Communications Revolution News

Intellian’s appointment to Korea’s prestigious ‘World Class 300’ list of the country’s most promising technology companies is a distinguished achievement and confirms its commanding lead in the mobile satellite communications terminal sector. Intellian, the global leader in maritime satellite communication antenna systems is now a fully-fledged member of the exclusive “club” comprising a group of Korean corporates recognized as the best and brightest in creative innovation, outstanding development and future market potential. Intellian expects to receive multi million dollars in R&D funding from the Korean Government over the next five years as a result of joining the World Class 300 group.

P&O Ferries and MTN Communications (MTN) announce the delivery of high-performance Internet connectivity and access to online content through the first Wi-Fi hot spot on the English Channel. This service is now live on the English Channel on ferries serving the P&O Ferries Dover-Calais route. These vessels are reportedly the first ferries in the world connected to the MTN Terrestrial Broadband Network (TBN), in addition to having back-up satellite connectivity, as many cruise ships do today.

Main One announced that its 1,920 Gbps, 7,000 km long, submarine fibre optic cable system linking West Africa to Europe has been completed and commissioned. With landing stations in Nigeria and Ghana and branching units in Morocco, Canary Islands, Senegal and Ivory Coast, the cable will deliver unprecedented broadband capacity to West Africa, more than ten times what is currently available in the region. With its cable system now in operation, Main One is poised to champion a broadband communications revolution in Africa. This will positively impact businesses, governments and individuals by providing higher bandwidth and exceptional speeds at a lower cost.

Telenor Satellite Services was chosen as a premier service provider of the next generation of mobile satellite communications, Inmarsat's Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN). BGAN, currently planned for commercial launch in 2005, will offer high-speed circuit-switched and packet data services, plus voice telephony, via a portfolio of small, lightweight user terminals. The enhanced capabilities of the BGAN system are made possible through a new generation of satellites, known as Inmarsat 4, the first of which was successfully launched in March 2005, and is now being prepared to begin service. The Inmarsat 4 generation of satellites will be the most powerful communication satellites ever launched by any commercial organization.