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BGAN Frequently Asked Questions
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Updated December 11, 2009

Who or what is BGAN?
BGAN is short for "Broadband Global Area Network". It is comprised of a network of three satellites owned and operated by Inmarsat. These three satellites are in stationary orbit around the planet so that no matter where you are, you may always connect with one of the satellites. (The exception is for the polar regions of the planet). Inmarsat has been a leader of global satellite communications services for over 30 years, and they licenses several manufactures to develop "BGAN Terminals" that communicate with any of the orbiting Inmarsat satellites.

Watch the "Welcome To BGAN" Video


Who do I buy my BGAN equipment and service from?
Ground Control. We have been a leader in mobile satellite Internet access since 2002. If there is a problem, we are your point of contact 24x7. Inmarsat does not sell direct to the public or commercial or government sectors.

Where does BGAN work?
Here is a Map of the BGAN Coverage area. If you are within the colored area, you can be connected. The closer you are to the edge of the coverage area, the lower on the horizon the satellite will be. You may connect to any BGAN satellite without any modification to your service plan, software, or hardware. If you can see a BGAN satellite, you can connect.

How much does the service cost?
Ground Control has several plans available and we recommend you speak with one of our representatives to choose a service right for your needs. Here is a detail of our monthly pricing. BGAN service starts at $57 a month and then charges for Megabytes transferred, and it does not charge for connection time (no per-minute costs). A system that simply monitors a valve in a remote region that transfers a few megabytes in a month is charged very little. A high usage account that transfers 2 Gigabytes will run $5800 USD a month. If you connect a phone or fax, the costs are fixed at .99 cents a minute to a standard phone/cell, but only after any "free" phone minutes are used up. Calling is charged for outbound calls only, and you are not charged for incoming calls, although costs are charged on the calling party.

How Fast is BGAN?
BGAN has different Internet speeds depending on the kind of terminal purchased. For a comparison of the various terminals and their (Standard IP) speeds, click here. Testing in February of 2009 on a Hughes 9201 showed speeds between 300 to 420Kbps in both directions. Latency, or ping times over the BGAN network are between 900 and 1200 Milliseconds (from California). BGAN MAX is a network optimizer utility from Ground Control that will both increase the efficiency of a BGAN connection up to 7 times, and and compress certain file types up to 80%. A must have optimization tool for any BGAN user.

How do make calls with a BGAN phone?
For Instructions on using a BGAN phone, click here.

How does the telephone service work?
Another helpful feature of BGAN terminals is excellent voice calling. Each terminal (or sim card in the terminal) is assigned two unique telephone numbers (phone & fax if available). There are several phones to choose from and can be found in the accessories portion of this website. With the Hughes 9201, you may connect a normal telephone/fax to an optional terminal adapter and make or receive calls. This is not VOIP software, but a normal phone that gives you caller ID and a dial tone.

How does the Fax service work?
Only the Hughes 9201, the Explorer 500 and 700 have faxing ability. With the Hughes 9201 you need the addition of the terminal adapter accessory. Making or receiving faxes is just as easy as making calls.

Can anyone point the terminal?
Yes. Each terminal has detailed instructions on how to point it toward the satellite. They all have an audible beeper that raises in pitch when the satellite is found. Simply get the highest pitch possible and press the "connect" button. There is software that you will install on your laptop called "BGAN Launchpad". When you run this, it will communicate with any terminal's GPS and shows you what angle and direction to point the terminal in order to connect, taking out all guesswork. Some terminals have a built in compass so finding the correct direction is not difficult. Pointing normally takes between 1 to 3 minutes.

How many computers may connect to the terminal?
The 9201 and the Explorer 700 will allow up to 11 concurrent users via wireless. You will need a router or switch to connect more as there is only one Ethernet port. All Explorers and the Sabre have only one Ethernet port so only 1 concurrent users can connect. More can connect with an attached router. Explorer terminals do have Bluetooth wireless connectivity but configuration requires moderate knowledge with Bluetooth.

What is the BGAN Sim Card?
BGAN Sim Card
The Sim Card is a small plastic chip that activates the terminal. Like a cell phone, it is the Sim Card that contains all of the information on the account. A Sim Card will work in any BGAN terminal from any manufacturer. You may own multiple Sim Cards, each with its own account. This is good for teams of people that can all have their own individual card/account but use the same terminal antenna. Simply insert the Sim Card you wish to use, and turn the terminal on. That's it!

What is the difference between BGAN systems and Mobile Satellite Dishes?
BGAN terminals are extremely portable and cost less than the satellite dish systems. They can be carried in a regular sized laptop case and connect anywhere for high speed Internet, phone and faxing. The bigger mobile satellite dishes weigh between 75 to 200 lbs and need to be mounted on a vehicle roof, or crated in a flyaway case. Also, they are not assigned phone numbers and do not support non-voip phone or faxing without additional equipment. Transmitting data over a BGAN terminal is more expensive than a satellite dish system, but if you need portable high speed access, BGAN is the best solution.

Will the BGAN terminal work inside a building?
Yes, but the signal strength is somewhat reduced. Also, the BGAN satellite could be fairly high in the sky, so it may be impossible to have line-of-sight with the satellite. It should be stated that the Hughes 9201 has a built in wireless system 802.11, so you can connect to the terminal by wireless indoors with the terminal outdoors. BGAN terminals will need to be placed close to the window to acquire GPS information. You do have the option of acquiring GPS with the system outside, and then taking it inside and placing the terminal in a position where it has line of sight to the orbiting (geostationary) satellite.

Can the system be mounted on a building?
Yes. Many companies in remote regions mount the system to a wall using either an external antenna, or a mounting kit. Please click on the BGAN accessories link below for more information.

Are there other accessories for the system?
Yes. Here are the BGAN accessories available from Ground Control.

How much power does the BGAN system use?
The BGAN terminals run off rechargeable batteries, or AC 100 to 240 VAC using an AC/DC power adapter. They also can all be run or charged from a 12 or 24 DC Power Adapter for vehicles. While idle, terminals will last 36 hours on battery power. If transmitting or receiving, power requirements are higher and the battery will be expended at a faster rate. However, normal usage has far more idle time than actual usage. You may consider a BGAN terminal much the same way you look at a cell phone that it needs to be recharged from time to time, but that it does not need to be plugged in for usage (make sure to disable wireless options and connect via Ethernet to conserve power). The 9201 terminal uses about 18 Watts of power when transmitting and 8 watts when idle making it a very easy system to use with a solar recharging system.

How does the BGAN In-Motion system work?
Both the Hughes 9250 and the Explorer 527 & 727 domed antennas mount on any roof (normally magnetically). When the BGAN controller is plugged into a 12V or 24 Volt power source, it will automatically track and lock on satellite. In-vehicle connections can be via Ethernet with all in-motions systems. The 9250 has a build in wireless access point so that anyone in the vehicle (or around it when parked). The Explorer 527 & 727 can use Bluetooth for wireless data access, but we suggest using a more reliable wireless "G" router. For those on the edge of the BGAN coverage map, trees and mountains may become a factor from having a line-of-sight to the satellite which is lower on the horizon, and service may be irregular. Monthly Service Plans of in-motion BGAN systems are identical to other BGAN services offered at Ground Control.

Can I do Video Streaming over the system?
Yes, BGAN is a very cost effective solution for those wishing to cover live events and stream video. CNN won an award in September of 2007 for using BGAN 9201 systems for live broadcasts in Iraq. The Hughes 9201 offers Streaming committed information rates (CIR) of 32, 64, 128, & 256 Kbps, which means that no one else shares with your speed when you are connected so your speeds are predictable and your transmission will not be stalled.

Will it work with both Mac and PC?
Yes, both Windows and Macintosh users may use the system. In fact any TCP-IP capable device that can work with DHCP is able to connect to the system. BGAN terminals use "Launchpad" software that by default, require a simple mouse click to "register" with the satellite, and open a data connection. A useful trick is to configure the terminal (via the Launchpad software) to automatically "register" and opening up a "data" session after you point the terminal, a process which will eliminate the need to run the Launchpad software from a computer. Otherwise, only one computer needs to run the Launchpad software to make a data connection.

How Do I Keep My Computer Programs From Transferring Data Automatically?
Since BGAN usage is metered, you will want to turn off programs that auto-update such as Windows Update. We've developed this guide here to help you configure a computer so that it can reduce or eliminate unwanted data transferring. more

How does the Wireless Access Point work?
The Hughes 9201 (or the Hughes 9250 in-motion system) are a wireless "B" access point. By default, it is disabled and you must connect by Ethernet to enable the wireless service permanently. You have the option of making the wireless connection open or using WEP security.

The Explorers can use bluetooth data access with a range of 100 feet, and by default, it is disabled until enabled by the owner. We recommend using a wireless router for multi-computer connectivity.

Enabling the wireless on BGAN terminals does require extra power, so if you need to run off battery for an extended period of time, it is better to disable the wireless and run an Ethernet cable between the terminal and your computer.


How does weather affect the terminal's ability to connect?
The BGAN "L" band radio uses lower frequencies that are much less susceptible to rain fade than much larger satellite dish systems.

What Band and Frequency does BGAN use?
BGAN is on the "L" Band with the terminal receiving (Rx) frequencies of 1525.0-1559.0MHz & transmitting (Tx) frequencies of 1626.5-1660.5MHz.

What is the difference between the Monthly and Prepaid subscriptions?
The biggest difference is that any unused portion of monthly service does not does not rollover to the following month. With Prepaid plans, your total allotment is available to you at anytime within 12 months. All plans may go over plan limits with a deposit. Please contact Ground Control for more information on service plans.

Can I connect to the BGAN network anywhere in the world?
Yes, and many are doing just this. With the included universal power adapters, you can plug your 9201 into wall power in most every country (more on 9201 power kit) For the Explorers, they ship with the European two prong and a U.S. adapter. If you plan to travel, you will need an inexpensive power adapter kit like the one that ships with the 9201.

Can I use BGAN service on a boat or vessel?
Yes, but you will use the FleetBroadband terminal and service. FleetBroadband uses the same BGAN network, but deploys sea worthy terminals for connectivity. If you try using any portable BGAN terminals while moving on the open sea, Inmarsat (the owning company) will suspend service. Also, BGAN terminals must be stationary in order to transmit (unless you have an in-motion BGAN terminal). If your vessel is on waterways (and not in the open ocean), we recommend considering a BGAN in-motion system.

Can I purchase a system anywhere in the world?
Yes. Ground Control will ship to any location on the planet, and we have multiple shipping locations around the world. You can use Altavista Babel Fish translation and convert your message into English and email us at sales@groundcontrol.com

Is there a users manual?
Yes, User Manuals for all our BGAN products are located on its product page. Also, here are a number of documents that may be helpful.

How Secure is the Terminal?
Among other verification protocols, BGAN uses the same ciphering method as UMTS, called Kasumi (more info on Kasumi) To enable ciphering, review page 5 of this document. In addition, Ground Control offers a highly configurable online firewall that is password protected and customer configured. Limit multiple kinds of traffic for either inbound our outbound. For more information on this included service, follow this link. We also provide private circuits to the BGAN network operations center, so your traffic is private from client terminal to headquarters.

Will it work with VPN?
Yes. The Hughes 9201 has been tested to work with multiple VPN's over the BGAN network including Cisco Client V1 & V2, Nortel-Contivity, Netscreen Remote Client 8.1, Checkpoint 4.1, and SonicWall. There are also excellent security measures offered by other 3rd party vendors here.

Can I create a Private Network?
Yes. Ground Control will connect your organization to the BGAN Network Operations Center. Please speak with a Ground Control representative for more information about your specific requirements.

Can I get a Static IP address?
Yes. Static IP addresses are available.

Have More Questions?
Please contact Ground Control at 800-773-7168 within the U.S., or click here for International calls, or email sales@groundcontrol.com

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
   

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