GMPCS exhibits new “KA-band” FlyAway Uplink Solutions at NAB

Despite the advancements in LTE and bonded-cellular technologies, the need for “guaranteed” bandwidth and truly mobile satellite equipment is greater now than ever for media organizations— especially when cellular networks get congested or traditional Internet networks are not available. As part of its ongoing response to this need, GMPCS, a leading global satellite communications provider, has introduced a new line of KA-band uplink field kits — packaging portable IP-based FlyAway suitcases or vehicle-based DriveAway terminals for Satellite News Gathering applications.

GMPCS’s DiNGo™ and KAnine™ systems represent state-of-the-art advances in KA-band satellite communications with optional video transmission technologies. GMPCS Pipeline™ bundles feature the latest IP-based encoders, satellite modems and mobile antenna systems as well as the respective KA-band airtime services – for true one-stop-shopping. The portable/suitcase kits or vehicle/roof-mount solution easily enable almost all IP-based applications such as live video streaming, file-transfer, e-mail, phone/IFB and web browsing.

“KA-band has reduced not only the size and weight of traditional FlyAway terminals, but has also substantially decreased the capital and operational costs for guaranteed broadband via satellite,” announced John Stoltz, Director of Media Sales for GMPCS. “With our KAnine™ suitcase FlyAway package or the DiNGo™ vehicle-mount DriveAway system, a story can be transmitted for broadcast when cellular networks are not available and more affordably than traditional satellite uplinks.”

Packaged with a camera, portable encoder and the lightweight KA-band flyaway terminal, such as the Cobham EXPLORER-3075, field users are able to encode, edit, and uplink archived or real-time video. When utilizing the latest Satellite-IP modems from ViaSat, iDirect & Hughes and respective regional KA-band service, guaranteed bandwidth speeds up to 10Mbps can be achieved for live streaming, Internet communications, IFB and other mobile office applications. The Cobham EXPLORER terminal also allows for a hardware upgrade path to the new global KA-band service from Inmarsat, called Global Xpress®, which will be available next year.

These mobile SNG systems exhibited by GMPCS are the next generation of “mobile one-man uplinks.”

GMPCS Personal Communications will showcase this technology at the NAB Show® in Las Vegas, Nevada at their booth # SU-10102

GMPCS and Inmarsat Global Xpress Update

In September of 2012 GMPCS was among the first to be announced as a Value Added Seller for Inmarsat’s Global Xpress® in the maritime market. This year the first satellite in the Global Xpress® network is scheduled for launch, with full global coverage planned for the end of 2014.

Inmarsat Global Xpress® (GX) will be the world’s first global Ka-band network, offering downlink speeds of up to 50Mbps, and up to 5Mbps over the uplink, from maritime VSAT antennas as small as 60cm.

Global Xpress® incorporates a number of advantages over technology available today. These advantages combined allow Inmarsat to deliver: higher speeds, higher quality of service and smaller less expensive user equipment worldwide. The GX service will be available through smaller antennas than today's standard VSAT Ku antennas. This will enable many more ships to take advantage of the superior speeds and service.

So when will this new service be available?
Inmarsat is confident that the ground segment will be ready on time by the end of 2014. They are working closely with iDirect for the modems and Cisco for network access equipment. Also, Inmarsat has commissioned Boeing to build three new Inmarsat-5 satellites to provide the GX service. International Launch Services (ILS) will launch the three Inmarsat-5 Global Xpress satellites. These launches are scheduled for 2013-2014 and will launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Inmarsat has selected 2 companies to manufacture the maritime satellite terminals; Cobham SeaTel of California and Intellian of Korea. These terminals will include a core module developed by iDirect.

GMPCS is working hard to provide access to services and information that may be helpful to all our customers. We are working closely with Inmarsat, Intellian and Cobham to provide the equipment and services when they become available. Continue to follow us for more information regarding Global Xpress and other satellite communication news.

If you have any questions about these services please visit GMPCS Personal Communications or call us at 1-888-664-6727

Launch of Thuraua IP+ Expands the GMPCS Portfolio of Mobile Satellite Terminals

This month Thuraya Telecommunications Company announced the launch of the new Thuraya IP+ mobile satellite broadband terminals. The Thuraya IP+ is the latest broadband data terminal, useful for people who require reliable data connectivity in areas with inadequate terrestrial infrastructure.

 
The Thuraya IP+ terminal is very similar to the Inmarsat BGAN, however it transmits broadband services over Thuraya’s extensive satellite network. The Thuraya satellite footprint covers more than two-thirds of the globe across 140 countries in Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe and Middle East. For a complete list of countries that have Thuraya coverage, click here.

Two main functions of the Thuraya IP+ are Standard IP and Streaming IP. The terminal has a built-in antenna that can support up to 444 Kbps on Standard IP and 384 Kbps on Streaming IP. These services along with the size and portability of the Thuraya IP+ make it the fastest and lightest mobile satellite broadband terminal. With the battery included this terminal weighs only 3.1lbs.

You may notice that the terminal looks very similar to the Hughes 9202 BGAN. That is because the Thuraya IP+ is manufactured by Hughes Network Systems, Inc., USA and is the same trusted company that manufactures the 9201 and 9202 BGANs.

The Thuraya IP+ is ideal for various mission-critical operations such as broadcast media, defense, telemedicine and disaster response. The terminal will be a key benefit for high quality video streaming, broadband internet access, Virtual Private Network (VPN) email and more.

A Unique features only found in the Thuraya IP+ terminal is the three types of Streaming Alerts a user can set up to prevent runaway terminals or bill shock. The types of Streaming Alerts that can be set up include: Audio, Visual and web Man Machine Interface (wMMI). When a Streaming Alert is enabled on the terminal an audio alert (beep from the terminal buzzer) will sound every 30 seconds after 10 minutes of inactivity during a streaming session. Also the display backlight will flash every 10 seconds and the web MMI will display a timer to track the duration of the streaming session.

GMPCS Personal Communications plans on having the Thuraya IP+ terminal available later this year. If you have any questions or would like please contact us at contact@gmpcs-us.com or visit www.gmpcs-us.com

Winter Storm Saturn and Vital Communications Via Satellite Phone

This week the winter storm known as Saturn has been covering Chicago and the Midwest with heavy snow. Now the storm makes its way to major cities in the Northeast. D.C. to Boston and the rest of New England are preparing for a cold weekend with windy conditions and wet snow. The forecast for this storm brings many challenges because of the warmer air from the ocean creating a mix of rain and snow. These winter conditions are certain take out power and phone lines.

When natural disasters like winter storm Saturn bear down on us with little warning, we are reminded that it is key to always be prepared. That is why it is important to consider a disaster management kit for your family. A disaster management kit should include: fresh water, canned food, flashlights, batteries, a first aid kit and an electric radio, etc. Another item that is vital for communications between your family and emergency responders is a satellite phone.

Terrestrial phone lines and towers may go down in a winter storm, but a satellite phone will not be affected by this. A satellite phone; such as an Iridium or IsatPhone Pro can allow you to stay connected to emergency responders and distant relatives. Satellite phones provide similar functionality to terrestrial mobile telephones including voice, short messaging service (SMS) and low-bandwidth internet access. Having this connectivity to voice and data via satellite can prove vital for the approaching winter storm.

Take action when it comes to being prepared for a natural disaster. Don’t be caught off guard from a winter storm or end of the season hurricane. Learn more about satellite phones and how they can help keep your family connected in times of an emergency.

If you have any questions about satellite communications please visit GMPCS Personal Communications or call us at 1-888-664-3727

5 Tips to Get The Most From Your IsatPhone Pro

When you purchase an emergency communication device such as a satellite phone it is important to familiarize yourself with the main functions. The user’s guide your satellite phone comes with is a good place to start. However there are a few shortcuts or tricks that you may not know when it comes to your IsatPhone Pro satellite phone. Be sure to read these simple ways you can get more out or your Inmarsat IsatPhone Pro.

Always remember the following satellite phone basics when using your IsatPhone Pro. A handheld satellite phone will not work indoors without the use of an external antenna or a docking station. You must be outside with a clear view of the sky, away from structures and trees for reliable service. Also a satellite phone can only send and receive calls when it is registered on the satellite network. It is important to test your satellite phone before its intended use, while you still have access to a landline phone.

1. Test your IsatPhone Pro for free: Inmarsat has set up a free test phone number that you can call anytime. This will ensure that your phone is active and working properly. Once you have a registered signal on your IsatPhone Pro dial +8707 7699 9999 then press the green call button. When the call is successful you will hear a recorded message from Inmarsat.



2. Check your Prepaid airtime balance: You will need to be registered on the Inmarsat satellite to check your balance. From the main calling screen enter the balance enquiry code of (*106#) then press the green call button. Your current balance and expiry date of your SIM will be shown on the screen. Another way to access this information is via the phone menu: Select Menu > Setting > Prepay > Balance Enquiry. Note that this option only works for Prepaid customers. Monthly Postpaid subscribers will not be able to check their airtime service via this process.



3. Send a free message to an IsatPhone Pro: The easiest method of sending an SMS to the IsatPhone Pro is by using the Inmarsat email-to-text service. Simply send an email to 870xxxxxxxxx@message.inmarsat.com (where 870xxxxxxxxx is the IsatPhone Prp mobile number). You can also use the Inmarsat SMS Portal by clicking here. If the IsatPhone Pro is off at the time you send the message, it will be waiting for delivery at the Inmarsat message center for 7 days. The next time your IsatPhone Pro is registered the message will be sent to the phone.



4. Redial feature: If you press the green call button you can see a list of the previous numbers which you have dialed. Cycle through the numbers with the cursor keys, and when you reach the one you want to call press the green button again to call it.



5. Send a quick alert with your GPS coordinates: To set up and activate a personal alert, on the IsatPhone Pro go to the menu and select Extras > Personal alert > Edit personal alert. Select Configure personal alert, and edit the recipients and the message. Once your IsatPhone Pro is set up for personal alerts the quickest way to send one is to press * and # simultaneously for at least 2 seconds from the main screen. You will see an icon of an envelope and a message confirmation when the alert is sent. This personal alert will send your short message with GPS coordinates and the time and date the alert was triggered on your phone.

We hope that these quick tips will help you get the most from your satellite phone. If you have any questions about these services please visit GMPCS Personal Communications or call us at 1-888-664-6727

Traveling to Russia? Vital Information You Need to Know to Stay Connected

Iridium and the Russian regulatory authorities have reached an agreement to allow Iridium to legally operate in Russia. There has always been Iridium traffic in Russia but it was never officially allowed or forbidden. The Russian Government wants to regulate this grey market and specifically wants to be able to intercept Iridium calls from Russia to other countries in an effort to fight terrorism. So what does this mean for travelers looking to stay connected while in Russia?

Travelers wanting to use their Iridium satellite phone within Russia must register their SIM card or Iridium SBD Device with Iridium Russia. Registration information is provided for compliance with Russian telecommunications regulatory requirements. Iridium Russia will use and disclose registration information only to meet its obligations under Russian law. An Iridium device can be registered by subscribers for a 6-month period. For service requirements of longer than 6 months, a subscriber should change SIM cards and re-register.

To register, you will need to provide the information below on the registration page of this site.

• Full name
• Nationality
• MSISDN
• Iridium
• Device Model (9555, 9575 etc)
• IMEI

A website owned and operated by Iridium Russia has been created for registering subscribers. If you plan on traveling to Russia with your Iridium device start by going to www.iridiumrussia.com
We recommend to any of our clients operating in Russia to register their SIMs through iridium-russia.com as visiting SIMs and to re-register every 6 months just to be safe.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact GMPCS at 1-888-664-6272 or contact@gmpcs-us.com

How do satellite phones work?

We are all familiar with the convenience of mobile phones and landlines to make a phone call. And it certainly seems that they work almost anywhere in the world. However there are certain areas or circumstances were this convenient service is not available. That is when a satellite phone is the only method of communication.

Unlike mobile phones which use a localized phone tower to connect calls; a call from a satellite phone is sent through a satellite constellation, then sent back to Earth via the nearest satellite gateway. Then the call is routed through traditional voice networks to reach its destination.

A call that is made from one satellite phone to another will be completely routed through the satellite constellations. This way the call will not be affected by any technical difficulties on the ground. This is why satellite phones are essential for communications during a disaster such as a hurricane, earthquake or winter storm where landline communications can be destroyed.

Satellite phones rely on a direct line of sight to the satellite constellation. To use a satellite phone properly you will need a clear view of the sky, so it is important to ensure that the phone signal is not obstructed by trees, mountains, buildings or other large structures.

To choose the right satellite phone, you may want to consider the type of satellite constellation that is used. Iridium and Globalstar use a LEO (low earth orbiting) constellation. This style of satellite constellation covers the entire globe including the Polar Regions. A LEO satellite is also moving quickly from horizon to horizon, so there is the possibility of a dropped call when it is being transferred to the next satellite. Companies like Inmarsat and Thuraya use a geostationary satellite constellation. These satellites move with the Earth’s rotation, so from our prospective on the ground the satellite doesn’t appear to be moving. These satellites are in a higher orbit so you may notice latency or delay with the call, but there is a slim chance that the call would be dropped.

For more information on the different satellite phones available and their style of handsets view our previous comparison blog here.