Inmarsat’s newest maritime service, FleetBroadband 150, has won an innovation award just nine months after its launch.
Sail Magazine, which reports on cruising and sailing news for seafarers of all abilities, picked FleetBroadband 150 (FB150) as the most innovative new electronics product in its annual awards.
The magazine’s annual awards celebrate technology that makes sailing easier, safer and more enjoyable.
Highlighting the service’s affordability and ease of use, judge and electronics editor Tim Bartlett said: “Until now, satcom has seemed just too big and too expensive for most recreational users.
The challenger in this year’s America’s Cup will rely on FleetBroadband to give it a technological edge in its bid to win the oldest active trophy in international sport.
The Golden Gate Yacht Club’s team, BMW Oracle, will use FleetBroadband to gather weather data when it takes on cup holder Société Nautique de Genèvei n Valencia, Spain, from 8 to 12 February.
The 33rd Americas Cup will see the teams line up their gigantic 27-metre (90ft) multi-hull racing yachts – USA (formerly BOR 90) and Alinghi 5 – for a best-of-three race regatta that will determine who takes the prestigious prize.
Inmarsat announced that the first call has been made using its global handheld service, IsatPhone Pro, which is on track for launch in June 2010. A contract to upgrade the Inmarsat ground network was completed on schedule by Lockheed Martin, and further testing on the integration between the handset and the ground network is underway. Inmarsat’s partner for the handset development is Sasken Communications Technologies.
Elcoteq, the world’s third largest manufacturer of mobile phones, has been appointed to produce IsatPhone Pro at its facility in Tallinn, Estonia.
“The first call is a significant milestone, and we’re very pleased with the voice quality in initial tests,” said Helen Stalker, Commercial Director of Global Satellite Phone Services.
“IsatPhone Pro is the ultimate combination,” she said. “It’s a robust handset that is easy to use, has long battery life, and offers a reliable global network connection. And it’s provided by Inmarsat, the market leader, with 30 years’ experience in providing global mobile satellite services.”
IsatPhone Pro is targeted primarily at professional users in the government, media, aid, oil and gas, mining and construction sectors. It will offer satellite telephony, with Bluetooth for hands-free use, voicemail, text and email messaging. Location data will also be available to the user to look up or send in a text message.
IsatPhone Pro is the first Inmarsat handheld to be purpose-built for its network. Optimised to deliver the best performance from the world’s most advanced mobile satellite network, it will be available on a global basis over the three Inmarsat-4 satellites, which have an operational lifetime into the 2020s.
INTERNATIONAL. OnAir, the world’s leading provider of inflight communications, today announced agreement to install OnAir inflight passenger connectivity services on Afriqiyah Airways’ entire Airbus long range and short range fleets.
In phase one of this agreement, OnAir will install the full connectivity suite (Mobile OnAir and Internet OnAir) on the Airline’s A330 fleet.
In phase two Mobile OnAir will be installed on the Airline’s Airbus A320/A319 fleet. Passengers will be able to stay connected inflight using their own mobile phones or BlackBerry®-type devices to make and receive phone calls, send and receive emails and text messages, and access the Internet.
Afriqiyah’s decision to install inflight connectivity across its entire long and short haul Airbus fleets is a first in the industry and underlines the importance airlines attach to providing their passengers with such services as we head into a new decade.”
Mobile OnAir uses the industry’s most advanced and extensive infrastructure for mobile communications, along with Inmarsat SwiftBroadband, high capacity services from Inmarsat 4th generation satellites. This gives passengers and airlines the best reach and performance available today.
Afriqiyah Airways (AAW) decision comes amidst mounting demand for inflight passenger communications. A growing number of commercial airlines and private aviation companies either currently offer OnAir inflight communications services or will offer them in the near future.
