Real-Time Communication

Infosat provides new mobile and fixed satellite communications solutions

By Lynda Harrison

New Technology Magazine November 2009 - Remote operations and a workforce on the move make the oilpatch a user of both mobile and fixed satellite communications solutions.

But mobile satellite communications products are often mistakenly thought of simply as the handheld satellite phone, says Sarah Crew, sales and marketing coordinator for Infosat Communications LP. The company's product lines and services include Iridium, BGAN, MSAT and Connect.

[Figure 1] Currently, mobile satellite communication technologies such as small, car-mounted satellite dishes, voice and data terminals similar in size and weight to laptops, and hand-held satellite phones are commonly found in the oilpatch. These products cater to the mobile communications needs in the industry as they are designed to be used in numerous locations, are typically small and lightweight compared to other solutions, offer users quick and simple set up, and are easy to use.

An example of a product launched in the past year is the Iridium 9555 satellite phone, says Crew. Unique because of the reliability of service available with only a small and light handset, the Iridium 9555 offers global access to voice and data communications and can be used with a laptop for web browsing, e-mail and other applications. It will work anywhere in the world you happen to be, Crew says.

She notes the exceptional coverage provided by the Iridium network is a result of a meshed network of LEO (Low Earth Orbiting) satellites. Typical uses for the Iridium handheld in the oil and gas industry are for workers in remote locations or simply on the road but beyond the range of traditional communications technologies. Often Iridium satellite phones are used as a first line of contact to the office. Another typical use is as a primary safety back up when traditional communications are unavailable or unreliable, Crew says.

Fixed satellite solutions, often referred to as VSAT , differ from mobile satellite solutions in a number of ways. These products tend to be larger in scale, are able to perform reliably in much harsher environmental conditions, and are able to cope with a wide range of voice and data applications in the oil and gas industry. This type of solution is typically found where there is high demand for communications and privacy in a remote location.

[Figure 2] Infosat's VSAT products include the Connect line of products. "Within the Connect line, the consumer will find both out-of-the-box solutions as well as more customizable VSAT systems that Infosat's in-house engineering team will work to customize for your specific application in the oil and gas industry," says Crew.

New this year to the Connect line of VSAT products is Infosat's Advanced Guaranteed Services (AGS ). Developed in response to demand for a VSAT solution offering a secure private network, AGS offers industry professionals the ability to monitor and control their own network through an online bandwidth usage report via "Packeteer." AGS users have the tools to prioritize IP traffic or applications using their own QoS, and choose the bandwidth required without upgrading their hardware or running into data allowance or limits.

A typical use for this would be setting up a virtual office at a remote drilling site, and accessing the company's private network for the purposes of data sharing, transmitting faxes, e-mail, large files and making phone calls. "Oilpatch professional in the field and at the office need to communicate in real time. AGS provides the oil and gas industry a fast, secure and economical tool to ensure critical voice and data communications are as simple in the field as they are in the office," says Crew.