Flagged as "broadband for a mobile planet" the Inmarsat-4 Satellite is
Inmarsat's first step in providing the next-generation of mobile services,
including
BGAN. The Inmarsat-4s will speed through space
at 6,875 mph. The satellites will sit in geostationary orbit, where they will be
synchronized with the rotational speed of the Earth and appear to "hover" over
the Equator. They will bring about a 16-fold increase in the
traffic-bearing capacity of the Inmarsat network and will extend high-speed
data into space, creating a truly global broadband network. Much of the
I-4 traffic will be carried as Internet Protocol (
IP)
packet-switched data. The network will also be powerful enough to support
circuit-switched applications, such as voice,
ISDN and
fax.
See also BGAN.