Inmarsat to Unveil Broadcast Technology Roadmap at IBC

Inmarsat (LSE:ISAT.L), the leading provider of global mobile satellite communications services, will be presenting its new technology roadmap at IBC 2012 stand 2.C28 as it expands its portfolio with innovations that help broadcasters meet the challenges of today’s media landscape.
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 the revolutionary Global Xpress®, a new global Ka-band service that will offer unprecedented satellite broadband coverage and flexibility.
In helping to design Inmarsat’s upcoming services and capabilities, Turner is putting the needs of media customers at the heart of the process and is drawing on his extensive personal experience as former BBC Head of Newsgathering Operations.
Since its launch, BGAN has changed the way journalists are able to cover the news and leading TV networks such as CNN and Sky depend on its portability and reliability to transmit seminal images from major events. At IBC 2012, Inmarsat will demonstrate the flexibility of BGAN and its capabilities as the hub around which a remote production can be built.
Operating a BGAN terminal requires no expert knowledge, yet supports the collaborative workflows that tapeless formats have introduced and creates a wireless cloud to support an entire news team. It extends the newsroom to the field and enables journalists to keep in touch with the flood of vital information from social media sources.
Inmarsat’s lightweight, backpack-sized BGAN terminal and vehicular BGAN solutions 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{e1f18614b95d3cd6e4b3128e1cd15d99b042a60a5a19c19b7a8e07e7495efa10} 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.
To arrange a one-to-one interview with Martin Turner prior to or during IBC, please contact the media relations team using the contacts below.