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France Telecom News

15 Mar 2016

Marlink Opens Office in Singapore

Marlink has moved to a new office in Singapore in order to meet the growing demand for delivery and support of its portfolio of multi-band, business critical communication solutions for maritime customers operating in Southeast Asia. The original Marlink Singapore office was opened in 1998. The new Marlink Singapore office adds new facilities and potential while continuing to be a vital resource for local and international vessels through delivery of sales, installation and support services. The new office managed by Eric Jan Bakker, Head of Sales Asia in Marlink, includes a fully equipped support center operating seven days a week, in addition to live test, demonstration and training facilities, covering all of Marlink’s core connectivity services and solutions.

10 Nov 2014

MR Interview: Erik Ceuppens, SVP, Satellite Communications, Airbus Defense & Space CIS

“We will not slow down.”  Erik Ceuppens

Transformation in the maritime communication sector continues, as Airbus Defense and Space announces plans to sell its commercial satellite communications business. MR spoke with Erik Ceuppens, SVP, Satellite Communications, Airbus Defense & Space Communications, Intelligence & Security (CIS), to help put the development in perspective. The maritime communications sector has been in near continual flux for nearly two decades, with merger and acquisition activity a constant. In tandem with development of innovative software solutions…

26 Apr 2014

GE In Talks To Buy Alstom's Power Arm

U.S. industrial conglomerate General Electric Co is in advanced talks to buy the global power division of struggling French engineering group Alstom SA for about $13 billion, sources familiar with the matter said on Friday. Sources said a deal was backed by Alstom's main shareholder, French conglomerate Bouygues with 29 percent, and could be announced in the coming days after an Alstom board meeting on Friday afternoon. The board was due to meet again on Sunday to discuss the transaction, French daily Le Figaro said. "Talks are going ahead swiftly, the deal's structure is defined and everything is almost ready," one of the sources said. Alstom Chief Executive Patrick Kron confirmed to union representatives there were talks about an "industrial deal," but did not name GE.

13 Aug 2012

Cableship Blaze off Skeleton Coast Forces Abandon Ship

Cableship 'Chamarel': Photo credit France Telecom-Orange

France Telecom-Orange announce abandonment of its cable ship 'Chamarel' off the coast of Namibia. A fire broke out on the cableship Chamarel while returning from a repair operation on the Sat3-Safe cable off the coast of Namibia in the Atlantic Ocean. Despite the crew's efforts to control the fire, the decision was made to abandon the ship and all 56 crew members were safely recovered by a Namibian fishing vessel without injury or incident. They are currently located at the Namibian port, Walvis Bay and will be repatriated in the coming days.

13 Nov 2001

Inmarsat Unveils Fleet F77 at Europort 2001

Inmarsat Ltd, the global mobile satellite communications provider unveiled the first product in its Inmarsat Fleet portfolio, Fleet F77 at Europort 2001. family of three, Fleet F77 offers a unique new Mobile ISDN and Mobile Packet Data service for the maritime community delivering voice, fax and data services at speeds of up to 64 kbit/s. maritime distress and safety system (GMDSS) safety standard. With Fleet F77, maritime users will have the flexibility to choose the most cost-efficient two-way communications service for their varying data requirements. The mobile packet data service is a unique maritime solution, charging users only for the data they send and receive, not the time they are connected.

01 Jun 2004

France Telecom Launches New Service

France Telecom Mobile Satellite Communications is enhancing its range of value-added services with a satellite-based VPN (virtual private network). The VPN solution for the Fleet family (Fleet-33, 55 & 77) enables maritime users to connect securely to their corporate business network on land, via either ISDN or MPDS transmission mode. It is based on a fixed public IP address that the user can request in order to simplify connections with its business network. The VPN connection via Fleet terminals enables the user to transmit data securely at high speeds (up to 64 Kbit/s), as well as access their everyday work applications securely.

06 Jul 2004

France Telecom SSAS Available on Inmarsat-C, Mini-C

France Telecom Mobile Satellite Communications upgraded its land earth station in Aussaguel, France to ensure that its Inmarsat-C and Mini-C services are SSAS-compatible. The SSAS heightens security on board ship in the event of attack enabling captain or crew to send out a ‘covert’ alert and rapidly obtain assistance. With piracy and attacks at sea becoming increasingly widespread, the IMO (International Maritime Organization) has designated that all ships exceeding 500 tonnes must equip the SSAS by July 1, 2004. The SSAS is a one-way, ship-to-shore security system available with compatible Inmarsat-C and Mini-C terminals. It enables crew on board to trigger an alert without the attackers’ knowledge thanks to a minimum of two activation points placed in strategic positions on the ship.

05 Aug 2004

SatCom Feature: Flying High Again

France Telecom is pushing hard to advance its position as a single source communications and IT services provider. Corporate consolidation and technological evolution in the maritime satcom domain continue to subdue pricing, helping to level the playing field among service providers. France Telecom, in an effort to tilt the competitive balance in its favor, is embarked on an aggressive campaign to differentiate itself from the competition by positioning itself as a one-stop communication and an IT solution provider, an effort backed by an impressive R&D effort geared to delivering simple-to-use, customer driven solutions. "The challenge is to have our range of value added services, to have them known, understood and used," said Ghani Gehloul, Marketing Director, Maritime.

05 Aug 2004

SatCom

As technologically advanced as communications have become, the bottom line, particularly for business applications, remains basically the same: the need for clear, reliable and cost-effective means to communicate. Trends in the transmission of data, voice and e-mail from ship-to-shore are much like that of land-based operations. The need for more speed and increased reliability are never ending, and the companies that excel are the ones that not only continually innovate, but those that consistently stay on the front of the curve to deliver real-world technologies that deliver benefits in the unique maritime operational environment. In parallel, price pressures are ubiquitous, as shipowners are keen to exploit every outlet to cut costs and generate revenue.

07 Mar 2002

Inmarsat: F77 Extends Offerings

Inmarsat, the original mobile satcom provider for the maritime industry, has been riding the crest of a wave recently, with users at an all-time high, overall 99.9 per cent satellite reliability and the launch of its Fleet F77, Mobile ISDN and Mobile Packet Data services for the maritime community. Ruth Ling reports on what's new and what lies on the horizon. Twenty years ago, a revolution hit the maritime industry. Satellite communications became available to ships at sea. Back in 1982, when Inmarsat began offering onboard satellite communications, its first and only system was Inmarsat A, which offered voice, facsimile, telex and data services. After nine years of successful service and expansion into most maritime sectors, Inmarsat began offering Inmarsat C.

26 Sep 2000

Globalstar To Receive Additional Financing

Satellite telecommunications firm Globalstar Telecommunications said on Monday that five of its founding partners will provide the company with further equity financing. Under the terms of their agreements, Loral Space & Communications Ltd., Vodafone Group Plc, Qualcomm Inc.; Elsacom, and a France Telecom/Alcatel partnership will purchase 5.2 million shares of common stock of Globalstar for $56 million. Loral will purchase $12 million of this total. A sixth partner, ChinaSat, has indicated an intent to purchase an additional $12 million of Globalstar shares upon receipt of government approval. The share purchases are based on a price of $10.71 per share. The transaction is expected to close by September 29.

09 Jul 2002

Iridium Aggressively Pursues New Outlets

Iridium Satellite LLC, the company born from the ashes of what was one of the most spectacular and initial telecom failures, has fortified its market position in the past year, aggressively pursuing relationships with companies that will help expand use of its satellite network across all industires. The Alexandria, Va.-based Iridium — which bought the assets of Iridium LLC out of bankruptcy in December 2000, launched global voice services in March 2001 and added ubiquitous Internet connectivity in June — has announced a number of deals with leading satellite communication companies — Xantic, Telenor and France Telecom Mobile Satellite Communications — and has launched a new crew calling service for the marine business.

30 Aug 2004

France Telecom Signs BGAN Agreement with Inmarsat

On August 18, France Telecom Mobile Satellite Communications and Inmarsat signed the first distribution agreement for the new BGAN (Broadband Global Area Network) service. On its launch in H2 2005, BGAN will be the first mobile satellite communications solution to offer global coverage with data rates of up to 432 Kbps. Initially developed for land-based markets, maritime and aero versions of BGAN are currently planned for commercial launch in 2007. The service will be available via a portfolio of small, portable terminals, offering guaranteed throughputs at various speeds. Voice communications and data transfer via a 64 Kbps ISDN channel will also be possible.

21 Apr 2005

France Telecom Offers Improved SkyFile

France Telecom Mobile Satellite Communications designed new features for its free SkyFile software package, making e-mailing at sea even easier and more practical and providing seafarers with communications solutions as efficient and rapid as those used on land. SkyFile is France Telecom Mobile Satellite Communications’ proprietary software solution enabling the transfer of e-mails, faxes and SMS via Inmarsat and Iridium mobile satellite terminals. The new version compresses data sent by up to 90%, speeding up transfer times and reducing communications costs. The software also includes a SPAM filter and a black & white list option for better management of incoming e-mails.

22 Jul 2005

SATCOM Battle Heats Up

The evolution of satellite communication use at sea closely mirrors that of land-based communication trends: a never-ending quest for speed, reliability and lower costs. While it is foolhardy to select this or any other single technology as the one with the greatest impact on the maritime industry, a strong case could be made for satellite communication. Prior to the introduction of radio, maritime communication was generally limited to line-of-sight visual signaling during clear weather, plus noise-makers such as bells and foghorns. The advent of radio greatly reduced the isolation of ships during emergencies and was quickly responsible for saving thousands of lives. The first ship-to-shore, two-way radio conversation reportedly occurred in 1922, between Deal Beach, N.J., and the S.S.

25 Jul 2006

Apax Partners to Acquire FTMSC

France Telecom has signed an agreement with Apax Partners to sell 100 percent of the shares of France Telecom Mobile Satellite Communications SA (FTMSC). The completion of the transaction is expected in the near future. FTMSC is one of the world’s largest mobile satellite communications providers, marketing and distributing communications solutions for customers based in areas with limited access to terrestrial telecoms infrastructure. Apax Partners is one of the world’s leading private equity investment groups. Its funds invest in specific industries including telecoms, and provide long-term equity financing to build and strengthen world-class companies. This deal will enable FTMSC to consolidate its position on the international mobile satellite communications market.

06 Jun 2006

FTMSC Offers New Pricing Programs

communications. experience the service before making a long-term commitment. the Connexion by Boeing online service management tools -- for four months. agreement. satellite to a vessel. weather, routing and port information.

06 Aug 2001

Inmarsat Looks To Launch IPO By Year's End

Global mobile satellite communications company Inmarsat said on Monday it expected to launch a public offering of its shares (IPO) by year-end to raise money to pay off debt or to make acquisitions. "We are ready to go anytime soon. We have done all the preparation work for an IPO and we continue to monitor the market," Inmarsat Chief Executive Michael Storey said. Storey expected the listing - most likely at The London Stock Exchange but maybe also on the New York Stock Exchange - to take place in the third or fourth quarter this year. The company has appointed brokers Morgan Stanley to lead the flotation. Orginally Inmarsat aimed for an IPO in the first half of this year, but the global downturn on stock markets delayed the plans, Storey said.

13 Jan 2003

Marine Communications:Sending Screws, Pistons and Lube Oil via Satellite

At the Rudolf Schepers shipping line based in Elsfleth in the Oldenburg region, shipping is a business with traditions. While the owners' grandfather sailed on inland waterways, 50 years ago their capacity was expanded by the addition of some coastal motor vessels up to 150 tons. Since the 70s, the company's core competence has become the worldwide chartering of container ships to big shippers like Maersk or CSAV. The cargo space is made available and the ships have been subjected to technical refits and the crews increased. Together with the Heinrich Schepers company within the same line, the family concern now operates 12 container vessels of 1,100 to 2,500 TEU. "Our ships are everywhere. North and South America…South Africa…the Near East…the Caribbean.

22 Jul 2003

Vector Maritime Announce Satcom Partnership Agreements

Vector Maritime Services has signed a partnership agreement with France Telecom for the provision of all Inmarsat Services including Inmarsat A, B, C, mM and Fleet. “We selected France Telecom because of their reputation for quality and working with their partners to provide the best customer service” said Paul Ashton. At the same time Vector have announced a partnership agreement with Broadband Maritime for the provision of VSAT services to ships. Broadband Maritime provide a global VSAT service for a low all-inclusive flat rate per month. Vector are also pleased to welcome Claire Mercer as Director of Airtime Sales, responsible for both Inmarsat and VSAT services. Claire’s career includes Nera and Marconi was previously with Xantic as Airtime Sales Manager.