BGAN, or
Broadband Global Area Network is a
satellite based uplink that provides
broadband speeds. BGAN provides seamless network
coverage across about 85 percent of the world's land mass, so users can get
broadband wherever they roam, not just in major metropolitan areas. With a
single BGAN
device, you can access broadband data
applications at speeds up to half a
megabit per second and make a phone call at the same
time. BGAN terminals are compact, lightweight and can be carried as easily as a
laptop. A fully functional broadband mobile
office can be set up and shut down in minutes. The smallest BGAN terminal weighs
less than one kilo. BGAN supports the latest
IP services
and traditional circuit-switched voice and data. Integrating seamlessly with
corporate networks, it also supports legacy applications and provides an easy
upgrade path to IP.
One of the most talked-about BGAN systems is the The
Inmarsat Broadband
Global Area Network which was launched over the
I4 (Inmarsat-4) satellite system.
Inmarsat BGAN systems has been specified to support point to point
telecommunication services on portable and
semi fixed land mobile platforms with low to medium gain non-tracking antennas
providing bit rates in the range 216 Kbps to 432 Kbps in
downlink, and 72 Kbps to 432 Kbps in
uplink,
depending on type of terminal.