Inmarsat to unveil broadcast technology roadmap at IBC

Inmarsat, a provider of global mobile satellite communications services, will be presenting its new technology roadmap at IBC 2012 stand 2.C28.

Martin Turner, who joined Inmarsat as Director of Media Business in June 2012, will provide details about new services to be launched next year, including higher speed streaming on BGAN and Global Xpress a new global Ka-band service.

At IBC 2012, Inmarsat will demonstrate the flexibility of BGAN and its capabilities as the hub around which a remote production can be built.

Inmarsat’s lightweight, backpack-sized BGAN terminal and vehicular BGAN solutions reportedly offer journalists the flexibility to conduct live interviews with a news anchor for up-to-the-minute updates; send back pre-recorded edited or unedited video; email news stories and features back to the subs, or upload and publish them directly online.

At IBC 2012, Inmarsat will also demonstrate the increase in video quality expected with the introduction of higher streaming speeds due to be launched next year and will demonstrate solutions showing how BGAN can complement 3G connectivity.

“We are witnessing the great democratisation of the media. With smartphones making up 30% of all the phones shipped last year, many people have more technology in their pocket than most journalists had just a decade ago. Combined with social media and the 24-hour news cycle, the result has been a revolution in the news industry. Inmarsat is providing the technology broadcasters need to meet the challenges of this new world and deliver a constant, real-time stream of added-value content,” said Turner.

“We have listened to our customers to understand how their needs are changing and we are updating our portfolio to help broadcasters meet these new challenges. We are using IBC as the launchpad for our new strategy to deliver breakthrough solutions for the broadcast industry,” said Drew Brandy, vice president of the industry business unit at Inmarsat.