Connecting people to a better future, anywhere, anytime
The world is entering an era defined by the connectivity of society, and the fulfilment of human potential will be empowered by highly reliable and secure communications. As the connected world transitions into 5G and beyond, the ubiquity and reliability of satellite communications will be essential in extending its uses into the seas, skies and the most remote parts of the planet. As the backbone of the world’s communications infrastructure, satellite services will play a key role in enabling, extending and supplementing terrestrial 5G networks, helping to deliver this technological revolution. The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated
this transformation. The world will need to be even more productive, safer and greener in order to drive necessary solutions and meet the challenges ahead.
Bespoke Solutions
Inmarsat’s people have spent over 40 years consistently creating connections around the globe through safe, reliable and secure networks. The company’s fleet of 13 satellites in geostationary orbit represents the world’s best and broadest such portfolio, designed specifically for global mobility. This includes dedicated capacity for the Middle East. This unparalleled experience and expertise across Inmarsat’s business stretches from providing bespoke solutions to prevent and predict natural disasters, to helping planes and ships travel safely while saving fuel costs and reducing their environmental impact. With more than 25 years’ experience in aviation connectivity, Inmarsat keeps people in touch at 35,000 feet, providing the ultimate inflight connectivity experience for the entire aircraft. Inmarsat enables streamed entertainment and advanced inflight shopping, combined with digital and personalised services that transform passenger experiences whenever, wherever, people fly. The company is also leading the way to addressing the future of aircraft safety. The next-generation SwiftBroadband-Safety (SB-S) ensures that safety-critical information is delivered on-demand for the pilot, the airline and air traffic controllers. Meanwhile, every day, mariners around the world put their trust in Inmarsat, as they have done for more than 40 years, for operational communications and safety services. Seafarers are kept safe at sea 24/7/365 by Inmarsat via the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), which uses satellite and terrestrial technology and shipboard radio systems to prevent accidents and to automatically alert rescue authorities and nearby vessels quickly in an emergency.
Global Xpress Network
As a major driving force behind technology and innovation, Inmarsat has also developed and deployed the world’s first and only globally available, mobile, high-speed broadband service through the Global Xpress (GX) network. The recently launched GX5 satellite will enter commercial service as Inmarsat’s 14th satellite later this year, to meet growing demand across Europe and the Middle East, in particular for aviation wi-fi and commercial maritime services as well as for governments in the region. This ensures the gold-standard for reliable communications is provided to even more customers, wherever they are. At sea, Fleet Xpress via GX opens up new levels of connectivity and guaranteed performance across the world’s oceans. Inmarsat has also developed tailored, flexible solutions for superyachts and offshore support vessels. On land, game-changing connectivity helps organisations operate more efficiently, safely and sustainably, as well as underpinning mission-critical communications. In an era where the Internet of Things (IoT) is being adopted to help transform business outcomes across sectors including agriculture, energy, mining and transport, satellite communications is increasingly essential in ensuring connectivity to users, machines and devices in corners of the globe previously out of reach.
Technology Roadmap
Today, Inmarsat is investing more in space and ground infrastructure than at any time in the company’s history, while working on innovations to deliver for customers’ future needs. The trillion-dollar merchant maritime industry is being revolutionised by the advent of ‘smart shipping’, connected aircraft are becoming the norm, governments are putting global, agile mobile communications at the heart of their core capabilities, and a range of land-based industrial sectors are being reinvented by the power of IoT. As part of Inmarsat’s technology roadmap, another seven satellites will be launched over the next four years, including two dedicated to the Arctic region. This disruptive new model, delivering to meet customer demand with velocity and agility, will ensure that customers and partners continue to benefit from Inmarsat’s ground-breaking technology and capabilities for many years to come. Technological development at Inmarsat is progressing at an unprecedented rate and it is set to deliver vast societal, safety and security benefits that satellite technology can bring. Inmarsat looks forward to taking this exciting journey into the future with its customers and partners.
