Evosat Is Re-branding

In March 2010, Evosat SA (Pty) Ltd was acquired by Globecomm Systems of the United States (NASDAQ: GCOM). The change of name from Evosat SA to Globecomm SA is a natural part of the acquisition, however there are no changes to the management, staff, or the local systems of the business; they all continue to function just as before. The acquisition brings big advantages to Evosat because we are now able to access the global engineering and network management resources that Globecomm commands. So look out for our new name in all the same and some new places.

Evosat has also got another sponsorship on the go. Megan Murgatroyd of the Black Eagle Project (www.blackeagleproject.blogspot.com) is using an Inmarsat IsatPhone Pro that we have provided her, with some monthly airtime. Evosat is always glad to support people out there doing their best to save the amazing environment that we are lucky to live in, within South Africa. We wish Megan all the best and hope that she only needs the phone for everyday calls rather than emergencies!

Looking ahead to the rest of 2012, Evosat has already signed up (and activated) a customer for the new Inmarsat BGAN Link service. This new BGAN service allows user with Class 1 BGAN  terminals, in a fixed location, to make use of very large MB packages at an extremely discounted cost. The service allows for 5Gig, 10Gig and 15Gig packages, and is a great new addition to the Evosat portfolio. Also on the cards for new equipment is an external antenna for the Inmarsat IsatPhone Pro. This new antenna is mostly aimed at the vehicular market, however, I am sure we will be able to come up with some innovative ideas on how to get our clients making calls from even more remote locations.

Just recently released by Inmarsat, is the new BGAN  M2M service. This service will plug the gap between the IsatPhone Data Pro (very low data rate) and the BGAN (high data rate). The BGAN AN M2M is a solution that allows for deployment of a unit in remote unmanned scenarios where monitoring and SCADA are needed. The Inmarsat BGAN M2M service also opens up business in the banking and finance sector, especially for Africa. Evosat has already had exceptional interest in the BGAN M2M, and we look forward to growing this part of our business over the course of 2012 and beyond.

Products, Sponsorships and Events

Evosat is still pursuing opportunities to give back to the community with sponsorships of many out of the ordinary charitable expeditions. Evosat has been involved with the Kingsley Holgate on many of his expeditions, providing Kingsley and his team with satellite communications for their many trips around Africa. This time Kingsley  and his team will be going on The Great African Rift Valley Expedition, with the Humanitarian Objective of using adventure to improve and save lives. One of the main objectives will be to aid the Unite Against Malaria organisation. Evosat is very pleased to yet again be sponsoring Kingsley Holgate with Satellite Communications, and wishes him and his team all the best on their next Great Adventure.

The second half of 2011 has been very busy with new products hitting the market from Inmarsat and Beam. In previous posts I have talked about the Beam Docking Solutions for IsatPhone Pro, and Inmarsat and Beam have now come out with the Oceana and Terra units that form part of the Global Satellite Phone Service (GSPS) from Inmarsat.
The Ocean unit is essentially the new Fleetphone device for Maritime use. There are two units, the Oceana 400 and 800, the former being the entry level unit. Both units offer voice, text, and low speed data for ship board communications. The Terra 400 and 800 units are land devices, again offering voice, text and low speed data in office type environments. Keep watching the GSPS space as new products and accessories are being tested and brought to market on a regular basis due to the successful roll out of the Inmarsat IsatPhone Pro.

Photo : Ian Roman/Volvo Ocean Race

In early December, the Volvo Ocean Race will be coming to sunny South African shores in the Cape Town leg of this well-known round the world ocean race. Evosat, together with Inmarsat, will be hosting events during the weekend for many of our customers. It should yet again be a very exciting weekend for all. All the yachts in the VOR are equipped with satellite communications equipment (FleetBroadband) from Inmarsat. Inmarsat’s FleetBroadband service takes media coverage of the race into a whole new era. Faster transmission speeds deliver better quality live broadcasts – the first HDTV transmissions from yachts in the middle of the ocean. If you want to find out more, take a look at this link: www.volvo.inmarsat.com/index.html

Photo : Ian Roman/Volvo Ocean Race

Evosat Sponsorships

Evosat has two new sponsorships on the go. Firstly, Evosat is sponsoring Hanli Prinsloo (www.hanliprinsloo.com), a world class Freediver based in Cape Town. Hanli holds 11 South African records for freediving and competes at the highest level all round the world, including this year’s Freediving World Champs. Hanli is also an environmentalist, and campaigns tirelessly to raise awareness for marine ecological issues. Evosat has provided Hanli with all the mobile satellite equipment including the Inmarsat IsatPhone Pro, BGAN and Fleetphone. Hanli uses her satellite equipment from Evosat to keep in touch with the rest of the world from all the different places and environments that she finds herself.

A Year In The Wild (www.yearinthewild.com), is a yearlong expedition round 31 of South Africa’s game parks, by photographer and journalist, Scott Ramsay. His expedition is best summed up by Scott himself, “From 12 June 2011 to 30 June 2012, I’ll be exploring and documenting the wild places of South Africa. The goal is to promote the conservation of the country’s natural wonders, by sharing my photos, videos and blogs with the world via social media. I’ll travel to 31 of South Africa’s most special wilderness and wildlife areas. In these unique areas, I’ll be interviewing rangers, community leaders, environmental and cultural activists, ecologists, scientists, researchers, travellers and school kids. Ultimately I’d like to raise awareness of African wilderness – and why it’s important to the people of the continent and the world. Evosat has provided Scott with an Inmarsat BGAN terminal (Explorer 500) to keep in touch from the more remote places he will be visiting.

On a slightly different note, Inmarsat has launched some new services with the Global Satellite Phone Services portfolio which I will be highlighting in my next post. However, I will also have updates regarding Hanli and Scott, as well the latest from 7 Summits Seven Flights.

Adventure

This month sees the IsatPhone Pro take off commercially, as well as the launch of the 7 Summits 7 Flights campaign. Despite the large commercial demands for IsatPhone Pro, Evosat has continued to work with partners in other areas to contribute to adventures like the 7 Summits & Flights, as it fits in with the overall ethos of how Evosat works.

Firstly though, a quick update on the IsatPhone Pro. Evosat has already sold its first IsatPhone Pro, and we are now trying to fulfil orders worldwide. Predictably there is quite a long waiting list, however, Evosat hopes that the demands will be met by the end of July 2010. As stock is filled, the excellent service that Evosat customers are used to will continue.

The 7 Summits 7 Flights adventure, is an exciting project undertaken by Pierre Carter, Marianne Schwankhart and Peter Friedman of which the aim is to climb and paraglide off the summit of each of the highest peaks on all seven continents. The team are working in conjunction with The Trust and The Smile Foundation as their chosen charities.

Carter and Schwankhart will tackle Mt Carstenzs Pyramid in Australasia (4884m), Mt Vinson in Antarctica (4897m), Mt Elbrus in Europe (5642m), Mt Kilimanjaro in Africa (5895m), Mt Denali in North America (6194m), Mt Aconcagua in South America (6959m) and Mt Everest in Asia (8850m) over a two-year period. Whilst on their journey they will be making a video documentary of their exploits and compiling a photo album of stills from a breathtaking vantage point paragliding above the mountains. Evosat is providing the team with a BGAN unit so that they can not only stay in touch, but also send back images and info while on their journey to conquer the mountains. This is something that only BGAN can provide in such a small, portable and effective manner.

Everyone here at Evosat sends their best wishes to the 7 Summits 7 Flights team, and we look forward to raising a toast to them on their return from their first summit, Mt. Elbrus in early August 2010. If you would like to follow their progress you can go to http://www.7summits7flights.co.za, or keep reading here next month as I should have an update posted.

Evosat on the high seas(and rivers)

Well firstly a quick update about the Evosat Orange River Expedition. What a great success- not only did we have a great 3 day and night trip down the Orange, but we also got to introduce satellite communications to some of the uninitiated. Despite having worked on stretches of river that have no easy outside access or communications- our river guides had not seen any sort of satellite communications before. We had the Inmarsat IsatPhone and BGAN along with us, so that we could keep in touch with the office in case of river or Evosat emergencies. The guides, for the first time, were able to call home to their families and let them know that they were ok and when they expected to be home. We are now expecting some orders from the rafting company- as word has got round about how easy and affordable it can be to have communications on the river- for emergencies, and for that surprise call home.

Staying with the theme of water adventures- I would like to expand on the Evosat Maritime offering. FleetBroadband and along with that, MWC (Morale and Welfare Communications Systems). FleetBroadband has all the features of a BGAN (simultaneous voice, data, sms, and fax). The significant difference being the  ability to work on a ship, fighting through stormy seas, in the middle of the Pacific (or any ocean for that matter). The FleetBroadband satellite terminal has a small, space saving, maritime antenna, attached with the needed cabling to a modem on the bridge (or where suitable). The modem allows multiple data connections (with speeds up to 432kbps) , including SIP phones for ship wide communications, as well as a voice channel for outside communications (the best voice channel you can get using satellite communications).

For those interested in solo adventurers, Evosat and Inmarsat are sponsoring an Ex-Marine (Lee MacNamara) who is rowing across the Atlantic single-handed. His journey will be made that much more bearable by the installation of an FB-150 (the smallest FleetBroadband terminal) on his boat. With his FB-150, Lee will be able to call home, check email, write a blog, and importantly, do video and phone interviews whilst rowing. As Lee is raising funds for the British Limbless Ex-Servicemen’s Association, awareness and publicity are a much needed tool for this worthy cause.

The MWC system from Evosat is just about ready for commercial use, so I want expand on this a little further. I got  the Evosat Technical Manager, Stephen Light, to give me his thoughts on the system he has helped create. “Evosat Morale and Welfare Communications system (MWC) is a convenient prepay crew-calling solution that gives all crew and passengers voice and internet access, with zero risk or investment for the  bill-payer. A simple to use solution that works across all Inmarsat Fleetbroadband platforms. With MWC, staying in touch just got simpler and cheaper!”. An important note about MWC is that it basically comes in a small plug and play box, and has a very simple  interface, meaning anyone can learn how to use it without needing technical expertise. From what I have seen so far, the MWC will place Evosat squarely on the center  stage of Maritime Satellite Communications.

This is a good time to introduce one of the Evosat team, Stephen Light. Stephen has been with Evosat for over 2 years now, in a Technical as well as Commercial capacity. He is a great asset to the team as he formerly worked for Inmarsat, which gives him an excellent insight into the Satellite Network that is the Evosat backbone. If ever you need a satellite solution that’s a little out of the ordinary- Stephen Light is the man to call.

That’s it for this month- my next post will be in the New Year. So from myself and all the Evosat team, Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year!

Who am I and who is Evosat?

Evosat is a Tier 1 Satellite Communications Provider based in South Africa and with fixed infrastructure in the Netherlands. I run the Johannesburg office for Evosat, primarily in a sales related role, but with an element of technical expertise thrown in. Evosat itself specialises in Land Mobile and Maritime satellite communications and, although we are a major supplier of hardware, we focus more on providing the airtime for these services.

Evosat is a Distribution Partner of Inmarsat (the world’s leading commercial satellite operator), which gives us a unique advantage not only globally, but also in Africa, where the Evosat offices are based (Cape Town and Johannesburg). Our primary product is BGAN (Broadband Global Area Network), which provides simultaneous voice, data, sms, and fax in a portable satellite terminal, almost anywhere on the planet. We also provide the FleetBroadband service, which is a Maritime version of the BGAN, providing global connectivity for ships at sea. In the handheld range we have the IsatPhone. All these products can be seen on our website at www.evosat.com.

Over the course of the next few months, I hope to introduce you to some of the Evosat team, and talk about some of our newer and more exciting projects. One project I am working on now is the roll out of the new IsatPhone Pro service from Inmarsat. Evosat has just been appointed as one of only 6 global Launch Partners and is therefore well placed to be a market leader- as we are with the original IsatPhone. The IsatPhone Pro will be the new standard in global handheld satellite communications. As I work with Inmarsat ahead of the GSPS service launch, I will keep you updated on as much detail as possible.

The Evosat technical team in Cape Town is constantly working on new projects for our customers around the globe to provide a better, more efficient and cost effective service – I will also be including input from them in future. One particular project they have been working on for quite a while now is close to fruition – The Evosat Morale and Welfare Communications System (MWC). This is primarily designed for the Maritime market (although also available via BGAN). MWC is essentially a prepay platform that allows individual users access to broadband and voice services without affecting the contract service and the owner’s pocket! (ideal for ship crew conditions).

In my next post, you can look forward to a yearend report of Evosat’s activities, including the Evosat expedition down the Orange River, coming up soon. I will also introduce you to some of the team, as well as some of our customers.