Inmarsat (LSE:ISAT.L), provider of global mobile satellite communications services, has selected Hughes Network Systems to develop a new machine-to-machine (M2M) terminal for its BGAN (Broadband Global Area Network) service.
Hughes, a market leader in the M2M sector, will develop the new 9502 BGAN M2M terminal by building on its successful 9201-M2M platform. The BGAN M2M service will offer an end-to-end IP data capability for real-time applications including smart metering, SCADA, monitoring and other infrastructure telemetry solutions. Planned for launch in Q1 2012, Inmarsat will target the low-cost M2M service at the utilities, oil & gas, and retail banking markets.
“We believe there is significant appetite in a number of markets globally for a low-cost stable platform to support short-burst data and the increased connectivity needed in fixed monitoring applications,” said Drew Brandy, Director of Land Services at Inmarsat. “A specific opportunity we will target is the smart grid initiative in the energy sector, with its requirement for data connectivity and information sharing across widely dispersed infrastructures. But there are a number of other markets with a similar need for IP-based real-time cost-effective visibility across their operations.”
“Hughes is proud to be selected by Inmarsat to develop the new 9502 BGAN M2M terminal, building on our successful 9201-M2M product,” said Graham Avis, vice president and general manager of Hughes San Diego. “The combination of reliable connectivity to unattended remote sites, a global service area, and an end-to-end IP based data path makes this an ideal solution for a wide array of machine-to-machine communication needs.”
Hughes has been a developer and manufacturer of terminals for the award-winning BGAN service since its launch in 2005, with several successful portable and vehicular models in its portfolio.
