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? 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.
