LTE Deployment Launched in the Gulf of Mexico

 

INET said its pilot deployment will be used to demonstrate the capabilities of industrial LTE wireless broadband service and coverage when coupled with 700 MHz spectrum that INET has leased from Verizon Wireless under the LTE in Rural America program. The pilot will be open to certain companies operating in the Gulf of Mexico that have expressed an interest in using the network for testing and planning larger LTE rollouts.

 

Tarig Anani , CEO of Infrastructure Networks, said, "The pilot deployment phase of our LTE rollout will give customers an opportunity to test and preplan their own LTE deployments in lockstep with Infrastructure Networks. For the pilot, we have assembled a team of partners that bring unique capabilities, resources and assets to the table." He closed by saying, "We have seen great success with our onshore business, and with the need for additional bandwidth, real-time connectivity, and the reliability of our Industrial 4G LTE network, oil and gas companies have been requesting that we expand our coverage offshore. Our partnership approach to the Gulf of Mexico will allow us to leverage the value and expertise of our partners to deliver unrivaled high-speed bandwidth and low latency connectivity across a secure network. "

 

Partners teaming with INET on the LTE pilot include Alcatel-Lucent, BlackHawk Datacom and L&M Botruc Rental. 

 

Alcatel-Lucent will provide LTE network equipment and the licensed microwave backhaul equipment for the LTE Pilot in the Gulf of Mexico. John Dow, VP of Business Development of Americas Wireless Business for Alcatel-Lucent, said, "Deploying the first LTE solution in the Gulf of Mexico will provide oil and gas companies a similar experience to what they have experienced onshore using INET's commercial LTE network. Through this partnership, we will deliver the most advanced wireless ultra-broadband services in the Gulf of Mexico, providing faster connectivity and enabling advanced machine-to-machine communications that was not previously available to the offshore oil and gas market."

 

Philip Liddell, COO of Infrastructure Networks, said, "Infrastructure Networks has worked hand in hand with Alcatel-Lucent since 2013, successfully deploying over 25,000 square miles of industrial LTE coverage throughout Texas for the oil and gas industry. Going offshore with Alcatel-Lucent was an easy decision based upon the experience both teams have in working together deploying LTE services."

 

BlackHawk Datacom will provide offshore engineering and construction services. In addition, it will be involved in testing several LTE based end-user applications during the pilot period. BlackHawk Datacom has a long communications history in the Gulf of Mexico having deployed several generations of microwave point to point systems over the last 25 years. John Poindexter, CEO of BlackHawk Datacom, said, "We are very excited about the expanded opportunities that this technology brings to the Gulf of Mexico. The model that has proven to be so successful in the US shale plays has the ability to bring significant cost savings to the Gulf, while enabling an entire new suite of edge technologies. This could be a game changer in terms of the growth of digital oilfield capabilities."

 

One of the advantages of LTE is its ability to provide wireless broadband service to moving vessels. Stanley Hughey, Chief Strategy Officer of Infrastructure Networks, said, "During our study of existing communications options in the Gulf of Mexico it became apparent that surface vessels operating offshore represented a large un-served market. Once deployed, INET's LTE network will offer the only communications solution that will allow a vessel to move seamlessly from port to sea without the use of expensive satellite equipment." He concluded by saying. "INET's LTE network availability, coupled with the ability of customers to use their Verizon LTE handset offshore, is a game changer for companies and personnel operating in the Gulf." 

 

To demonstrate this capability L&M Botruc Rental will deploy LTE service on one of its fleet of offshore vessels during the pilot period. Jacob Pitre, Vice President of Operations for L&M Botruc Rental, said, "I am excited about the opportunity to have one of our vessels use this advanced wireless technology. With INET's LTE deployment, it will deliver high speed and improved connectivity, which will provide efficiency in our operations in the Gulf."

 

INET plans to begin establishing substantial LTE network coverage over a wide area of the Gulf of Mexico upon the successful completion of the pilot LTE project.