Inmarsat launches mobile satellite connectivity services in Saudi Arabia

Inmarsat’s maritime, aviation and enterprise businesses are seeking to meet growing demand for mobile satellite connectivity in Saudi Arabia with partner Sada Al Ammah.

Fixed and mobile satellite telecommunications distributor Sada Al Ammah and Global Beam Telecom have been appointed as Inmarsat’s first distribution partners in Saudi Arabia and the region and they will work closely with Inmarsat’s maritime, aviation and enterprise businesses to roll-out services in the region.

On securing new spectrum licences, Inmarsat will be able to deliver both its narrow-band (L-band) and high-capacity broadband (Ka-band), Global Xpress (GX), services in Saudi Arabia, enabling Saudi-based businesses to deploy these services for the first time.

Specifically, Inmarsat’s maritime business will partner with Sada Al Ammah to distribute connectivity services for merchant and offshore vessels operating in Saudi waters, providing full access to Inmarsat’s industry-leading Fleet Xpress services.

Inmarsat has also signed a separate installation agreement with service company Master Systems. Combining the high data speeds of Inmarsat’s GX Ka-band technology with Inmarsat’s flagship FleetBroadband L-band service for unlimited backup, Fleet Xpress services will enable the digital transformation of Saudi and foreign-flagged vessels operating in the region.

Related:Merchant vessel data usage doubling in 8 months: Inmarsat

“Saudi Arabian shipping and offshore companies have shown an increasing appetite for the latest digital services to improve operating efficiencies and Inmarsat is delighted to offer our Fleet Xpress service in Saudi and the region in conjunction with our partners, Global Beam Telecom, Sada Al Ammah and Master Systems,” said Ronald Spithout, president of Inmarsat Maritime.

“Owners now see the need for an ecosystem of value-added services to enable digitalisation, rather than just buying a Ku-band VSAT connectivity pipe. That’s why we are seeing demand for Inmarsat’s Fleet Data IoT platform, our Fleet Secure suite of cyber security services and our crew welfare and retention solution, Fleet Hotspot,” Spithout added.

Further capacity is set to benefit customers in Saudi Arabia and beyond soon, as the recently launched GX-5 satellite comes into commercial service in 2020, to meet the rising demand for high capacity broadband across the skies and seas of Europe and the Middle East.

Meet Inmarsat at the Saudi Maritime Congerss on 22 - 23 March in Dammam