BGAN, Global Network, Internet Satellite Global

atrexx, a leading solutions provider for the telecommunication and broadcast industries, is offering customers that activate new SIM cards the opportunity to purchase pre-paid BGAN vouchers at discounted rates until 31 December 2010. Inmarsat’s BGAN (Broadband Global Area Network) is a mobile satellite service that allows subscribers to access Internet at broadband speed and to make phone calls at the same time at almost any location on the planet, using a terminal of less than a notebook PC size.

Discounts offered on exclusive BGAN prepay service

Especially beneficial for occasional users, the BGAN vouchers from atrexx are available with a discount of 10 percent for 250 traffic units and up to 20 percent for 5000 units. One traffic unit represents a one-minute call to a fixed network worldwide. atrexx will also waive the fee for service and SIM card activation during the promotional period.

 ”This offer is a great opportunity for new BGAN users. The option to buy pre-paid units is extremely popular, especially in regions like Africa where 99 percent of traditional land mobile communications is estimated to be on a pre-paid basis” said Miriam Zude, Account Manager at atrexx. “We are giving our customers the chance to use BGAN with no monthly fee but we can also offer them the option of topping up their pre-paid account online at $0.90 per unit using a credit card. After they have bought their units, they can then have peace of mind by monitoring the account online making it easy to manage.”

BGAN is a perfect communications choice for anyone that works or travels to regions where the communications infrastructure is lacking or non-existent. Another main attraction of the BGAN system is the fact that no specialist technical knowledge is required to deploy it and it can therefore be used by a huge range of user groups such as journalists, military personnel, aid workers, civil engineers and researchers to name a few.

Valid for 24 months after activation or after the last top-up, the atrexx prepaid service package provides voice applications with unique rates for terrestrial fixed networks and for cellular networks worldwide, broadband Internet access and SMS services. The SIM card may be used in any BGAN hardware.

Ms. Zude continued: “There are very few BGAN providers that offer a prepaid service and atrexx is proud to be one of those. We also offer customer BGAN equipment rental options at just $8.90 per day. This, coupled with the prepaid option, is the perfect choice for users who only need the equipment for a limited time. Prepay BGAN services give the customer flexibility and control over how much they spend at a time where budgets are constrained.”

Comprised of maritime satellite service providers and technology manufacturers, the Maritime Satcom Forum aims to heighten awareness of satellite communications in the industry, strengthen advocacy efforts, expand delivery of training at the end-customer level and provide a single voice to help shipping companies understand the value of satellite services. The group’s formation follows a five-year period of intense growth in the maritime sector during which demand for satellite technology has rapidly expanded. The forum will host meetings and events to provide members with opportunities to discuss key market trends and developments.

“We’ve seen remarkable growth in the demand for satellite communications onboard vessels,” said Simon Bull, a Comsys satellite communications analyst who will Chair the newly-formed group’s first meeting. “With so many shipping operators looking to convert their vessels into fully-connected mobile offices, there is a tremendous need to educate end users on the service levels, capabilities and benefits of VSAT technology.

“The Maritime Satcom Forum is just the first in a series of groups that will target specific verticals to drive greater awareness of satellite communications and ultimately accelerate its adoption,” said David Hartshorn, the secretary general of GVF. “For us, the maritime industry was an obvious place to start because the need for satellite communications is immediate and the opportunity for providers is tremendous.”