Inmarsat will use VoIP equipment from Metaswitch to provide the telephony element of its Global Xpress worldwide communication service.
Metaswitch is supplying Inmarsat with its Universal Media Gateways, MetaSphere multimedia telephony application server, MetaView network management system and Perimeta session border controllers to enable, scale and protect communications.
Global Xpress will be based on Ka-band technology. The company plans to offer downlink speeds of up to 50 Mbps, and up to 5 Mbps over the uplink, from compact user terminals.
Services will be delivered over a new generation of satellites: the Inmarsat-5s, being built by Boeing. Inmarsat intends to literally launch Global Xpress satellites in 2013 and to figuratively launch its communications services in 2014. The first satellite will cover the Indian Ocean region. Global service is planned to be available by the end of 2014.
