Satellite VoIP Blog

Sealink services from Marlink on SONGA ECLIPSE

2011-07-19T05:45:00.000-07:00

Marlink, the global provider of maritime satellite communications, has recently signed a new contract with offshore drilling specialist, Songa Offshore(Norwegian-Cypriot drilling contractor). As part of the new agreement Marlink will deliver and install its Sealink C-band VSAT services on Songa’s semi-submersible rigs including SONGA ECLIPSE, a 6th generation Friede & Goldman ExD ultra deep-water rig, providing each drilling rig with 1024 Kbps bandwidth to support a range of business critical applications. Songa is expected to benefit from Marlink's satellite communications and network services, including VoIP telephony for local dialling tones, specialised networking aboard each rig, email and storage solutions and desktop support.Through their close collaboration with Viking Innovations, they are able to develop satellite communications and IT service packages which best fit the needs of customers such as Songa Offshore, to fully support the digital oilfield.

Marlink’s extensive product range for the oil rig and offshore industry includes its own regional, multi-regional and global Ku-band and C-band Maritime VSAT systems SEAdirect, WaveCall and Sealink, as well as on-demand services such as Inmarsat FleetBroadband, Iridium and Thuraya. The maritime satellite communications provider has also established regional customer service facilities in major regions of the world, supporting its global customer base. Marlink also provides remote control capabilities for vessel operations, improving safety in difficult conditions. Since an emergency at sea can be uniquely challenging, Marlink provides an added level of security in even the most hazardous circumstances.

Sealink is Marlink’s full service solution offering high quality always-on voice, Internet access and Local Area Network (LAN) communications at a fixed monthly price. The core focus of Sealink is to provide high quality, cost-efficient company internal telephony, PSTN telephone, GSM carrier services and administrative vessel-to-shore LAN-LAN services as well as email and Internet services, to enable a powerful connection with shore operations.Sealink can be tailored to meet customers’ specific requirements, with bandwidth customized to include a dedicated Quality of Service (QoS) and bit rate at several Mbps. Sealink can be tailored to meet customers’ specific requirements, with services for crew welfare and passengers, contractors, partners or clients. Bandwidth is also customized to include a dedicated Quality of Service (QoS) and specified bit rate, appropriate to your needs.

The service includes the provision of equipment, satellite space segment, teleport services and terrestrial connectivity, an end-to-end service guarantee.Marlink provides regional support with regional knowledge on a global basis, meaning wherever you are in the world, regardless of what time or day, an expert customer support representative is ready to help you when you need it.On-board system installation, training, fault correction and periodic preventive maintenance are provided as part of the service by Marlink’s own personnel. Field engineers, equipment and spare parts are available from service depots worldwide, enabling us to offer quality parts or a call-out service at short notice across the globe.

Internet access is provided to Sealink customers through high quality broadband access and can be tailored to the customer’s requirements. Options include prioritised bandwidth, fixed IP, VPN, restricted Internet with content filtering or a prepaid card system. Transmission rates from 64 Kbps up to 8 Mbps are available for always-on voice, Internet access and LAN-to-LAN services.Sealink telephone lines are connected to a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) making calling a vessel as simple as calling a terrestrial fixed line. Calls to the customer’s on-shore headquarters are made simple via the on-board telephone systems’ direct connections and the call cost is included in the lease of the service.

Sealink provides regional, multi-regional and global coverage using C- and Ku-band space segments or Ku-band and C-band solutions can be combined in order to meet specific customer demands and optimise cost efficiency. A range of Value Added Services are available from Marlink that have been custom designed to complement and further enhance the Sealink service. Since we monitor the system around the clock, problems are often pinpointed and diagnosed before the vessel is aware that a problem was on the rise. In many cases, faults discovered on-board can be rectified from shore using the existing infrastructure. Rather than having to swallow the cost of sending a service engineer to the vessel due to a breakdown or failure, the company saves on travel expenses, daily wages of a service engineer and - in the worst case scenario - a helicopter lease.

Using Remote Diagnostics, you can monitor and access the on-board systems from shore for:
•DynamicPositioning(DP)
• Integrated Automation Control

Highly advanced Dynamic Positioning process LAN can keep a large shuttle tanker positioned almost as if anchored up. This important when accurate positioning is a must - even in rough weather.Remote diagnostics is a powerful service that allows you to foresee potential problems and address them before they become unpleasant and costly surprises.

F4W's Increases VoIP Connections via Satellite and Cellular by 500%

2011-07-13T03:23:00.000-07:00

F4W, Inc. (F4W), a software development company focused on delivering simple, encrypted, interoperable and affordable communications solutions, announced a radical change in the way VoIP performs over low bandwidth or high latency (delay) connections, such as cellular or satellite.

A tremendous barrier to accessing the power and flexibility of VoIP during a disaster event or in remote locations is the inability of traditional VoIP to connect and sustain a connection over a satellite or 3G / 4G cellular data connection due to the high latency of those types of networks. Add security concerns via the implementation of third-party devices and the ability to support a full-scale operation with VoIP becomes impossible.

However, all that has changed with F4W's Core technology. This software revolutionizes the use of VoIP, allowing for 10, 20, 30 or more simultaneous voice calls with no degradation in quality over any available network connection. Furthermore, F4W's Core technology is entirely secure, adding no burden to the call or requiring no additional hardware or software to implement.

"This is a critical step forward in unified communications; this latest version of the Core VoIP software makes VoIP over disparate network types transparent and efficient. The ability to encrypt the conversations, as well as provide network access across any type of IP network, makes the Core VoIP software essential for any organization in need of resilient and secure communications," said Keith Money, COO of F4W.

"Bar none, our technology outperforms anyone in the marketplace. It is our technology, our software that sets us apart. Set our products up and use them next to anyone else and I promise, you will walk away impressed and wondering why you do not have one of our solutions at your disposal," said Harry Timmons, president of F4W.

F4W's technology has been developed from years of real-world, in-the-field emergency response experience, whether with a system or side-by-side with a customer, F4W has participated in every major event in the past six years.

F4W is a communications company focused on developing simple, encrypted, flexible, interoperable and affordable communications solutions. In doing so, F4W has invented new products and solutions that reduce the cost of communications, enabling them to provide feature-rich benefits to both private and public organizations that could not afford or operate comparable solutions.

Newtec with Sat3Play combined VoIP services and Direct-to-Home television services

2011-03-30T13:57:00.000-07:00

Newtec, a global industry leader shaping the future of satellite communications, is celebrating its success after shipping 100,000 award-winning Sat3Play terminals.Offering state-of-the-art products and scalable, integrated solutions for broadcast, broadband access and backbone and trunking applications, Newtec helps customers achieve greater efficiency, increase performance and expand market reach.

Newtec has been working closely with the European satellite provider SES ASTRA to deliver its Sat3Play HUBs and terminals for SES ASTRA's successful interactive broadband service ASTRA2Connect.The core of the Sat3Play system is a DVB-S2 Hub that enables the provisioning of both basic and complex services to consumer and business markets. The Sat3play Hub has been designed in order to be highly scalable for both traffic and management aspects, supporting a wide and growing range of multimedia, data and voice applications.ASTRA2Connect has more than 75.000 end-users in Europe today and was rated best satellite based broadband service by leading German independent consumer magazine, Stiftung Warentest.

Newtec's low-cost, Ka-band-ready future-proof Sat3Play terminal includes both FlexACM technology and the revolutionary 4CPM modulation and coding scheme, which substantially increases the speed and bandwidth efficiency of the total system.Sat3Play is a perfect fit for both the consumer and enterprise markets.The Sat3Play terminal implements the most efficient technologies such as DVB-S2 modulation in the forward link, rain fade countermeasures in the return link and IP traffic enhancement software such as TCP acceleration, pre-fetching and encryption.This achievement in Europe is being successfully leveraged in many other regions with customers including HellasSat, IPCopter and Ghana-based K-NET. Sat3Play is now also in use in Africa and the Middle East too.

Sat3Play can be combined with VoIP and Direct-to-Home television services and supports a large variety of professional applications such as for the maritime, energy, transport and security markets. The terminals can be set up quickly and easily using Newtec's Point&Play self-installation capability.Point&Play, a patent pending technology from Newtec, is an innovative self-installation system available on Sat3Play satellite broadband access terminals. The system consists of an antenna pointing tool (shipped with every terminal), combined with advanced software embedded in the indoor modem. It allows the installer (be it a professional installer or the end-user) to easily position the antenna correctly by identifying the satellite and providing feedback on both signal quality and lock. It does not require any software to be installed on the end-users' computer.

A Sat3Play system is a modular platform designed for

"Grow-as-you-go" network modularity
Scalable from 500 to 160,000 users per hub
Single or Multi-Service provider platform
Highly reliable and low cost terminal
Easy & fast end-user terminal installation
Dual or Triple play support
End-to-end Multiple QoS mechanisms
Industry-leading traffic acceleration & compression techniques

Applications

Consumer internet access
Corporate Networking
VoIP telephony
Content distribution and Management
Telemetry (SCADA)
Point of sales terminals (POS)

Newtec's Sat3Play technology is also used for connecting thousands of remote sites as with SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) where the system is being used to provide a sophisticated monitoring and forecasting capability for Italy's gas and electricity authority.The Sat3Play Broadband Terminal is a state-of-the-art, high performance equipment package designed to provide high-speed satellite internet access for the consumer, small office and home office markets. Sat3Play allows ISPs or other IP based service providers to address their market with a truly viable business model. The Sat3Play terminal is capable of supporting a full range of IP services, such as VoIP, multicasting and intranet services.

With its passionate commitment to R&D and its strong relationship with the European Space Agency (ESA), Newtec remains in the forefront of technological development, continuing the pioneering contributions that have led to industry standards including DVB, DVB-S2, DVB RCS and iSatTV Cenelec pr EN50478.

Newtec's worldwide customer base includes the industry's most prestigious broadcasters, satellite operators, telcos, systems houses and broadcasting unions. Established in 1985 and headquartered in Belgium, Newtec has regional offices as well as additional R&D centres located in Stamford, Conn. (U.S.), Singapore (Singapore), Beijing (China), Dubai (UAE), São Paulo (Brazil), Berlin (Germany) and France.

ASTRA Broadband Services is a 100% owned subsidiary of SES ASTRA operating SES ASTRA's satellite broadband access ASTRA2Connect (http://www.astra2connect.com/).ASTRA2Connect is a bi-directional satellite broadband service, providing households and companies in regions without terrestrial broadband networks a reliable and low-cost access to the broadband internet as well as VoIP telephony and TV reception.

ASTRA2Connect is today available in over 20 European countries and has already more than 75,000 customers. With speeds of up to 6 Mb/s in download and easily installable hardware components, ASTRA2Connect has become the most successful satellite-based residential broadband network in Europe.

With extensive know-how in the residential market, ABBS has developed the service further to offer customers from the energy, security and transportation industries an attractive and cost-efficient possibility to implement their SCADA applications. Using specially designed in-motion antennas, ASTRA2Connect is also used by the maritime market for low-cost access to the broadband internet.

C-COM Satellite systems with iNetVu Mobile satellite antenna deliver VoIP,Video services and high-speed Internet into vehicles

2011-03-25T05:30:00.000-07:00

C-COM Satellite Systems Inc. is a leader in the development and deployment of commercial grade mobile satellite-based technology for the delivery of two-way high-speed Internet, VoIP and Video services into vehicles. C-COM has developed a unique proprietary Mobile auto-deploying (iNetVu) antenna that allows the delivery of high-speed satellite based Internet services into vehicles while stationary virtually anywhere where one can drive. The iNetVu Mobile antennas have also been adapted to be airline checkable and easily transportable. The company's satellite-based products and services deliver high-quality, cost-effective solutions for both fixed and mobile applications throughout the world.

The iNetVu Airline Checkable antenna system that will be on display is an advanced, high precision, 1.2m segmented carbon fibre antenna, designed to be airline checkable. Lightweight and portable, the flyaway antenna fits into two easy-to-carry luggage-like cases, and can be assembled in less than 10 minutes without any tools.

C-COM Satellite Systems Inc. one of the leading global providers of mobile auto-deploying satellite antenna systems, has announced today that it has received $600,000 worth of orders for its iNetVu mobile antenna products from a number of Asian customers.

The iNetVu Mobile satellite antenna orders were received from Japan, China and Malaysia. The units for Japan have already been shipped and deployed in the Tsunami affected regions of Japan, where they are providing emergency cellular back-up communications. The government of China will be using the iNetVu systems for their national disaster management plan, while Malaysia Telecom will be deploying them as mobile offices across Malaysia.

The antenna will automatically acquire satellite with the simple press of a button. The iNetVu Next-Gen 1.2 meter Drive-Away antenna is a fully redesigned vehicle-based antenna system. Preceded by the highly successful iNetVu mobile antenna platform, of which thousands have been deployed worldwide, this NexGen antenna system offers greater pointing accuracy, lower weight and reduced stow height.

"The Asian market continues to be a very important market for C-COM. Our extensive customer base in these countries values the cost effectiveness and high reliability of our iNetVu antenna systems, which in many instances deliver life saving communication solutions and are counted on to perform reliably in critical situations every time they are deployed. We are pleased to see the steady flow of repeat orders from these existing customers and appreciate their continued support." said Leslie Klein, President and CEO of C-COM.

This news release contains forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect management's current expectations and assumptions. A number of factors could cause actual events, performance or results to differ materially from the events, performance and results discussed in the forward-looking statements. New orders anticipated by C-COM Satellite Systems Inc. may not be received and current orders may be cancelled. New products and services released may not gain market acceptance. Any of those events could have an effect on future performance and C-COM Satellite Systems Inc.'s ability to achieve the results mentioned above. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and C-COM Satellite Systems Inc. does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

The new antenna has an aerodynamic shape when stowed on a vehicle and will automatically acquire satellite in less than two minutes. “We expect to see many of our new products deployed by the military, oil and gas exploration companies, various government departments, satellite news gathering organisations as well as emergency management and disaster recovery teams around the world.

The Hughes VoIP solution includes both hosted VoIP and SIP trunking services

2011-03-09T05:47:00.000-08:00

Hughes provides an extensive array of broadband connectivity systems, which are supplied to customers by both their own HughesNet service market, and also a growing number of authorized service providers. These include both fixed and mobile telecom providers worldwide, offering "Internet everywhere" service to meet a long list of high-bandwidth application requirements, including VoIP, high-speed Internet access, interactive distance learning, video conferencing, and multimedia streaming.

Since that time, the Hughes company has manufactured and shipped over 2.2 million VSAT (very small aperture terminal) systems to customers in over 100 countries around the world. These satellite offerings, named HughesNet, provide network and communication services to consumers, small businesses, larger enterprises and government organizations.

With a market share of 50 percent of the global VSAT business, Hughes claims a long list of major enterprise customers, including many of the Fortune 1000 companies in virtually every vertical sector: retail, lotteries, oil and gas, automotive, hospitality, restaurants and financial services.

Hughes also owns and operates service businesses throughout the United States, Europe, India and Brazil. The network connectivity is supported by two generations of satellites, SPACEWAY 3 and JUPITER.

The SPACEWAY 3 system was designed and developed by Hughes as a next-generation, Ka-band broadband satellite system. This system was launched in August 2007, and is claimed as the world’s first to employ on-board traffic switching and routing capability, delivering a wide range of broadband IP services in North America, with 10 Gbps overall capacity.

JUPITER is a next-generation, high-throughput Ka-band satellite scheduled for launch in the first half of 2012. It is designed to have 100 Gbps capacity, over 10 times the capacity of SPACEWAY 3 and up to 100 times more than today’s conventional Ku-band satellites. Employing a multi-spot beam, Jupiter will operate in geostationary orbit, providing significant additional capacity for delivery of a wide range of services in North America.

The Hughes systems are also designed to support the emerging global standards for broadband satellite transmission. All of their broadband products are based on the IP over Satellite (IPoS) standard, the world’s first to be approved by the governing standards bodies, including the TIA, ETSI and ITU. IPoS enables value-added application software to be readily transported to different satellite hardware platforms without requiring costly re-development.

Also implemented by Hughes is the Digital Video Broadcast by Satellite, second-generation (DVG-S2) standard, with Adaptive Coding Modulation (ACM). DVB-S2 was originally developed for remote newsgathering, with the ability to transmit both audio and video back to the home television station. The ACM addition increases transmission efficiency, yielding up to 50 percent greater throughput, with transmission capabilities up to 90 Mbps.

This extensive system infrastructure has enabled Hughes to recently launch a business-grade managed VoIP service for distributed enterprises. Announced in January 2011, the voice system employs what the company calls ActiveQoS technology, which incorporates several optimization techniques, including traffic metering, network change adaptation, and traffic prioritization, that are designed to ensure that real-time, latency sensitive applications, such as voice, are prioritized on an end-to-end basis, minimizing packet loss and jitter.

This fully managed service is available throughout the United States, initially targeted at distributed enterprise markets. Over time it will be marketed to smaller firms as well. The system is designed to maximize the use of existing premises equipment, with support for both current phone systems and analog phones. If needed, Hughes can provide IP phones as part of the service, which can also include a direct SIP connection to an existing IP PBX on a case-by-case basis.

Management of the system is via a Customer Gateway, which provides fault and performance management for the customers’ private network, as well as a number of self-administration features, such as call forwarding, call redirection, and so on. The service can also include a high-availability option which deploys both broadband wireline and satellite access to each site, with both voice and data traffic switching to the backup path in the event of a primary link failure.

KeyOn and WREC offering up to 8MB/s throughout Nevada

2011-02-10T06:19:00.000-08:00

KeyOn Communications Holdings, Inc, one of the largest providers of wireless broadband, satellite video and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services in the United States, announced it has completed its acquisition of substantially all of the wireless broadband assets of Wells Rural Electric Company (WREC).KeyOn offers broadband services with VoIP and satellite video services to both residential and business subscribers across 12 Western and Midwestern states.

The WREC acquisition has strategic importance to KeyOn as the network footprint covers markets such as Wells and West Wendover, Nevada. The network serving these communities will interconnect with KeyOn's planned network in rural Nevada funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act's stimulus program. In September 2010, KeyOn received a $10.2 million stimulus award to provide 4G, last-mile wireless broadband access and VoIP services to approximately 93,000 people, 5,522 businesses and 849 critical community facilities throughout Nevada.

Jonathan Snyder, KeyOn's President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "The purchase of the wireless broadband business from Wells Rural Electric Company adds a well architected network with robust capacity and a stable subscriber base. As a result of our planned stimulus-funded network construction, the residents of the areas covered by WREC will be able to access up to 8 MB/s speeds with our 4G wireless network and these communities will benefit from job opportunities and economic development."

WREC represents the eighth acquisition of network assets and subscribers since the inception of Rural UniFi in the fourth quarter of 2009 and is the Company's twelfth acquisition overall. It is expected that this transaction will add positive operating cash flow in its first month of operations under KeyOn's ownership because of its assimilation into KeyOn's centralized network and customer operations center.

Rural UniFi is a strategic acquisition initiative designed for independent wireless broadband companies to realize immediate value from their networks by being acquired by or merging with KeyOn. Interested wireless broadband operators can visit KeyOn's unique initiative through the company's website (www.keyon.com/ruralunifi.html) where they can receive more information and begin the qualification process.

Through a combination of organic growth and acquisitions, KeyOn has expanded its network footprint to reach approximately 55,000 square miles and cover over 2,800,000 people, as well as small-to-medium businesses. With its successful track record of acquiring companies through its Rural UniFi initiative and growth of its overall subscriber base, KeyOn is one of the leading wireless broadband companies in the United States.

Management intends to drive subscriber growth through additional acquisitions as well as organic growth across the company's expanding footprint by offering bundled services including broadband, video, VoIP and related valuable services such as the Bullseye Club. The company also intends to opportunistically build mobile and/or nomadic WiMAX networks in and around its market footprint.

Q-KON with VSAT technologies launch of the que-X satellite access service

2011-01-28T14:47:00.000-08:00

Q-KON is an engineering house that offers end-to-end wireless and satellite networks and VOIP solutions that combine technology, engineering and innovation to create unique solutions for challenging requirements to unlock real business benefits for all.The main benefits to business include Internet connection that is optimised for the business market, eight usable public IP address included (more available upon request), VPN ready for corporate networks, customer IP network support available to ensure end-to-end performance and real-time engineering support ensured by Q-KON's experienced NOC and engineering teams.

With more than 200Mbps from 6 Teleports over seven satellites using five different VSAT technologies, combined with engineering expertise, Q-KON has repeatedly delivered innovative wireless and satellite solutions to meet the demanding business and user needs of the emerging African markets.Q-KON, a South African-based provider of turnkey solutions covering specialist areas of telecommunications and ICT, has announced the launch of the que-X satellite access service to the South Africa and Africa market.que-X is a Business Satellite Access Service that is optimised to provide a two-way communication circuit from an on-premise earth station at the customer remote site to a teleport facility in Midrand, South Africa.

The service is targeted at South African companies with remote branches, even those with one or two remote stations, who want to get reliable data and Internet connectivity without having to incur major infrastructure costs.que-X is a multidimensional satellite access platform defined as “Satellite4”. The platform incorporates four different satellite technology dimensions or elements to collectively offer the most flexible and advance service option to the market.

These elements are two VSAT hub architectures and two communication satellites. It also incorporates an iDirect star access solution, an advanced SkyWAN Xwarp platform, Ku-Band access using Hellas-Sat HS2 and C-Band access using Arabsat 5A. Hellas-Sat provides Ku-Band satellite communication services throughout southern Africa, and Arabsat is used to provide C-Band services throughout Africa.

From the teleport, the access circuit is connected to the customer's hosted equipment in the Tier 4 Data Centre or backhauled to the customer's SA premises via terrestrial links.Management at Q-KON is keen to alert the growing satellite communication and platform technology market space to the advantages of que-X.

The satellite-based systems of this service are not affected by cable theft and can be relocated if and when requirements change. The implementation time of satellite-based systems are much quicker than other solutions, and there is flexibility in terms of quickly upgrading bandwidth and contention ratios when demand exceeds the current service offered.

As part of its growth strategy going forward, Q-KON is highlighting the value component of this offering, which is reflected by a product pricing structure that includes e-mail and phone support, a one-year warranty on hardware and 12/24 months of bandwidth contracts.The company also provides for local VSAT Platform Engineers available for pre-sales support, telephone support and e-mail support. Also included is large stockholding of VSAT terminal equipment.

SatCom Group Holdings Plc change change its name to One Horizon Plc - New growth strategy

2011-01-28T13:38:00.000-08:00

World leading IT and telecommunications company, SatCom Group Holdings Plc announces its name change to One Horizon Group Plc. This change reflects the company’s new growth strategy and focus on the Horizon communications platform.

One Horizon Group Plc is a holding company with subsidiaries in the satellite communications and telecommunication sectors. The group offers a full range of mobile and fixed satellite products and has expanded into IP (Internet Protocol) based telephony systems through the launch of the Horizon product portfolio in 2010.

VSAT-HUB.Horizon represents an entirely new approach to communications, offering all the features and benefits of a VPN VoIP solution while minimising the use of data. Horizon features ultra-low bandwidth VoIP from as low as 2kbps and an integrated suite of optimised data applications including Internet surfing, email, and instant messaging. Horizon is suitable for deployment over mobile satellite, VSAT, fixed line and mobile telecommunications.

“Aligning our name with our core product more accurately represents the transformation of our business as we enter new global communications markets with the Horizon suite of products” said Sandy Johnson, COO of One Horizon Group Plc.

In addition to the name change, a new subsidiary has been formed to market Horizon outside the satellite industry. Horizon Globex Gmbh, based in Baar, Switzerland, will be responsible for IP based telephony systems development and promoting Horizon to enterprises and service providers.

Today, One Horizon Group Plc has offices in Australia, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Japan, Switzerland, UAE, UK, and USA.

With operations in the UK, USA, Switzerland, UAE, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and Australia, One Horizon Group companies include SatCom Global and Horizon Globex Gmbh. The company offers the Horizon suite; products and services from Inmarsat; Iridium, Thuraya and VSAT operators. One Horizon Group Plc key target markets include the US, Europe, Asia, Middle East and the maritime communities worldwide.

China will crack down on what it called illegal Internet telephone providers - Illegal Skype

2010-12-31T13:12:00.001-08:00

China will crack down on what it called illegal Internet telephone providers, according to a circular from the Chinese government seen on Friday that could potentially affect Internet calling service Skype.

The statement, from the powerful Ministry of Information and Industry Technology, did not mention any carriers by name.

It called for a crackdown "on illegal VoIP (voice over Internet protocol) telephone services" and said it was collecting evidence for legal cases against them.

Skype, partly owned by web retailer eBay Inc , has been growing in popularity among Chinese individuals and businesses to make cheap or free international phone calls.

The circular, dated Dec. 10, did not say what amounted to illegal services and did not name any VoIP providers it considered to be breaking the law.

Spokespeople for the ministry and the ministry's office gathering information for the campaign did not answer telephone calls on Friday. Skype could not immediately be reached for comment.

The move appeared to be aimed at protecting three government-controlled Chinese phone carriers -- China Telecom , China Unicom and China Mobile -- which provide the bulk of China's telephone services.

The Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post on Thursday quoted an unidentified ministry official as saying VoIP services could only be provided by the big three Chinese operators.

Spokespeople for China Telecom and China Unicom did not answer phone calls on Friday. A spokeswoman for China Mobile, reached in Beijing, referred calls to the firm's Hong Kong office. Attempts to reach the Hong Kong office were not successful.

VoIP calls allow users to make international calls for much less than commercial providers, or even for free if both parties are using VoIP. Many businesses that use VoIP services to cut down on their international telephone costs could lose access to the cheaper alternative.

Skype, which has about 124 million users worldwide, hopes to raise about $1 billion in an initial public offering expected next year.

KA-SAT make VoIP calls over Internet in good quality and at low cost

2010-12-30T01:02:00.001-08:00

Currently called KA-SAT and scheduled for launch in third quarter 2010, the satellite will be configured with more than 80 spotbeams. A network of eight gateways managed by Eutelsat, and which will provide access to KA-SAT, will form an integral part of the new infrastructure.

"By combining a satellite equipped with more than 80 spotbeams and a network of ground stations, this new programme will deliver more capacity than any other satellite programme deployed worldwide," Michel de Rosen, Eutelsat chief executive, said. "These new resources will in particular benefit internet service providers, enabling them to extend broadband to consumers and enterprises in areas unserved by terrestrial networks."

Eutelsat will locate KA-SAT at 13° E where it will join three large HOT BIRD Ku-band broadcasting satellites. This collocation will enrich the range of consumer entertainment services offered from the Group's prime neighbourhood by enabling satellite homes to receive television in the Ku-band and new rich media services in the Ka-band through a single dual-frequency antenna. In advance and in preparation of KA-SAT, Eutelsat is using Ka-band capacity on its HOT BIRD 6 satellite for a new consumer broadband service, launched in Europe at the end of 2007, and called Tooway.

The service is operated by the Group's broadband subsidiary Skylogic, in cooperation with ViaSat. Tooway uses ViaSat's well established SurfBeam system. KA-SAT is the European equivalent to ViaSat-1, a high-capacity Ka-band broadband satellite ordered by ViaSat to serve the North American market and planned to launch in 2011.

ViaSat and Eutelsat are cooperating closely around ViaSat's Ka-band SurfBeam networking system and a similar wholesale business model that works through ISPs, telecommunications companies and pay-TV platforms to serve subscribers. KA-SAT marks a material step forward in multi-spot satellites.

In particular, 1stgen multi-spot satellites using ViaSat SurfBeam technology and operated by WildBlue and Telesat have already reached more than 300,000 Internet subscribers since their launch in 2005. As a standard used by several tens of millions of cable customers worldwide, DOCSIS, together with powerful new Ka-band multi-spot satellites can facilitate important economies of scale to enable satellite-based consumer Internet services to achieve costs and bandwidth comparable to ADSL.

KA-SAT, coupled with ViaSat's next generation SurfBeam, will deliver a total throughput of over 70 Gigabits per second. Based on the EUROSTAR Eurostar-3000 platform, KA-SAT is the 17th satellite commissioned by Eutelsat from EADS Astrium. Designed to operate for 15 years, it will have a launch mass of 6.15 tons and a payload consuming more than 11 kW of power, with solar arrays generating 15 kW of power.

The Ka-band satellite — known as KA-SAT — launched on 26 December. It has a capacity of up to 70Gbps. KA-SAT has been designed by Eutelsat to provide broadband coverage for Europe, northern Africa and some parts of the Far East and is expected to be fully operational for residential broadband subscribers from late in the second quarter of 2011.

Eutelsat Communications has selected EADS Astrium in January 2008 to deliver its first satellite operating exclusively in Ka-band frequencies. The satellite will form the cornerstone of a major new satellite infrastructure program that will expand capacity for consumer broadband services across Europe and the Mediterranean Basin, while providing new opportunities for local and regional television markets.

NEWSA satellite that will be used to provide residential broadband connections for Europe, northern Africa and some parts of the Far East has been successfully launched, French satellite company Eutelsat announced on Monday.

Eutelsat will not offer the service directly to consumers, instead selling the service wholesale to providers that will then resell the connections. Pricing for the service is currently unavailable.

The satellite will provide download speeds of up to 10Mbps and upload speeds of up to 4Mbps for Eutelsat's Tooway consumer broadband service, a company spokesperson told ZDNet UK on Wednesday. There is potential for higher speeds in the future, the spokesperson said. Until KA-SAT, Tooway provided a maximum download speed of 4Mbps.

On 26 November Avanti communications successfully launched its own broadband satellite — Hylas 1 — capable of delivering up to 10Mbps download and 2Mbps upload broadband to around 350,000 homes.

Hylas 1 is due to begin serving customers in Europe — with the exception of Scandinavia — with satellite broadband connections for from £25 per month in the first quarter of 2011.

Second broadband satellite - good news for VoIP?

2010-12-30T00:23:00.001-08:00

Second broadband satellite good news for VoIP?

Millions of people may get the chance to access VoIP services for the first time after the launch of Europe's second dedicated broadband satellite.

Created by communications firm Eutelstat, the 6.1 tonne Ka-Sat was fired into space on top of a proton rocket from Baikonur in Kazakhstan on Sunday (December 26th).

The company hopes the spacecraft will deliver high-speed broadband to more than one million homes using 82 spot beams linked to ten ground stations.

Eutelsat chief executive officer Michel de Rosen stated the new technology could allow access to areas currently deprived of internet connectivity, via a system similar to that delivering access to almost half a million US homes.

"These new resources will in particular benefit internet service providers, enabling them to extend broadband to consumers and enterprises in areas unserved by terrestrial networks," he said.

The news comes just one month after the launch of Europe's first broadband satellite - Hylas 1 - which the European Space Agency hopes will provide super-fast broadband across the continent.

DSL, cable, 3G/4G wireless, or satellite, all integrated into one seamless, enterprise-wide network managed by Hughes

2010-12-22T05:00:00.001-08:00

Hughes Network Systems, a dealer in providing broadband satellite networks and services, announced the availability of new managed services suite for enterprises that integrate voice, data and video over affordable broadband.

The ActiveQoS technology it is based-on enables enterprises to deliver enhanced performance of converged voice, data, and video applications over affordable broadband networks for any number of sites.

Until now companies need to employ a MPLS network in order to realize such benefits of converging their data, voice, and video traffic in a common network but Hughes' (News - Alert) ActiveQoS changes the perception that Voice over IP could not be integrated with video and data over affordable broadband. Hughes ActiveQoS is a new network optimization technology from Hughes that enables 'MPLS-like' performance over high-speed, affordable DSL and cable broadband connections.

ActiveQoS is able to see through real-time latency sensitive apps such as heavy voice and video data streams by utilizing several optimization methods that facilitate it to adapt to traffic demands.

The company also claimed that its transport architecture is flexible – a WAN solution can be tailored to each customer's requirements. Enterprises with hundreds or thousands of locations can select the most cost-effective and available broadband solution for each site - DSL, cable, 3G/4G wireless, or satellite, all integrated into one seamless, enterprise-wide network managed by Hughes.

The company claimed that its suite of services and solutions for large enterprise provides unmatched security, performance, and reliability, making the network a strategic asset for meeting business goals. It offers a range of broadband products, services, and solutions to enterprises in all business sectors with unmatched expertise in retail, restaurant, hospitality, retail petroleum, utilities, oil and gas, education and the lottery industries.

Hughes' suite of managed solutions helps to deliver on strategic objectives with Hughes' Converged Broadband Architecture (CBA). Hughes CBA, with ActiveQoS, delivers superior performance, high reliability, and assured security to distributed enterprise solutions. Hughes' CBA incorporates sophisticated edge intelligence enabling the delivery of enterprise-grade private networks over broadband technologies.

VoIP call from space

2010-12-14T15:06:00.001-08:00

Cisco has made the first ever VoIP call from space through its latest satellite technology. By installing an internet protocol (IP) router onboard an already orbiting spacecraft, the networking specialist was able to make the connection without the use of any ground-based infrastructure.

This new capability means VoIP users will be able to communicate more efficiently and cost-effectively than on the existing network, which relies on terrestrial hubs to relay information, the firm claimed.

Steven Boutelle, chief executive officer of Cisco internet routing in space, said the breakthrough will enable a "truly" mobile worldwide network that will allow people to connect however and wherever they want.

This technology has the potential to transform how government agencies and commercial organisations use IP-based network services to accomplish their missions and business objectives," he added.

Europe's first dedicated broadband satellite Hylas-1 was launched last month with the aim of providing high-speed internet access to even the most remote areas of the continent.

TRA’s green signal to VoIP services

2010-03-15T08:28:00.001-07:00

The long-pending hopes of the telephone users in the UAE to make VoIP calls without being hassled by the fears of violating laws of the land, appear to be near fruition.

Telecommunications Regulatory Authority or TRA on Monday announced the policy framework permitting the country’s two popular licenced operators Etisalat, Du to provide the VoIP service to all categories of customers.

Within hours of release of the TRA policy, Etisalat announced its decision to provide its business customers with reliable and secure VoIP solutions, with immediate effect. However, the ordinary customers of Etisalat will have to wait for some more time to make VoIP calls, as the telecom operator was working out the required business models for providing such services based on the just-released TRA policy.

When contacted by Khaleej Times a spokesman for the Du also said they would get back with the official response from the company quickly on the introduction of the services.

Releasing the VoIP policy, Mohammed Gheyath, the Executive Director at the TRA said the VoIP facility would be part of the portfolio of services being provided by the licenced telecom operators like Etisalat and Du. The licenced telecom operators would decide as to when they will introduce the services and what would the tariff plan. ``They would be able to decide on these issues after evaluating the market conditions, and we would also be watching the market till the year-end,’’ he said.

TRA has granted permission to provide VoIP facilities to the satellite-based telephone service providers Thuraya and Yahsat. While Thuraya is already in operation, Yahsat would launch its operations only after the Yahsat 1 Satellite is put into orbit and starts operation next year.

TRA has made it clear that the telephone users can make use of the VoIP services only through the telecom licence holders like Etisalat and Du. However in special cases like the educational and research institutions there could be some exception, if they are using the services for education and research purposes.

VoIP over 3G is highly affordable

2010-03-01T07:53:00.000-08:00

Writing on his personal blog, Hydrapinion, technology journalist Ian Grayson has stressed the benefits of transmitting VoIP traffic over 3G.

The advent of 3G has, accorded to Mr Grayson, increased the quality and reliability of mobile VoIP, with 3G now serving as a legitimate method of transmission for large VoIP networks.

And the plummeting cost of data is contributing to the benefit of a VoIP service, with the cost in of VoIP data rates in Australia having fallen from $100 (£58.50) a gigabyte to around $15 (£8.70) today.

And Mr Grayson writes that, according to one of his sources, you can "squeeze around 500 minutes of voice calls out of [a] one gigabyte data allowance".

And with Virgin Media now offering 100Mbps (Megabits per second) broadband to some locations in the UK at an affordable price, the savings made possible by VoIP look set to increase.

A further benefit is that, as broadband availability and economy increases, the amount of VoIP traffic that can be affordably supported increases.

VoCeM - Go See 'Em More for Less

2009-06-02T08:32:00.000-07:00

Bottom line good reports from TriaGnoSys, a satellite communications company, launched VoCeM, the world's most efficient satellite communications compression software. Currently, voice over IP (VoIP) calls use up to 96 kbit/s, GSM use up to 30 kbit/s; using VoCeM, each call will only use 6 kbit/s. Satellite costs are therefore reduced significantly, meaning call costs for the end user can be much lower.

VoCeM reduces the kbit rate for calls, and increases the number of simultaneous calls each satellite link can handle. Using the VoCeM compressor, Inmarsat or Ku-band payload usage can be increased by a factor of between 5 and 10.

The VoCeM software has been designed to be installed on existing GSM, 3G/UMTS and VoIP communications servers, so no hardware upgrades are involved. In addition, the considerable cost savings mean VoCeM provides a quick return on investment.

VoCeM can be used for all forms of remote communications systems, including passenger and crew GSM and VoIP services on cargo and cruise ships, aircraft, and remote terrestrial sites, such as oil fields and mines.

TriaGnoSys is perhaps best known in the in-flight entertainment and connectivity (IFE&C) industry for supplying the software behind the Airbus/SITA partnership OnAir's onboard GSM mobile phone solution, which uses Inmarsat's SwiftBroadband satcom. However, TriaGnoSys also recently made headlines when it teamed with T-Mobile, VT Miltope, and ViaSat to offer a Ku-band satellite broadband and GSM telephony service for air transport. The T-Mobile-led team is involved in discussions with Lufthansa in relation to finalizing a contract that would reinstate Ku-band-based connectivity services on the carrier's overseas flights.

iPhone

2007-01-25T18:02:00.000-08:00

iPhone combines three products — a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod with touch controls, and a breakthrough Internet communications device with desktop-class email, web browsing, maps, and searching — into one small and lightweight handheld device.

iPhone also introduces an entirely new user interface based on a large multi-touch display and pioneering new software, letting you control everything with just your fingers. So it ushers in an era of software power and sophistication never before seen in a mobile device, completely redefining what you can do on a mobile phone.

D-Link DPH-540: First Flip-Style Wi-Fi Phone

2006-06-21T17:01:00.000-07:00

D-Link showcased the industry's first flip-style mobile Wi-Fi phone that includes a complete softphone from TelTel for SIP-based Internet telephony, enabling users to make free calls whenever they enter a Wi-Fi hotspot.

The phone, dubbed DPH-540, looks like any cell phone but is not compatible with GSM/CDMA networks. For a Wi-Fi phone, it's pretty lightweight and compact, at just 3.74 ounces. Adorning the internals is a backlit color LCD, as well as a backlit keypad for easy readability.

One of the biggest advantages of using such a phone is that you don't have to be in front of a PC to make/receive calls. Moreover, the phone interface is easier to operate than a PC. Other featuers of the phone include standard speed dial, multiple ringtones, e-mail access and volume control.

What's more, calls to TelTel users across the world are free. You won't need a bigger incentive than this to opt for a Wi-Fi phone. Of course, the problem is, it may turn out to be expensive for local calls to fixed-line phones - which means you will end up carrying another phone with you.

On display at the Sprint Voice Over Network (VON) Conference and Exhibition at the San Jose Convention Center till March 17, the D-Link DPH-540 carries a price tag of US $250 and will be available this summer.

Make the VoIP Calls With Skype and dw7740

2006-06-21T09:17:00.000-07:00

VoIP router dw 7740 is the latest addition to Direcway family of high performance satellite broadband routers. Introduced at the Satellite 2006 conference and exhibition, the DW7740 features two Voice over IP (VoIP) ports combined with two broadband LAN ports, enabling international service operators to deliver a flexible range of voice and high-speed data services from a single, compact, integrated platform.

The DW7740, part of HNS' DW7000 family, is a high-performance broadband satellite router with Voice over IP (VoIP) designed to provide both integrated VoIP capabilities, as well as high-speed access for the large enterprise, government, and small/medium enterprise (SME) markets.

Customers have been asking for more cost-effective rural telephony, e-governance, and kiosk-based services. The DW7740 is in response to that demand. It operates with all DW systems and supports simultaneous voice and high-speed data applications from one integrated and cost-effective platform, making it ideal in rural and remote settings.