Global Coverage for Inmarsat BGAN X-Stream as Service Goes Live in Asia Pacific

Tuesday, 16 June 2009, 23:01 HKT/SGT

CommunicAsia, Singapore, June 16, 2009 - (ACN Newswire) - Inmarsat, the leading provider of mobile satellite communications services, today announced the launch of BGAN X-Stream in the Asia Pacific region, completing the global coverage for the new service. BGAN X-Stream offers broadcasters access to the world's fastest on-demand video streaming via satellite.

The service was unveiled at CommunicAsia 2009 in Singapore, which attracts leading broadcast and telecommunications professionals from around the world. Inmarsat is exhibiting in Hall 6, 6F2-07.

Drew Brandy, Land Mobile Director at Inmarsat, said, "Following the launch of BGAN X-Stream in Europe and the Americas, we are really excited that it is now available in Asia Pacific. This has always been an important region for us, and it is fitting that we complete the global coverage for the service here."

BGAN X-Stream guarantees streaming IP data rates from a minimum of 384kbps to around 450kbps. It has been developed as an enhancement to the streaming service already offered by Inmarsat's ground-breaking BGAN (or Broadband Global Area Network) service, which has enabled broadcasters to deliver thousands of media reports around the world.

"Since its launch in 2005, BGAN has become the de facto choice for news reporting from remote locations. With BGAN X-Stream, we can now meet broadcasters' demands for higher guaranteed data rates, with an increase to the streaming rate of at least 50 per cent, and offer a service that moves closer to broadcast quality. The enhanced video quality of BGAN X-Stream will enable broadcasters to defer, or even avoid, the need to use SNG trucks. No matter where the story breaks, the global reach of BGAN X-Stream will deliver higher quality video to the studio from the remote broadcast," Mr. Brandy added.

After BGAN X-Stream was made available on the EMEA Inmarsat-4 satellite in April 2009, Inmarsat distribution partner Stratos helped Al Jazeera English become the first broadcaster to use the service for a live video report. Other BGAN users in the broadcast industry include the BBC and CNN, which won an Emmy for its BGAN-based digital newsgathering solution.

Gerbrand Schalkwijk, Vice President, Asia Pacific at Stratos said, "BGAN X-Stream is the fastest and highest quality pay-as-you-use broadband solution for the broadcast industry. In an intensely competitive environment, broadcasters need news crews to send high quality video back to their studios as fast as possible. It can now be done with BGAN X-Stream, and early indications are that the service will be well received by the broadcast industry."

The new premium IP streaming service is accessible through existing hardware - single, highly-compact and lightweight BGAN terminals from manufacturers Hughes and Thrane & Thrane - without the need for external antenna or any additional hardware.

BGAN has been a key contributor to Inmarsat's revenue, especially in recent years. In 2009, first quarter land mobile sector revenue was up 10.6% with growth in land data of 13%. Strong uptake and usage of BGAN services, during the Sichuan earthquake and other world events, are highlighting the need for reliable mobile voice and broadband data connectivity from remote locations.

For more information, please refer to www.inmarsat.com/bganx-stream.

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