[SatNews] Inmarsat (LSE:ISAT.L) has extended the capabilities of its microwave backbone in…
…the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) through the introduction of a new Stabilized Microwave service. Designed to expand the reach of Inmarsat’s GoM network to include deep-water structures, the ‘Stabilized Microwave’ device will offer higher bandwidth and lower latency, enabling clients to experience the same quality of service as they would in their on-shore offices. The new service has been developed in conjunction with Broadband Antenna Tracking Systems (BATS), one of the world’s leading innovators of antenna aiming, tracking, and stabilization systems and LLOG Exploration, the leading privately-owned E&P company in the Gulf of Mexico and one of the top 10 private oil and gas companies in the United States.
‘Stabilized Microwave’ is initially being deployed in the Mississippi Canyon Field in the GoM, but will also have a beneficial impact on operators in other deep-water areas. The innovative technology will enable Inmarsat to expand its microwave network into the much deeper waters off the shelf of the Gulf. The new service is delivered through a last mile radio link from Inmarsat’s network backbone to LLOG’s MC-547 Who Dat platform using a stabilized remote terminal ‘looking back’ to a fixed microwave dish. The stabilized system was produced by BATS and, combined with standard microwave radios connecting to Inmarsat’s core network, delivers a high bandwidth, low latency service.
Gerbrand Schalkwijk, Vice President, Inmarsat Enterprise Energy, said, “Inmarsat has partnered with BATS to expand our service coverage capabilities in the Gulf of Mexico. By deploying their stabilized antenna system, we are able to extend broadband connectivity from our offshore microwave infrastructure to non-fixed and mobile locations that would normally be unable to receive these services.”
Phil Cramer, Senior VP of Sales & Marketing at Broadband Antenna Tracking Systems (BATS), said, “As the energy industry increases its demand for bandwidth, organizations are increasingly looking toward innovative technologies to enhance their infrastructure. We are excited to be working with Inmarsat to deliver to these organizations solutions that will add flexibility, capability, and control to their maritime networks.”
