Maritime satcomm specialist Inmarsat partners with VT iDirect on next generation DVB-S2X technology for its product Global Xpress.
Inmarsat announced »a significant advance« in the on-going development of its high-speed, global, mobile broadband platform. In conjunction with its [ds_preview]strategic technology partner for the GX platform, over-the-air tests of iDirect’s DVB-S2X technology achieved a forward channel throughput rate of 330 Mbps over a live Inmarsat GX satellite in orbit. The successful tests were conducted in January 2017 and leveraged iDirect’s next-generation iQ Series modem, the partner said.
»It is important to note that these results were not achieved in laboratory conditions but over a live GX satellite in orbit. We will be able to increase the capabilities of the world’s first, globally available high-speed broadband network and meet the ever escalating bandwidth demands of users«, said Michele Franci, CTO of Inmarsat.
Working together, Inmarsat and iDirect intend to gradually introduce these enhanced capabilities to the GX network from 2018-19; deploying the new iDirect technology for end-users across the aviation, maritime, government and enterprise sectors.
The two partners are confident that Inmarsat’s next generation of GX satellites, due to launch around the end of this decade, will achieve throughput rates in excess of 500 Mbps. As the new capabilities are introduced across the GX network, Inmarsat has confirmed that backward compatibility will be assured for existing users.
»330 Mbps represents the highest throughput rate ever recorded over Global Xpress and demonstrates that iDirect’s DVB-S2X technology is ready to deliver. This is the first step in our partnership to push network performance well beyond what end-users demand today and realise lower business costs«, said Wayne Haubner, Senior Vice President, Engineering & Emerging Technologies at VT iDirect.
