Inmarsat, SkyWave Partner to Launch IsatData Pro

[Satellite TODAY 03-17-11] Inmarsat has entered into a partnership with SkyWave Mobile Communications to develop IsatData Pro, a new low-data rate tracking, monitoring and messaging service planned for launch in the third quarter of 2011.
    IsatData Pro aims to deliver increased capability over other services already in the market, including: tracking and in-cab messaging for commercial transportation and government fleets, transmitting telemetry information from oil and gas distribution equipment, and remote management and control of fixed assets.
    The service will be designed to provide up to 10,000 bytes of near real-time messages to handheld devices and up to 6,400 bytes from devices to meet increasing demand for higher data speeds in machine-to-machine (M2M) solutions, Inmarsat said. The IsatData Pro hardware portfolio manufactured by SkyWave will include complete terminals for both land and maritime environments, ready for immediate use on mobile and fixed assets.
    “This is a new service with new hardware and new infrastructure that significantly expands the applications that the Inmarsat system supports. We see lots of untapped opportunity in the M2M market for a reliable global service that can offer more data, more flexibility and a more reliable network,” Inmarsat Director of Land Services Drew Brandy said in a statement.