Top engineering award for Satellite broadband firm

Inmarsat, which offers its Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) service in various countries through its network of satellites, receive this year’s MacRobert Prize from the Royal Academy of Engineering for developing a global broadband service that helps people to access broadband internet at remote and disaster-struck areas.

The BGAN service, which covers most parts of the world with a group of satellites stationed in geostationary orbit, is being used by many companies, broadcasters, government departments and non-government agencies in places where traditional broadband access like ADSL or cable is not available.

Many aid agencies and emergency services used BGAN in disaster relief operations when the devastating earthquake hit Haiti in January 2010.

Dr. Geoff Robinson, the chairman of judging panel said, “That their service can deliver such tremendous humanitarian benefits, in addition to the technical and commercial ones, must be a source of great satisfaction to this outstanding team.”

Four key members of Inmarsat who contributed to the outstanding work, will divide the £50,000 prize money between them.

There were over 1.2 million satellite broadband connections worldwide, according to a survey in December, 2009. It is expected that the global demand will exceed 15 million within next few years, helped by advancements in satellite technology and cheaper service prices.

Currently, the high cost hardware and the complex process of installation are the major factors of slower penetration.

Satellite broadband technology, which can offer speeds between 2Mbps and 7Mbps is also considered by the UK government as one of the options to fill up the broadband ‘notspots’ in rural Britain.