20. August 2010 by admin.

Big news for marine satcom users today: the mini-VSAT Broadband service got a 500% capacity expansion in N. America, the Gulf of Mexico, and Central America.

http://www.kvh.com/Press-Room/Press-Release-Library/2010/100819-mVBB-CONUS-Expansion.aspx?goback=%2Egde_3208547_member_27613574%2Egmp_3208547%2Egde_3208547_member_27582871

Alan Spicer Commented (on LinkedIn “Marine Telecom (Communications” Forum/Group):

Alan Spicer Marine Telecom • I’m a Kilobits-per-Second and Megabits-per-second kind of guy. Actually I should a Kibibit and Mebibit kind of guy - but that’s just being modern and proper … only the Linux guys or such would really kill me about that.Also a dollars for donuts kind of guy. Always fighting for the marine guys and gals out there on the streets. Actually out there on the waters So 500% “capacity” expansion. That’s a big number. Imagine your car going 500% faster or getting 500% better gas mileage. Just to put it in laymans terms.So what does that mean in laymans terms? In technical terms, to me, that just means that your network (satellite network) capacity increased.

“Circling around at 500 feet lifes imperfect … but down on the street it’s unforgiving”
(Paraphrasing that movie Blackhawk Down)

I don’t think this means that users on boats are going to get any faster Internet Service than what they’re already paying for, right? Just if there were “capacity” problems … say in the Gulf Region … due to Oil Cleanup marine vessel activity … then such capacity problems, if there were any (hypothetically here) that would be “cleaned up” now as well?

In a similar Telecom scenario … AT&T Wireless has capacity problems because of huge success of the iPhone exclusive arrangement. Let’s say AT&T were to increase their “capacity” in those ares. It would solve the capacity problems and restore normal service.

[end]

Durant: Where’s the rescue squad?
Shughart: We’re it.

Eversmann: Remember, we’re Rangers not some sorry-ass JROTC. We’re Elite. Let’s act like it out there. Hoo-ah?
Rangers: Hoo-ah!

///////////////////////////////////

Harry Ellis: Hey, business is business. You use a gun, I use a fountain pen what’s the difference? Let’s put it in my terms, you’re in a hostile takeover, you snatch us up for some green mail, but you’re not expecting some poison pill to be running around the building, am I right? Hans, *booby* I’m your white knight.

Hans Gruber: [Looking puzzled] I must have missed 60 Minutes. What are you saying?
(Die Hard (1988))

—
Alan SpicerDBA Alan Spicer Telcom / Alan Spicer Marine Telecom
Computer Services, Wired/Wireless Networking,
Cell/Sat/Landline Communications, General Consulting…
Marine, Business, Small Office and Home Office (SOHO) * Cost Savings and Integration of Multiple Internet Technologies
on board Sail and Motor Yachts * Documentation, Operating
Instructions, and Support after the Sale ** http://www.marinetelecom.net/
* http://www.internetforyachts.net/
* http://www.wifiyacht.net/
* 954-683-3426

Mobile Internet! Step up to the HSPA 3G Fast Internet!

Ericsson W35 released in the USA. This you’ve gotta SEE!!
Better looking presentation than W25 (you might not want to
hide this one in the Doghouse!) + High Speed Upload which
the W25 did not have.
http://www.marinetelecom.net/Ericsson_W35/

Posted in Satellite Voice and Internet | No Comments »

20. August 2010 by admin.

Inmarsat Global Xpress Broadband Service Set For 2014 Cutover

http://www.cable360.net/ct/news/thewire/Inmarsat-Global-Xpress-Broadband-Service-Set-For-2014-Cutover_42777.html

Global mobile satellite giant Inmarsat will launch, in partnership with The Boeing Company, three state-of-the-art 702HP Ka-band satellites, commercializing them in 2014.

The Inmarsat-5 constellation will allow Inmarsat to market what it said will be “a unique, global, high-speed mobile broadband service offering” initially dubbed Global Xpress.

Global Xpress, which will target a $1.4 billion incremental market opportunity in VSAT services, will address “the established, growing markets for VSAT services in the maritime, energy and government sectors, with further growth potential in developing markets such as the aeronautical sector,” an Inmarsat statement continued. “Global Xpress will deliver seamless global coverage and unprecedented mobile broadband with speeds up to 50MB/s to customer terminals from 20-60cm in size.”

Inmarsat is estimating $500 million in annual Ka-band revenues five years after service launch. Under a separate arrangement, Boeing has agreed to become a distribution partner for both Inmarsat’s Ka- and L-band services; it also has contracted for capacity purchases representing more than 10 percent of Inmarsat’s target Ka-band revenues in that first five years.

Commented Inmarsat Chairman and CEO Andrew Sukawaty, “This is a new investment for new growth. With the Global Xpress network, we will be the first operator to offer global mobile broadband coverage, offering unparalleled speeds and bandwidth to customers in remote locations around the world. Global Xpress will be faster and less expensive than current Ku-band market offerings, delivered to smaller and cheaper terminals and be the first offered on a seamless, global, end to end basis with high quality of service. Picture 50MB/s services to a ship or aircraft and 10MB/s to an antenna the size of an iPad.”

He continued, “Inmarsat-5 will also complement our existing global L-band services, allowing us to offer unique hybrid packages using both networks, giving users unprecedented levels of resilience and reliability in remote and harsh environments.”

Explaining how the constellation will be financed, CFO Rick Medlock said, “We expect the Inmarsat-5 program to be largely funded from our internally generated cash flows and, with significant available liquidity today, we see no immediate financing needs. In connection with the Boeing contract, we are seeking Export Credit Agency financing support from the US Ex-Im Bank, which could provide an attractive source of long-term debt. Given the multi-year build phase and the strong free cash flow from our existing business, we believe the peak impact on our ratio of net debt to EBITDA will be less than 0.5.”

The operator also believes Inmarsat-5 will start the gradual replacement of its L-band network, resulting in a deferment of more than $500 million of its previously planned replacement spend during the next 11 years.

* Alan Spicer asks: So what will the current Inmarsat Fleet Broadband and BGAN customers need to do? If anything? Will they continue to be able to use their investments in their current satellite terminal gear? (This said “cutover” that generally means cutting off an old and cutting of or cutting in a new service.) Or will they be phased out and have to buy new gear and change their service? What will the Marine rates be?

* Global Xpress will be faster and less expensive than current Ku-band market offerings

Uhuh … what about marine? will the airtime be less expensive?

—
Alan Spicer

DBA Alan Spicer Telcom / Alan Spicer Marine Telecom
Computer Services, Wired/Wireless Networking,
Cell/Sat/Landline Communications, General Consulting…
Marine, Business, Small Office and Home Office (SOHO)

* Cost Savings and Integration of Multiple Internet Technologies
on board Sail and Motor Yachts * Documentation, Operating
Instructions, and Support after the Sale *

* http://www.marinetelecom.net/
* http://www.internetforyachts.net/
* http://www.wifiyacht.net/
* 954-683-3426

Mobile Internet! Step up to the HSPA 3G Fast Internet!

Ericsson W35 released in the USA. This you’ve gotta SEE!!
Better looking presentation than W25 (you might not want to
hide this one in the Doghouse!) + High Speed Upload which
the W25 did not have.
http://www.marinetelecom.net/Ericsson_W35/

Posted in Satellite Voice and Internet | No Comments »

20. August 2010 by admin.

I was asked today about: Walmart, Target and Best Buy offering a telephone service with unlimited data - Do I recommend for Marine / Whole Boat Use? (as opposed to single user hand phone use.)

* At this point in time this is NOT a recommended service for marine / yachting … here’s why:

What I’m seeing so far is pre-paid wireless … $30 a month has 30 Mb of mobile web. $45 plan has unlimited …

Not sure if this is Fast Internet. Indicators seem to say that you wouldn’t be expected to use much data on the

little phones provided. Straight Talk is a Tracphone company “Service”. I’m resorting to THIS:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TracFone_Wireless

to try and get past myth and get into reality about it.

“Straight Talk is a Mobile Virtual Network operator (MVNO) that uses Verizon’s CDMA 1xRTT wireless network, which was introduced in 2001 and is said to deliver between 40 and 60 kb/s to customers.”

Sim Cards, even if the one they sell you is GSM and has a Sim Card, are locked to the Phone and cannot be used in another GSM device.

http://gizmodo.com/5381437/walmart-offering-45-unlimited-cellphone-plan-nationwide

Walmart To Launch Straight Talk Exclusively, Nationwide…

———————————————————————–

I called Tracphone, the providers of Straight Talk plans and phones. They cannot tell how fast it is. Older phones they offered were CDMA based (which means Verizon) but 2 new phones are GSM … they don’t even seem to understand the word 3G. The person I am talking to is in South America - although the home office is in Miami, Florida.

No doubt … as I said before … the sim card would be crippled not to work in another GSM / 3G device.

Maybe the stock of Walmart or Tracphone might have forward looking statements ;-) regarding this. I would not recommend the product/service for Marine Use. Personal use perhaps … but pretty much for Voice Calling and limited mobile web use.

It’s definitely a “Big Box Store” strategy … probably very good for the store, and for Tracphone. Maybe good for individual hand phone users wanting to save $$$ on their cellular bills. No idea how the cellular service is. You’d want to make sure that

any International use was covered under the plans quoted. Remember this is Pre-Paid cellular.

If it goes over BIG like some seem to expect it will … could there be capacity problems? Well it’s GSM not 3G. Maybe they can stretch it across multiple “Actual Cellular Carriers”. After all Tracphone is a Virtual Mobile Network Provider. (Read: A Reseller of Air Time.)

—
Alan Spicer

DBA Alan Spicer Telcom / Alan Spicer Marine Telecom
Computer Services, Wired/Wireless Networking,
Cell/Sat/Landline Communications, General Consulting…
Marine, Business, Small Office and Home Office (SOHO)

* Cost Savings and Integration of Multiple Internet Technologies
on board Sail and Motor Yachts * Documentation, Operating
Instructions, and Support after the Sale *

* http://www.marinetelecom.net/
* http://www.internetforyachts.net/
* http://www.wifiyacht.net/
* 954-683-3426

Mobile Internet! Step up to the HSPA 3G Fast Internet!

Ericsson W35 released in the USA. This you’ve gotta SEE!!
Better looking presentation than W25 (you might not want to
hide this one in the Doghouse!) + High Speed Upload which
the W25 did not have.
http://www.marinetelecom.net/Ericsson_W35/

Posted in Cellular Voice and Internet | No Comments »