In the midst of global communications and sea-to-land connectivity developments, the government sector is inevitably striving to enhance major defence and communication technologies with key, fully trusted providers of satellite communications and IT experts. Though fewer stories can be disclosed as a form of authentic exemplification on this matter, the formal partnership between Speedcast and COMSAT speaks highly for the exposition of government challenges and, thereupon, benefits of innovative Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) solutions.
Accordingly, Speedcast has entered into a strategic agreement with government satellite connectivity provider COMSAT to implement a jointly run global service offering of Ku-band VSAT services for governmental and other maritime service environments. In the pursuit of higher data rates for small ship antenna systems and spatial coverage, the combined network of Ku-band frequencies will power Speedcast’s roughly 8 GHz-band of global satellite capacity and COMSAT’s strategically allocated commercial teleport facilities in the United States in order to strengthen coverage for connectivity services.
It should be underlined that both actors have played a critical role in the global SATCOM industry, demonstrating proven trust records of intense customer focus, strong safety culture, and a holistic understanding of end-to-end remote satellite solutions under governmental communication needs. For instance, as a founding member of Intelsat, COMSAT, has pioneered the art of mobile satellite communications services to the US Navy by inserting the Marisat fleet network, while setting up the initial operating system of Inmarsat from the company’s two earth stations.
Speedcast has also distinguished itself with strong operational expertise in satellite communications, differentiated technologies, and world-class customer support. With more than three decades of experience in remote communications, Speedcast has also become the first partner of Tampnet for the implanting of 4G/LTE services in the Gulf of Mexico, which will take effect upon completion in 2018. As the winner of the 2017 WTA Independent Teleport of the year, Speedcast has also enhanced unbeatable trust and success with the January 2017 acquisition of Harris Caprock, upgrading its global infrastructure and securing organic-inorganic growth.
Together, both companies could facilitate government/military users access to the iDirect bandwidth network to guarantee reliable and secure connectivity for mission-critical applications. “COMSAT has always been at the forefront of SATCOM technology, innovating to provide enhanced services and support for our customers’ benefit,” said David Greenhill, president at COMSAT. “We recognise the same passion in the Speedcast team. This collaboration will allow us to mutually broaden our markets and better serve our customers.”
Yet, the government sector has differentiated requirements in regards to VSAT solutions, which encompasses public services, public safety, coverage, steady connectivity, and network security for the protection of mission-critical data and classified information. As government organisations and military agencies are switching to VSAT services for innovative network solutions, the satellite communications industry still has key challenges to rapidly overcome if it is to remain competitive.
Keeping up with the correct amount of bandwidth and capacity at any given time is a major challenge that requires careful planning against technical complexities. Failure to predict and allocate bandwidth options that fulfil the needs of the customer is not only proven to be costly and inefficient but also leads to a severe case of underperformance. Pivotally, military agencies urge global coverage to carry out critical missions at remote locations, which strictly requires a communication package that speaks for scalable bandwidth, improved-location capacity, and flexibility that adheres to a dynamic operational environment.
To add to the challenge, there is an increasing emphasis on mobility and integration of processes that complicates the delivery of seamless connectivity on demand. In an age of globalised, lopsided military missions, government customers are expecting solutions that support the use of ever-accumulating voice, data consumption, video applications, and other data-intensive features across a wide array of environments. Providers who take connectivity at heart, strive for integration of complex satellite communication solutions within an end-to-end managed service architecture, as a network design that allows users for anytime and anyplace access.
More importantly, as in the case of both, COMSAT and Speedcast, who enjoy full expertise in providing sufficient network capacity, coverage, and consistency to government users, critical importance should always be given to public safety and network security amongst other differentiated demands. Not acknowledging that success lies in the understanding of safety and security applications in this ubiquitous market, speaks for insufficient market understanding, fragmented deployment of network solutions, and dysfunctional models that jeopardise the protection of all information warfare and other sensitive data.
Far from the complexities against sophisticated innovations in regards to maritime communications, the strategic partnership between Speedcast and COMSAT not only highlights the vital expertise that both actors share in the provision of customised, end-to-end satellite communications solutions, but it also brings sound economic and engineering benefits to the strategic installation of a global network that supports public/data protection, resiliency, solid infrastructure, emergency/disaster backup responses, compatibility for the use of data-intensive applications, and instant communications capabilities of data on the move.
Precisely, as PJ Beylier, Speedcast’s CEO reported, “The opportunity for collaboration with COMSAT fits very well with Speedcast’s commitment to delivering robust, reliable, secure global communications solutions to government and military customers, no matter where operations take them… COMSAT’s experience in the government segment combined with our unmatched capacity, global network and customer support enable us to offer highly reliable and secure solutions to our customers.”
