France Telecom Mobile Satellite Communications is set for a busy year with the launch of BGAN (Broadband Global Area Network) services, Erik Ceuppens, the company’s CEO, said.

Inmarsat selected the operator as the primary system launch partner for BGAN. “The first challenge for us is to have a successful BGAN launch,” Ceuppens said. “That is our priority for the company. We will do everything we can to be on the market with a high quality BGAN service with the right portfolio of value-added services.”

Based on Internet protocol technology, BGAN will deliver data rates of up to half a megabit and the service is accessed through a small, lightweight satellite terminal. The service is scheduled to launch later this year in Europe, Middle East and Africa.

An exclusive interview with Erik Ceuppens will be in the Sept. 26 issue of Satellite News. For more information about subscribing to Access Intelligence’s satellite newsletters, visit our Web site at https://www.satellitetoday.com.