GX Aviation Vs other providers

George NicolaAviation Technical Marketing Manager

Inmarsat – global, mobile, reliableMobile and fixed networks are fundamentally different!

Pacific OceanWarkworth and Auckland (NZ)

Indian OceanFucino (IT) and Nemea (GR)

Atlantic OceanLino Lakes (US) and

Winnipeg (CA)

Power optimised for coverage

Power focused over specific markets

Spot beam architecture with Frequencyre-use to maximize efficiency

Wide beams used for broadcast areas – no frequency re-use essential for other applications

Reliable and robust links for the users with diversity

Satellite networks lease transponder bandwidth to providers

Seamless handovers with mobility protocols

Mobility is not a primary goal

Next generation Ku-band

Intelsat EPIC (IS-29e) platform operates spot beams in specific regions with wide beams covering other sectors

• High power in limited regions

• Low power in others

Level of service available varies from spot beam to wide beam

Currently IS-29e is under construction (expected mid 2015), IS-33e is now on order (expected mid 2016)

Remaining coverage has low performance compared to GX Aviation

Intelsat EPIC available only in a very limited coverage area for HTS

Global Inmarsat-5 coverage

Uniform Inmarsat servicesV.s

Non-uniform regional services

Pacific OceanWarkworth and Auckland (NZ)

Indian OceanFucino (IT) and Nemea (GR)

Atlantic OceanLino Lakes (US) and

Winnipeg (CA)

So what is the result?

Existing Ku-band satellites

Wide beams used to provide coverage with satellite networks optimised for broadcast services

Power level of wide beams vary across the footprint with power falling off as you approach edge of coverage

Next generation Ku-band satellites

Moving over to spot beams for frequency re-use and increase in bandwidth

Will provide improvements but only in certain regions

Ultimately the transponder lease model will continue and mobile operators in the band will be forced to deliver coverage formed by a “patchwork” mobile network

Different satellites from different providers means a mix of varying capabilities and non-uniform performance

More frequent satellite handovers and service interruptions for the users

But what about other Ka providers?

Inmarsat - global, mobile, reliableMobile and fixed networks are different!

Power optimised for maximum coverage

Frequency re-use to maximize efficiency

Reliable and robust links for the users with diversity

Seamless handovers with mobility protocols

Mobile satellite services

Power focused over specific markets

Maximise bandwidth re-use in both directions

Regional service with non – redundant single hub

Handovers are designed for a stationary network

Fixed satellite services

Global coverage over Inmarsat-5

Viasat 1

Ka-Sat

Can the capacity curve be satisfied?

Inmarsat – global, mobile, reliableAnd flexible – Satellite and ground hybrid

4G LTE Network technology operating in the S-Band

Latest generation technology

High performance, high efficiency

Superior passenger experience due to high throughput and capacity

Low operating cost

Lightweight equipment

No large radome, fewer LRUs

High reliability, low maintenance

Low cost equipment

Coverage over land mass, phased roll-out based on highest density traffic routes

Shared Evolved Packet Core (EPC) with GX allowing true hybrid network

Global coverage with scalable regional high capacity

Ground backbone

Back office – network servicesService environment/enabling platform by CISCO, iDirect and Alcatel NMS

Integrated networks – seamless connectivity

Network management systemGateSync

Network management

systemGX and ATG

(iDerect and ALU)

Service provision system

GX and ATG(CISCO and ALU)

Billing system Level 1

Call data records CDR

GX and ATG

Front officePassenger and Airline service

Customer care 24/7

PORTALWLAN Gateway for GX and ATG

aircafts

Billing systemLevel 2

(End user)

Media centrePassenger and Airline service

Inmarsat GXTV content server

IFEC ASPIRA content server

Airline data centre

• Customer relation management• Flight operation• Maintainance• etc

Credit card accounts

ePC – EA2G Core switch

InternetIFEC

Airline operation centre

ACGC 4G

4G

4G

4G

4G

4G

A-CGC network capacity

Aviation CGC capacity in region: 25.3Gbps

23Mbps per sector, 69Mbps per cell

Phase 1 Total 187 cells: 12.9Gbps

Phase 2 Total 367 cells: 25.3Gbps

Preliminary design 3 sectors per cell

Can be increased to 6 for higher capacity

Standard 4G ground infrastructure with adaptation for Doppler

Planned Coverage A-CGC

Total capacity in region: 25.3 GbpsThat’s 1000 aircraft at 25.3Mbps each

In summaryNetworks are built for purpose

Dual SAS configuration mitigates rain fade/region

Dual carrier MPLS Backbone

Fully redundant network paths to each site

Dual-homed to alternate fallback MMP

Existing BGAN links provide additional resiliency

In summaryNetworks are built for purpose

Mobile satellite networks

Optimise for maximum coverage

Frequency re-use to maximize efficiency

Reliable and robust links for the users with diversity

Seamless handovers with mobility protocols

Flexibility within the architecture is key to being future proof

There are challenges in adapting fixed satellite networks to address mobile requirements

Thank you