Inmarsat and Intellian have entered into an agreement to enhance Inmarsat’s FleetBroaband service over the next 10 years.
Under the terms of the agreement, Intellian, a provider of satellite antenna systems, will design and manufacture a new generation of FleetBroadband terminals to support the existing I-4 network as well as to prepare for a number of advances set to come with Inmarsat’s sixth generation satellite constellation, the first of which is due for launch in 2020.
Commenting on the partnership, Ronald Spithout, president of Inmarsat Maritime, said: “As we approach the next stage of FleetBroadband’s evolution, we are excited to have partner such as Intellian with a justified reputation for flexible, high quality terminals that are manufactured in the most cost-efficient manner. We selected Intellian for this project also because their spirit of innovation and passion.”
The next generation terminals is set to be significantly lower in cost and feature a host of new capabilities, including much faster throughput speeds.
“It is also important to note that along with lower cost hardware and supercharged capabilities, the next generation of FleetBroadband, with the latest core module technology, will provide not just GMDSS but enhanced safety services; continuing to keep seafarers safe wherever they are in the world,” added Spithout.
Inmarsat-6 (I-6), Inmarsat’s sixth generation satellite constellation will be the first to have dual payloads satellites that each support L-band and Ka-band services. The I-6 satellites will increase the capacity of Inmarsat’s L-band services, supporting a new generation of capabilities – from advanced global safety services and low cost mobile services to Internet of Things applications.
“FleetBroadband has been a market leader for over a decade. We are delighted to be working closely with Inmarsat on the ground-breaking enhancements that will be delivered through the Inmarsat-6 satellite constellation. Supported by a portfolio of the most advanced terminals in the world, the new capabilities of FleetBroadband will maintain Inmarsat’s leading position in L-band services in the maritime industry,” Eric Sung, CEO of Intellian.
Earlier this month Inmarsat partnered with Deutsche Telekom to launch its European Aviation Network (EAN). The EAN provides connectivity for passengers and airlines, and includes 300 terrestrial LTE base stations scattered across the 28 European Union countries, on an S-band satellite, which launched last year 2017