for national, tactical and homeland security operations, maritime domain awareness, environmental protection and a growing number of new applications, especially in the commercial sector. HiberEasypulse Makes Monitoring Remote and Mobile Assets Affordable for Every Business Amsterdam, Netherlands - 29 June, 2021 | IoT-as-a-Service startup Hiber has launched HiberEasypulse, the world's first satellite-based asset tracking system that makes it economically feasible for any company to track and monitor its mobile and fixed assets, even in the remotest locations. HiberEasypulse is a versatile asset-management tool that can be used in a wide variety of mobile tracking applications in sectors such as oil and gas, forestry, mining, and military. It is ideal for monitoring vehicle fleets by providing mobile IoT connectivity to predict maintenance issues, minimize fuel usage, and understand driver behavior. “Every business wants to benefit from IoT technology to reduce carbon emissions, minimize theft, reduce delays, and maintain their assets. But, until now, this has only made economic sense for large enterprises,” said Coen Janssen, chief strategy officer and co-founder of Hiber. “Hiber’s unbeatable combination of connectivity, simplicity, and cost rewrites the rules. HiberEasypulse brings tracking and monitoring of remote and mobile assets within reach of any business, and unlocks new use cases for both established and digital-native business.” SWISSto12 and SatixFy Team Up on Advanced Payloads for MEO and GEO Telecom Satellite Programs Lausanne: Switzerland, Farnborough: UK June 23, 2021— SWISSto12, a leading provider of 3D printed antenna and RF system products for the Aerospace and Defense industries and SatixFy, a leading developer and manufacturer of advanced digitalprocessing multibeam and beamforming products and systems for communications over satellite announced today a strategic teaming for the development and commercialization of end-to-end MEO and GEO telecom satellite payloads. Both companies are working together on multiple advanced payload programs and opportunities for telecommunication satellites. SWISSto12 and SatixFy contribute with best-in-class products that are essential and complimentary to the architectures of advanced digital payloads. Such systems require highly capable on-board digital signal processing capabilities to deliver re-configurable, channelized, switchable and regenerative payloads capable of beam-hopping and beamforming processes. These advanced digital payloads need to work hand-in-hand with best-in-class active antennas that have the capability to deliver high power and creating RF beams that follow customers demand on the ground. The combination of these technologies enables flexible telecom payloads which are a true game changer for satellite operators to boost profitability and reduce business risk in their operations. The technologies, being digitized and Software defined, allow for a highly programmable, self-calibrating Software Defined Payload enabling unprecedented fast time to market. SatixFy contributes to this partnership with its Software Defined, high bandwidth product portfolio in flexible digital payloads and beamforming technology that leverages upon its radhard SX4000 and Prime2 ASICs. SWISSto12 contributes to this partnership with its disruptive active antenna technology that leverages upon its unique 3D printing capabilities for RF applications. In partnership, the two companies seize the opportunity to co-engineer end toend payloads with and optimal integration, systems engineering and optimization approach for maximum performance of telecom missions. Astrocast, a Leading Swiss IoT Focused Nanosatellite Company, is Considering a Listing on Euronext Growth to Accelerate the Deployment of its Satellite Constellation. LAUSANNE, Switzerland – June 23, 2021 – Astrocast is one of the leading emerging satellite operators in Europe, founded in 2014 in Switzerland. The company’s global Satellite IoT network allows customers to expand their Internet of Things (IoT) strategy to remote regions of the world. The company which benefits from the financial backing of leading corporate and venture capital funds including US based Adit Ventures, Airbus Ventures, Swiss family offices as well as the European Space Agency, has appointed European investment bank Bryan, Garnier & Co as global coordinator for the transaction. The company is evaluating with its advisors a potential direct listing of 30 percent to 40 percent of its shares, pursuant to a private placement of newly issued shares extended to qualified international institutional investors, as well as strategic corporate investors, in what would be the first listing of an IoT dedicated satellite constellation. The listing could occur as soon as Q3 of this year. Inmarsat Secures First Fleet Data Premium Installation In Asia Pacific With Diamond Bulk Carriers And Nautilus Labs (New York, NY, USA / London, UK / Singapore / Tokyo, Japan – June 17, 2021) Inmarsat, the world leader in global, mobile satellite communications, has been pivotal in connecting digital stakeholders for Asia Pacific’s first Fleet Data Premium project. Delivered for Diamond Bulk Carriers, the project requires no new hardware to enable access to the Nautilus Platform for maximum fleet efficiency. At a time when Covid-19 restrictions continue to hamper travel for marine engineers, Inmarsat drew on certified engineers at Japanese service partner JSAT MOBILE Communications Inc. to retrofit Fleet Data on a Mitsubishi Ore Transport Co. Ltd-owned vessel at Tsuneishi Shipbuilding. Fleet Data is an Internet of Things (IoT) platform with inclusive bandwidth, delivering full visibility of a vessel or fleet’s data anywhere and anytime. “The Inmarsat service network supports maritime digitalization worldwide. In this case the customer wanted Fleet Xpress and Fleet Data to support IoT-based fuel monitoring and management, installed in Japan at a moment when engine service attendance was not possible,” said Keng Hoe Toh, Business Development Director, Inmarsat Maritime. With Inmarsat now offering ‘freemium’ Fleet Data with Fleet Xpress so that owners can use a limited number of shipboard data tags to trial IoT-based solutions without investment risk, Toh and his team devised a way to include more tags using ‘Fleet Data Premium’, enabled by a simple Modbus interface. LeoLabs Selects the Azores as Site for its Next Space Radar; Accelerates Presence in Europe for LEO Services and Infrastructure Menlo Park, CA, USA, June 16, 2021 -- LeoLabs, Inc., the world’s leading commercial provider of low Earth orbit (LEO) mapping and Space Situational Awareness (SSA) services, today announced the Azores as the site for its next space radar. As a strategic addition to LeoLabs expanding global constellation of LEO sensors, the Azores Space Radar will go operational in the first half of 2022. “We are very excited about our decision to locate in the Azores,” said Dan Ceperley, CEO and LeoLabs co-Founder. “This is a multi-decade investment on the part of LeoLabs, and a great opportunity for us to support the space sustainability goals of Portugal as they grow their presence in the global space community. It also signals LeoLabs commitment to a long-term presence in Europe.” “The mission of LeoLabs remains clear: serve the growth of the LEO economy, and ensure the long-term survivability of LEO for future generations. Today we are the only end-to-end supplier of radar infrastructure and services that can execute on this mission,” continued Ceperley. “Our global network already produces the world’s largest number of LEO observations, and the Azores Space Radar will build on that and expand our tracking of LEO objects by an additional 25%. This opens our ability to grow our LEO catalogue from tracking 15,000 objects today to a massive 250,000 objects. The Azores Space Radar also adds more timely updates on critical events in LEO, including collisions, breakups, maneuvers, new launches, and re-entries.” Orbital Sidekick Announces Upcoming Launch of Its Most Powerful Satellite, Auora, Expaning the Company's Focus to Promote Sustainability Efforts Across Multiple Industries Hyperspectral monitoring delivers precise and hyper-focused data to improve sustainable practices within the energy, mining, and defense sectors SAN FRANCISCO, June 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Orbital Sidekick (OSK) announced today the upcoming launch of its newest and most powerful hyperspectral imaging satellite: “Aurora.” Aurora leverages OSK’s previous experience collecting and analyzing hyperspectral data to provide action-oriented insights on the world around us, with a broad focus on sustainability. The Aurora satellite will serve OSK’s customers in the energy, mining, and defense sectors, including expanding contracts and pilot program opportunities for oil and gas pipeline monitoring & methane mapping, clean energy resource exploration, sustainable mining practices, and wildfire risk mitigation. “We’re excited to be launching Aurora to help provide consistent monitoring services across all of our clients as well as further the exploration for clean energy sources globally. Working with Astro Digital, OSK will be able to focus on the payload and extract information from our unique and proprietary hyperspectral data with the utmost precision,” said Dan Katz, CEO & Co-Founder of Orbital Sidekick. The Orbital Sidekick Aurora Satellite is a 30-kilogram precursor to the six 100-kilogram ESPA class GHOSt satellites scheduled for launch in 2022. Seattle-based launch services provider Spaceflight will be coordinating the launch with a total of 36 payloads onboard the SpaceX Transporter-2 rideshare mission, taking place June 25, 2021 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Base in Florida. Aurora will capture more than 450 spectral bands in the visible to shortwave infrared light spectrum (400 to 2500 nm) with a pixel size of approximately 30 meters, making it the highest resolution commercial hyperspectral imagery available to date. ICEYE Approved as Full ESA Earthnet Third Party Mission - The Programme Opens Access to ICEYE SAR Data for Researchers and Developers Helsinki, FINLAND – June 10, 2021 – ICEYE, Finnish New Space and global leader in persistent monitoring of the Earth through its constellation of radar imaging satellites, announced today that the ESA Earth Observation Programme Board has approved the integration of ICEYE’s satellite imagery into the Third Party Missions (TPMs) data portfolio. Through this programme, ESA facilitates access to ICEYE’s SAR data free-of-charge for scientific, research and pre-operational Earth Observation based applications. “We are delighted to join the prestigious ESA Earthnet TPM Programme. The programme is an incredible resource for the global Earth observation community, and especially for research data users.”, said Tero Vauraste, Regional Director Europe, ICEYE. “As the first New Space organization to do so, ICEYE provides data in all radar imaging modes through the programme: Spot, Strip, Scan. With these, data users have sponsored access to the full range of SAR imagery from very high resolution to wide area coverage.” ESA, through the Earthnet Programme offers free-of-charge data to international Principal Investigators from a variety of EO satellite missions developed and operated by space agencies and by commercial data providers. The data can be used for research and development of applications for pre-operational use. ESA also utilizes Third Party Satellite imagery for its own projects. ICEYE imagery was thoroughly and successfully validated in previous programme stages under the Earthnet Data Assessment framework before becoming part of the full TPM portfolio. “We are very pleased to welcome ICEYE as a Third Party Mission partner and to disseminate its SAR satellite images through the ESA Earthnet Programme.”, said Peggy Fischer, Mission Manager of ESA Third Party Missions. “ICEYE's constantly growing satellite constellation and the high quality of SAR images are an unprecedented data source and an asset for ESA’s Third Party Mission portfolio.” All current ICEYE imaging modes are offered through this programme. Users get access to the very high-resolution Spot imaging mode covering areas of 25 km2, the high-resolution Strip and the recently launched Scan imaging mode covering areas of 10,000 km2, respectively. It is possible to obtain archive data or request new image acquisitions.
The Coming Battle for IFC: - Who Wins, Who Loses
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In our recent interview with Global Eagle (now Anuvu), CEO Josh Marks spoke of the need for an agnostic approach to IFC, also noting that he also expects a shift to LEO in IFC markets. In support of his view, at the recent GCA Conference, Telesat’s Mannik Vinnakota, OneWeb’s Ben Griffin, and Starlink’s Jonathan Hoffler, revealed a prime target of their constellations is the commercial IFC market. Assuming IFC becomes a free service, demand will soar from around 6% of airline passengers to 60%, and airlines will have to pay the bill for a substantial increase in capacity. While LEO Ka-band will ultimately dominate the IFC market, GEO Ka-Band is available now, offers the lower cost per bit required when offering a complimentary service. Delta’s recent decision to opt for Ka-band on over 550 aircraft, and Global Express’s big wins with Qatar, Air New Zealand, Austrian Airlines, further demonstrate the emerging trend for Ka-band services, making ViaSat and Inmarsat, the big winners, and Intelsat, the purveyor of legacy Ku-Band services, a loser. It also puts Anuvu in a good position since it owns no satellites and can leverage the latest technology to its advantage. Once LEO Ka-band becomes available, we expect the market to shift again, either to all LEO Ka or to a combined solution in which GEO Ka and LEO Ka service a single aircraft. Driving the transition to LEO: Global Coverage: As more and more aircraft fly polar or near-polar routes, LEOs are essential to assuring uninterrupted passenger connectivity at high latitudes. The Cloud: Low latency is critical to interface with applications and data resident in the Cloud. Uplink Capacity: Airline passengers want to upload more videos and photos. Typical GEO links favor downlink capacity and streaming applications. Transmission demand is shifting from asymmetric to symmetric. User Experience: As high-speed 5G becomes the norm on the ground, passengers will want a comparable inflight experience featuring high speed and low latency. Ka-band GEOs and LEOs aboard a single aircraft can serve both streaming and low latency applicaions. However, an antenna wih multi-orbit will be required. In that case, artificial intelligence could direct high-volume streaming applications to GEO and Cloud Access and interactive applications to LEO. Hughes already deploys such a solution in its managed services offering, a capability easily adaptable to a GEO/LEO environment. To deploy it in aero, antennas capable of simultaneously accessing both GEO and LEO satellites will be required. Currently, in development, the availability of these antennas will likely coincide with the completion of the LEO constellations. For example, phased array antenna developer Isotropic Systems is building a multi-frequency and multi-beam antenna. However, Kymeta and ThinKom have one in service, although the Thinkom unit currently used in aero. While Ka-Band LEOs offer the ultimate promise of the Internet at home performance in the air, the ultimate question is whether the LEOs can find enough markets beyond IFC to survive. The aero market alone is not large enough to support the enormous cost of the LEOs, especially when split among several competitors. With new commercially backed LEO constellations announced every day and nation-states such as Russia, China, and the EU potentially joining the LEO game, monopolizing the market over their territories, very little market may remain for the commercial LEO constellations. In comparison, ViaSat and Inmarsat’s Global Xpress already generate substantial revenue streams from diverse customer markets, ViaSat from hundreds of thousands of satellite internet subscribers, and Inmarsat from a substantial base of maritime and government users. While the economic viability of the new LEOs remains unclear, the emergence of free Wi-Fi is a near certainty. Once implemented, it will drive up demand to levels that can only be satisfied economically by Ka-Band. We expect that Intelsat’s euphoria over the temporary bump in revenues from the Gogo acquisition will soon fade as it finds itself struggling to survive in a shrinking Ku-Band IFC market. - Alan Gottlieb
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The satellite VSAT market is shifting to a new business model, one with a profound impact on VSAT operators and Service Providers. Increasingly, Satellite Operators are selling managed services and delivering capacity by the Megabyte. Eutelsat's recent unveiling of Advance, its managed service, is another step forward toward the widespread practice of selling satellite as a Service (SAS). With teleport and network infrastructure consolidated at the operator level, the economically unfavorable duplication of assets at the operator level is slowly dissipating. With satellite capacity commoditized, VSAT integrators will need to rethink their business models to compete successfully. To find out how the shift to managed services will impact the satellite operators and integrators, we turn to former Speedcast CEO, P.J. Beylier, who has been working with Eutelsat to manage their connectivity business. SMW: It’s been over a year since you left Speedcast. What are you doing, and what are your plans? P.J.Beylier (P.J B.): It’s been 18 months since I left Speedcast. Since traveling the world extensively for Speedcast and spending little time at home, I took a year off to spend some quality time with my family. Since January, I have been working full-time at Eutelsat, managing the connectivity business line. That business manages Eutelsat’s services for B-to-B vertical markets, maritime, aviation, enterprise, cellular backhaul, and IoT. We are also supporting our government teams in the U.S. and Europe with their needs for managed services. I have also been very involved lately in the launch of Eutelsat Advance, which is Eutelsat’s first significant step toward transforming itself into a service company in B2B markets globally. SMW: I understand Eutelsat has just introduced Advance, Can you tell us about it? P.J.B.:Eutelsat Advance is a Network-as-a-Service offering providing Megabits globally in different frequency bands, and managed services tailored to specific vertical markets. It operates a global Ku-band service based on an ST-Engineering iDirect Newtec Dialog platform; and Ka-band service targeting Enterprise networks in Europe and sub-Saharan Africa based on an HNS Jupiter platform. Our goal is to achieve the Cloudification of satellite services. As such, the service has several unique features. Firstly, Advance is a managed service. We’re walking away from the traditional satellite business model where integrators must buy Megahertz and commit volume on long-term contracts of three or five years. Because we’re selling Megabits, our integrator partners no longer need teleports, datacenters, and hubs. It’s an on-demand service, fully flexible. Integrators can use what they need when they need it. They can buy capacity for one month, or three years and upgrade or downgrade as and when required. Secondly, we have added automation. Today, there are still many manual processes in our industry. To add, upgrade, or downgrade a service, you still call your service provider, and they must manually enter the order. Eutelsat has invested millions in developing an automated network provisioning capability and customer portal to put our partners in control. With it, they can provision services on their own without having to go through us. Thirdly, unlike other satellite operators moving down the value chain and thus competing with their partners, we want to remain a wholesaler of satellite services. While other operators see an economic advantage in vertical integration, we see an erosion of the integrator’s position in the value chain. We believe end-users will suffer because of it. In our view, they add value by combining our services with other essential elements, which we are not equipped to provide. They enable a complete solution, and we intend to preserve that value by supporting them in every way we can. SMW: The introduction of managed service platforms represents a significant shift in the value chain. What is driving it? P.J.B. With the advent of high throughput constellations, integrators cannot afford to build the ground segment anymore. Whether it’s a GEO, a LEO, or MEO constellation, or one that combines them into a single service offering, the ground segment investment is gigantic. Economics demands that the massive infrastructure required to support these complex networks must be consolidated and shared at the satellite operator level. That means that managed service-based integrators will differentiate less and less through the delivery of bandwidth. They need to add value through the addition of compelling services. SMW: What value-adds are you talking about, and how integrators fund their development? P.J.B.: VSAT integrators can redeploy the CAPEX previously invested in network infrastructure to fund value-added services. For example, RigNet chose to enhance value by acquiring Artificial Intelligence and cybersecurity companies. Speedcast, Marlink and smaller players like K4 Mobility or Blue C Mobile, satellite service VNOs, developed their value-added services in-house. A service provider can buy services from various networks, both satellite and terrestrial, and add value through an SD-WAN-like platform that automatically determines, based on the location of a ship, which network delivers the best performance. Then the end-user is given the ability to configure its service through an online portal. The ability to combine different satellite and terrestrial 4G and 5G networks and switch between them automatically is a high-value service as demonstrated by Telenor, for example. Other vital services include enhanced levels of support, both 24/7 remote support and local support, cybersecurity, integration with the Cloud and Cloud-based applications, IoT and data analytics, and crew services (entertainment, Internet, voice, telemedicine). The quality of support is a critical area of differentiation for service providers. I am talking not only about the satellite service. Integrators need to address problems beyond the satellite network, such as the customer’s LAN, because they impact the quality of their satellite service and thus the customer experience. Local support needs to be available on short notice in ports and areas of operations of their customers around the world. SMW: Do managed services threaten existing satellite VSAT integrators? P.J.B.: No. It’s a gradual transition, existing integrators will be buying more and more Megabits, and the growth of their networks will slow down and eventually decline. To compensate, they will add value with support services and all the value-added services mentioned previously. SMW: How will the transition to managed services affect in-place infrastructure? As teleport operations consolidate at the satellite operators, what will happen to the massive number of teleports owned and operated by existing Service Providers? P.J.B.: Ultimately, VSAT integrators will own and operate fewer teleports. However, existing GEO satellite operators will have to cover more geographies and need more gateways with HTS/VHTS satellites. LEO satellite constellations are also very gateway intensive, especially those without optical links. So, expect the number of teleports to grow significantly at the satellite operator level and be reduced at the service provider level. Satellite operators do not necessarily want to own teleports all over the world, an d will therefore rely on teleport operators, some of them being also service providers, by the way. SMW: Beyond managed services, will we see other shifts in the Value Chain? P.J.B.: I think there is a risk of seeing large end customers consuming big amounts of bandwidth, pushing to buy capacity directly from satellite operators when they still need service providers for support and value-added services. That creates interesting dynamics in the value chain! However, I believe medium-sized and small customers will still depend on VSAT integrators to provide a turn-key service integrating satellite bandwidth and value-added services. Because operators who want to go direct don’t typically have strong support capabilities, a new type of service provider will emerge that offers support and value-added services but not the satellite bandwidth. So, service providers are here to stay in the Value Chain. SMW: We are about to see LEO emerge. In what vertical markets will it have the most impact? P.J.B.: LEO is critical for specific vertical markets where latency is becoming critical – principally, oil and gas, cruise, government/military, cellular backhaul, and automated mining operations, to name a few. The trend toward digitalization and towards the Cloud is driving these verticals to LEO. However, GEOs will still have a role, of course. Assuming the availability of multi-orbit, multi-frequency antennas, we will see both types of constellations used in combination, LEO bringing global coverage and low latency, and GEO bringing density of capacity. SMW: Given the emergence of Ka-Band in both GEO and LEO, what is the future of Ku-Band? P.J.B.: Because many of the industries I mentioned are running mission-critical applications, Ku-band continues to be relevant. It’s simply more resilient. Besides, most existing sites have Ku-band antennas installed. So, it will be less expensive to upgrade to Ku-band LEO tracking capability than to switch to Ka-band. SMW: Why did Eutelsat choose to invest in OneWeb? Was spectrum priority the principal reason? P.J.B.: This investment in OneWeb is very exciting for Eutelsat, enabling LEO services as part of Eutelsat’s offering and also a future integration with GEO services. OneWeb’s first-generation constellation can provide powerful enterprise-grade services in multiple markets, including oil & gas, maritime, government, aviation, and as soon as end of 2021! There is real momentum! Of course, as I mentioned, resiliency and a significant amount of in-place Ku-band network infrastructure are important factors, as well as spectrum priority. I expect the second generation to have more bandwidth and other additional features.
Eutelsat's Advance: The Unstoppable Shift to Managed Services
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"While other operators see an economic advantage in vertical integration, we see an erosion of the integrator’s position in the Value Chain. We believe end-users will suffer because of it."
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An Interview with Brent Horwitz, Speedcast Sr. V.P. Cruise, Ferry and Yachting
As Cruises Set Sail, Speedcast Launches a Broadband Upgrade
For cruise operators, VSAT integrators, and satellite providers, the pandemic has presented an unprecedented series of challenges. Apart from its devastating impact on revenues, cruise lines and Service Providers have needed to adjust to chaotic changes in capacity across their geographical distribution. To find out how Speedcast, the world's largest satellite bandwidth provider, has met and dealt with this unusual situation, we spoke with Brent Horwitz, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Cruise, Ferry & Yachting at Speedcast. SMW: The Cruise Industry is coming out of the worst crisis it has seen in its lifetime. As the industry starts to sail again, can you tell us how Speedcast has managed the challenges of restoring Internet service to hundreds of cruise ships? Brent Horwitz (BH):During the pandemic, we worked closely with our clients to help them make it through the challenges of the last 16 months. The pandemic presented both our cruise customers and Speedcast with some unusual challenges. Varying capacity requirements outside of the usual cruise traffic patterns required temporary adjustment to satellite beam patterns and capacity. Fortunately, working with our satellite operator partners, we adjusted to the crisis and continue to provide coverage when and where it was needed. During the unprecedented pause in cruise operations, we were also able to upgrade our network infrastructure to our Unified Global Platform (UGP). As part of the switch to the UGP, we installed the new ST Engineering MDM 5010 modem across the fleet. ST Engineering’s new modem enables higher speeds and more sustained throughput than our previous technology. With it, we’re confident that connectivity on cruise vessels will be better than ever. SMW: Can you fill us in on the rationale behind the UGP upgrade? BH: There were clear advantages for us as a service provider and for our clients in consolidating our network under one unified platform. We’ve replaced a collection of technologies accumulated over the years with the UGP – a single platform – ensuring that we can deliver consistently excellent service around the globe. SMW: You noted you are deploying the ST Engineering Dialog platform and that it incorporates dynamic SCPC, SCPC, and TDMA into a single platform. Given the high bandwidth demand on cruise vessels, why not simply use SCPC? Why is the multi-mode capability important for cruise vessels? Are there other features of the Dialog modem that make it perfect for your global network? There are many reasons why the UGP is great for our clients and why Dialog is the technology platform we chose. It allows us to deliver the highest possible speeds and make configuration changes from a single interface. It also facilitates using different in-route technologies across the UGP, assuring complete freedom to select the best technology for each client’s situation, right up to the highest bandwidth needs. In addition, it also allows us to have remote sites that might only have small to medium bandwidth requirements, to handle single points of failure and or physical blockage from external sources. SMW: The Dialog modem accommodates a 400 Mbps downlink and a 150 Mbps uplink. However, as the demand for uplink capacity increases to accommodate passenger video uploads, do you feel that the uplink capacity is sufficient given the shift to symmetric rather than asymmetric traffic? BH: I agree that the outbound to inbound asymmetry ratio is slowly flattening due to the vast amount of content generated by passengers posting videos, uploading photos, and video conferencing, but it’s still closer to 3:1, and not anywhere near 1:1 yet. Still, a 150 Mbps ship-to-shore meets or exceeds needs on most vessels today. However, we recognize that some of the larger ships will soon need more bandwidth. Together with our ability to utilize multiple paths simultaneously, we’re confident that we’re well-positioned to deliver the uplink capacity that our clients need today and well into the future. SMW: O3b is deployed on Princess cruise vessels and delivering up to 1 Gbps. , How will you handle the increased demand on the largest vessels considering the Dialog 400 Mbps speed limitation? BH: We see other frequency bands and other orbital heights as a natural part of the multi-path model for delivering high-capacity, high-reliability IP services to the cruise industry. Using Ka-band and MEO has proven useful for delivering high data rates within the service area of a tightly focused spot beam, and O3b is to be commended for their pioneering of this constellation type and configuration. As you point out, Speedcast has successfully used O3b in the past, and in fact, we continue to use it today in delivering some serious capacity where it makes sense. We don’t think there’s one ‘perfect’ solution. We see it as an important part of delivering a reliable service in unison with other services – preferably different bands, different satellites, different teleports, etc. Each path is essential, but a combined service is much more than the sum of the individual paths regarding reliability and the quality of experience for the end-user. SMW: What about IoT? How will the cruise companies use it, and how does the Dialog modem handle narrow-band IoT transmission? BH: There are two parts to that question. Firstly, IoT is essential in allowing our clients’ businesses to make strategic and tactical decisions that are data-driven. For example, think of the food safety and cost savings if we can help spot that a refrigerator is beginning to fail or that a compressor’s duty cycle has increased over the last three months. If we can spot such anomalies before an actual failure occurs, we can realize huge savings through predictive maintenance. A different scenario is where a client might have a small standalone site, such as a regional logistics facility, and needs to monitor the various attributes, perhaps only generating a constant stream of 80 kbps of traffic. In that case, we can place a dedicated modem on the UGP and use the new MRC waveform for the in-route. The same link can also provide a higher bandwidth service for corporate traffic and telephony. It’s one example of where the UGP allows a client to dynamically share bandwidth across various sites, whether for IoT, corporate access, voice, or passenger traffic. While the collection and aggregation of IoT happen through a localized network, by the time it travels over the Dialog modem, it is essentially just another IP stream, UDP or TCP, protected by QoS and traversing the same very large link as other traffic. SMW: Can you tell us more about the Speedcast initiative to deliver automated managed service? How is the network managed now, and how would it be managed in your proposed SD-WAN-like environment? What functions will be automated and managed by AI – beam switching, satellite selection, etc.? BH: It’s called Speedcast Truebeam 2.0, and it’s our innovative solution for managed network services. Its focus is on ensuring that the client benefits from technological developments and possibilities, such as in a multi-path environment. In developing it, part of that challenge was to encapsulate the knowledge of our most experienced technicians and engineers in an AI-based solution that can switch beams and perform QOS in a near real-time environment. With the advent of automatic beam switching, multi-frequency, and multi-orbit environments, the network can no longer be managed from a spreadsheet. Truebeam automation is essential to maximize the performance of the network. SMW: In your managed service model, will you have the capability to detect those applications suitable for LEO vs. GEO and vice-versa and route them through the appropriate satellite network? I understand that such a capability favors GEO for point to multi-point streaming applications, and LEO best serves gaming and interactive applications. Wouldn’t this capability be important in a cruise environment? BH: Identifying the origin and type of traffic and directing the traffic to the appropriate network, GEO, LEO, MEO, terrestrial cellular, or HAPS will be critical to delivering an Internet-at-home experience. Such platforms are already deployed and I expect that as we enter the era of multi-orbit, multi-frequency constellations, the ability to identify and route traffic over the appropriate satellite network will be an integral part of the mobile communications infrastructure. SMW: Given the vastly improved efficiency of Ka-Band, you noted that Ka-Band might become the primary frequency in high bandwidth environments with Ku and C-Band used as a backup. As the demand for bandwidth rises to the gigabit level on large vessels, do you still see a role for HTS Ku? BH: Yes, at Speedcast, we believe that the growing demand for capacity means that all communications pathways must be considered and harnessed in a coordinated manner. This approach delivers seamless and highly reliable, always-on IP connections for our clients and their passengers. Ku HTS beams seem to make sense as part of that mix, along with wide-area C and Ku services – plus, even C-band HTS. SMW: Internet service pricing on cruise vessels in many is currently three-tiered, with social media, mid-range, and high-speed connectivity options available at different pricing. Do you think that model is here to stay, or do you see it moving to free across the board? BH: I do not see it changing to a free service anytime soon. The revenues are too meaningful. For too long, internet services on cruise ships were too slow, too expensive, and not commensurate with other onboard services. But this is rapidly changing and the cruise industry is investing heavily in more bandwidth and improved onboard infrastructure for a better guest experience. We are beginning to see a more all-inclusive approach to cruising with more onboard services are bundled into the ticket price, like data plans, shore excursions, and open bar. The demand for onboard connectivity, especially in the nomadic post-COVID world, is practically limitless. Providing ship-board broadband is good business.
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About Brent Horwitz: Brent Horwitz is the Senior Vice President and General Manager of Speedcast’s global cruise, ferry and yachting businesses. Leveraging more than 25 years of sales and executive management experience in the maritime industry, Brent leads the company’s customer engagement and vertical market strategies, providing innovative solutions that enhance the overall onboard experience. He is among the foremost industry experts and thought leaders and is a frequent speaker at industry events. Horwitz holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland and an MBA in entrepreneurship from Nova Southeastern University.
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Satellite operator-managed services are creating a new world of opportunity for companies wishing to enter the business of maritime VSAT integration. In the past, entering the market involved building and operating teleports, hiring NOC staff and long-term leasing of significant satellite capacity. Times have changed, and these barriers to entry have fallen. An industry built upon massive duplication of capital infrastructure is ripe for disruption by small, nimble companies relying on major satellite operator’s teleports and network infrastructure. Blue C Mobile (BCM) is one such company. It’s one of the first value-added virtual network operators in the maritime VSAT industry. Based in Singapore and launched with capital from the founders of Ship Equip, the Norwegian VSAT integrator that Inmarsat purchased for $150 million, Blue C Mobile buys megabits on Intelsat’s Flex network. It owns no teleports, NOCs, or other capital-intensive infrastructure. To learn more about what this unique new company and its offerings, we met with founder and CEO Wesley Tham. SMW: Can you give us some background on Blue C Mobile? How did the idea evolve, and the early investors? Wesley Tham: (WT) Incorporated in Singapore in early 2017, Blue-C-Mobile included several entrepreneurs from the Ship Equip group, executives, and managers very familiar with maritime satcom communications. Formed to bridge a gap in the maritime VSAT market, vessels with relatively limited budgets that require more megabits per/month than L-Band can provide but can’t afford the high price of traditional unlimited VSAT. Relying on our low-cost infrastructure, we’re able to offer them a flexible, low-cost portfolio of services that address their unique needs. SMW: Can you tell us more about your target markets? WT: Our initial targets are bulk carriers, containerships, and offshore service vessels, operating in Asia, the North Sea, and as far south as Australia. BCM provides a cost-effective solution to bulk carriers requiring much more than Inmarsat’s 200-megabyte basic plan. With it, they can access basic Internet and IoT services. Container ships and OSVs with even greater data requirements can benefit from fixed-price bundles of data from 3 Gigabytes upward delivered at 1.5 Mbps and facilitating the transmission of extensive web surfing, large documents and even video conferencing. SMW: Can you tell us about the service? WT: First, we designed a very flexible and inexpensive offering. End users have the option of buying either unlimited data at 256 Kbps X 128 Kbps at $599 per/month, or they can elect to purchase fixed amounts of gigabytes delivered at 1536 Mbps X 512 Kbps. Prices start as low as $349 for 3 Gigabytes. Essentially, we offer nine times as many megabytes for the same price as as a major L-Band provider charges for only 200 megabytes and much less than the $2,000 to $3,000 per month for an unlimited VSAT service. With BCM Data packages, customers will never get the out-of-bundle bill shock. When they run out of data, they merely click on the next data packages to continue usage, at the same price per Megabyte. There are no long-term commitments. We also offer affordable big bundle data packages from 30-120 gigabytes of data for use by fleet owners, who can allocate appropriate capacity to individual vessel requirements by corporate IT managers – all over our web portal. To make the offering even more attractive, we allow users to switch between the plans as they choose. Our web-based platform enables them to manage bandwidth and capacity on the fly, whenever they choose. That’s a significant improvement over the old, cumbersome process of phoning the distributor and or the operator to make changes. Now, individual end-users and corporate IT managers, can manage bandwidth and capacity demands on their entire fleets by themselves on a laptop. Second, we offer two inexpensive hardware options to get them started on the Blue C Mobile service. If they already have an antenna in good working order, such as the popular Cobham Sailor 600, 800, 900 series, Intellian V60E, V65, V100, V130 series, Cobham Seatel 4009 DAC, 4012, 6012, KNS series, and others. In that case, they can connect to the BCM network via our Hydrabox ($5,000). If they need an antenna, they can purchase a complete hardware package which includes a 60 cm Intellian antenna and HydraBox for less than $15,000. That’s substantially less than the cost of the traditional 1.0-meter antenna typically supplied with unlimited VSAT services. Third, we sell only through distributors, not direct to consumers. So, there is no channel conflict, unlike the distribution model used by Inmarsat in which end users can either buy through a distributor or direct from Inmarsat. Our distributors can rest assured that while competing against other suppliers, they will never compete against us. SMW: What about coverage? Is it global? WT: BCM is the 1st tier global Maritime Flex network partner of Intelsat. Intelsat has the largest redundant global HTS network. There is often more than one satellite with available capacity in many coverage zones, assuring that if one is blocked, another one is available. Reliability is assured as the satellite network is monitored and maintained by one of the world’s largest satellite operators. SMW: As you know, VSAT services are a key component of crew welfare. How does Blue C Mobile accommodate the communications needs of the crews? WT: With Blue C Mobile, crew members can purchase fixed data allowances packages for web surfing, e-mail, etc. If they want to do video calls, we offer a time-based streaming package. For only $60 per/month, they can stream for 180 minutes of data. That’s enough time to do a six-minute call every day for a month. Lastly, crew members can purchase our chat package over WhatsApp for only $15 per/month. SMW: How do you manage installation and service? WT: BCM’s lightweight antenna can be self-installed by the crew. It weighs less than 45Kg. It is a One Cable installation that connects to a one-piece Below Deck Unit (BDU) and our Hydrabox. Two crew members can install it in less than two hours. If they choose not to perform a self-installation, we have a global network of distributors offering full integration capabilities, including installing LANs, linking printers, and providing cybersecurity services. All the satellite hardware we provide is approved by Intelsat and supported worldwide by OEMs in many ports around the world.
Blue C Mobile: Hot New Maritime VSAT VNO
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About Wesley Tham: Wesley Tham, CEO and one of the Co-founders of Blue C Mobile Pte Ltd. Wesley has been in the maritime industry for over 25 years and has held various key positions in his career life. He was the Managing Director for Ship Equip Asia and Inmarsat Asia previously. He was also in Orange Business Services as their Head of Business Development, Satellite Network APAC. Wesley is also familiar with the North Asia region as he was recently based in Shanghai as the North Asia Business Director of a listed Chemical company in the Netherlands, till he decided to come back in 2019 to further expand the business profile of Blue C Mobile.
ST Engineering iDirect's New MDM5010: All Waveforms In One Modem Modem:
As the need for high-speed connectivity challenges the enterprise segment, VSAT Integrators, and Satellite Operators demand more capable hardware. Nowhere is the need more apparent than in the Cruise Industry. As noted in our interview with Speedcast's Brent Horwitz in this issue, the company has consolidated its connectivity infrastructure into a Universal Global Platform, relying on ST Engineering Newtec Dialog platform and the new MDM 5010 Modem. To find out more about this innovative new platform and how it meets the needs of Cruise and other industries requiring high bandwidth connectivity, we interviewed Andrew Faiola, ST Engineering iDirect's Head of Mobility. SMW: The cruise industry is finally emerging from the pandemic. What is the current situation, and how soon do you expect conditions to return to normal? Even as cruise vessels start to sail again, there is still uncertainty around port accessibility and passenger disembarkation. However, there is one bright spot. Bookings are recovering nicely and are even exceeding pre-pandemic levels. So, as a VSAT technology partner to the industry, we expect a return to growth and the robust demand for Internet connectivity at sea. As the Cruise recovers, we see even greater demand, especially from passengers who expect an at-home experience. With the assistance of ST Engineering iDirect, Service Providers have the technology to help them deliver it. Our new MDM5010 is a part of the solution. It combines the original MDM5010 that operates in Dialog with an independent SCPC mode-all in a single, convenient, and versatile modem. What benefits does the Dialog® hub and modem infrastructure offer to the maritime VSAT integrators and the Cruiselines? In December, you announced that Speedcast was an early adopter of the MDM5010. Can you update us? There are two sides to the question, one for the Service Provider and the other for the Cruise Industry customer. The MDM5010 can address many different verticals for the Service Provider, especially segments that demand ultra-high-speed connectivity. For example, Speedcast has deployed the platform across key sectors, including cruise vessels, megayachts, and other markets, allowing them to deliver satellite links impressive in terms of Mbps, packets per second, and simultaneous session counts. The beauty of Dialog and the MDM5010 is in the flexibility we offer the Service Provider to adjust the level of service as their customers’ requirements change. Service Providers can cover a myriad of use cases in a single return link. Our focus here is Cruise, but these Service Providers often also support other large enterprise customers on one end, all the way through to SCADA and broadband connectivity at the other. With Dialog, they easily share satellite capacity more efficiently over a group of satellite terminals for the lowest TCO. That's why Speedcast is relying on it as a core building block of their new network. This is critical to cruise line customers who will need to take advantage of the proliferation of innovations such as new constellations and flat- panel antennas. Speedcast, for example, will leverage Dialog with their own value adds so that it’s managed and agnostic to customers to reduce technology risk. Speedcast aims to alleviate the customer burden of decision- making and engineering. As cruise lines vie for passengers’ loyalty and their influence, cruise operators are well aware of how essential a robust connectivity service is to their own longevity. Dialog enables the superior Quality of Experience that these consumer businesses need to build and maintain customer loyalty. Can you clarify the modes you mention on the MDM5010? AF: There are two modes: the Dialog VSAT mode, which is the current functionality of our installed base of MDM5010s. It features Dialog’s Mx-DMA's return waveform technology, a form of dynamic SCPC. Our patented, efficient, and dynamic multiple-access waveform enables the sharing of satellite capacity more efficiently over a group of satellite terminals. For high rate, steady-state traffic in the Dialog mode, the modem also supports SCPC return technology. These different Dialog return technologies should not be confused with the added functionality on the all-new MDM5010s that offers a higher speed, 1.6 Gbps stand alone SCPC capability. For those who require the widest bandwidth and highest throughput, namely Cruise and cellular backhaul and trunking networks, the stand alone SCPC link may be more suitable. SMW: Currently, in the MDM5010, SCPC is available in both Dialog or all SCPC. Why do you need these two SCPC links in a single modem? There are a variety of scenarios where our multi-personality modem opens more options for service. Cruise Lines can rely on dedicated SCPC in geographical areas where Dialog infrastructure is not yet installed or where high throughput service is only required for certain periods of time, such as remote geographical regions accessible by limited satellites, beams, and teleports. Additionally, the dedicated SCPC link also offers the opportunity to trial new links independent of the Dialog platform before integrating remotes into a larger network. In that case, the link serves as a test bed to monitor traffic, demand, and performance of an individual remote before bringing it online in a Dialog network. Customization is a key advantage of the Dialog platform. It can prioritize traffic, service different types of devices, perform load balancing, adjust contention ratios, and beam switching. You no longer have to settle on a single, predetermined set of parameters. Service Providers are anxious to capture market share with IoT solutions, especially in Cruise. Does ST Engineering iDirect VSAT play a role? AF: IoT is an ever more important part of the connectivity puzzle. ST Engineering iDirect has designed its VSAT platforms to serve the needs of the crew and passengers and devices and sensors onboard. Data from various sensors is typically aggregated on the vessels and transmitted via the VSAT network. IoT connectivity supports voyage optimization and predictive maintenance applications that minimize fuel consumption, lower cost, and reduce carbon footprint. Enabling IoT plays a crucial role in decarbonization and in more efficiently running a vessel, from fuel consumption to waste management and hygiene. Where is ST Engineering iDirect in terms of the development of its multi-orbit and multi-frequency capabilities? Which of the two bands do you see as preferable in maritime and aviation? AF: We plan to support multi-orbit, multi-frequency in a single modem. The all-new MDM 5010 modem has the dual and return ports necessary to make before break in a multi-constellation environment, including NGSOs. Similarly, we intend to remain interoperable with Ka-band, Ku, and any other bands. Some of those networks may be proprietary, and some may use homemade Mbps, but the magic comes from being able to tie them together seamlessly and transparently. All frequencies have potential advantages and disadvantages depending on the use case, and Service Providers want the ability to combine and use them as they see fit. To further enhance flexibility, we are developing software-defined remotes that can continually upgrade over the air to increase network capabilities and throughput levels. Ultimately, these remotes would become an integral part of the terrestrial connectivity mix.
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About Andrew Faiola: Andrew is currently Head of Mobility at ST Engineering iDirect, where he leads a team responsible for the company’s strategy for aviation, maritime, and land mobile. Previously, Andrew spent over 15 years at Intelsat, the world’s leading satellite company, in a number of different direct account management and leadership positions, most recently leading the Mobility Solutions sales team for Europe, Middle East, and Asia. He also held various sales and marketing roles at NewSkies Satellites, and at an independent teleport in the USA called ESATEL Communications. Earlier in his career he performed research and project development work at the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), the Embassy of Mexico in Washington, DC, and at NASA, which involved the provision of Internet service and remote sensing for environmental purposes.
There are many mobility related satellite industry events, most of which have gone virtual or been postponed due to COVID 19. Upcoming Conferences: ****RESCHEDULED: Asia Pacific Maritime: Singapore: Live Show 16-18 March 2022: Biggest maritime show in Asia. *****SeaTrade Cruise Global, Miami: RESCHEDULED: 27-30 September 2021: The Cruise Industry is a huge user of VSAT services. making this show an important venue. It should not be missed - an important event for satellite service suppliers. ****Global Connected Aircraft: RESCHEDULED June 8-10, 2021 Now VIRTUAL: A popular conference address in commercial aircraft connectivity. ****SMM: Hamburg, Germany RESCHEDULED September 6-9 2022: A must attend for those interested in VSAT use in the cargo segments. *** RESCHEDULED AGAIN: CABSAT: LIVE: 26-28 October Dubai, UAE *****COMMUNICASIA: LIVE AND VIRTUAL 14-16 July Singapore: The most important communications event in Asia. *****SMALLSAT 2021, NOW VIRTUAL - 7-12 AUGUST: The best small satellite conference. Not to be missed! *****Satellite 2021: Washington D.C.: Gaylord National Convention Center LIVE: RESCHEDULED AGAIN: Now: September 7-10, 2021 The year's most important Trade Show/Conference Event. Great for an industry overview. Many good break away sessions on specific topics. ***IBC: September 10-13 2021, Amsterdam, the Netherlands ******WORLD SATELLITE BUSINESS WEEK: LIVE RESCHEDULED AGAIN - Now, December 13-16, The Westin Paris, France. A must attend. The most important satellite conference of the year. and best networking opportunity.
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Upcoming and Recommended Satellite Mobility Events
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