SpeedCast to Improve Australian Mobile Satellite Communications Market

SpeedCast announced this week that it will be providing a demonstration of its new ReadyCONNECT TA12 mobile satellite communications system at the APPEA Conference and Exhibition this year. Aimed at IT professionals in the oil and gas industry, the demonstration will show such professionals how the TA12 conquers the connectivity challenges inherent to their industries.

Oil and gas companies face the particular challenge of sending their employees to work in remote locations that don't interface well or at all with traditional cellular connections. Cell phone towers are not built to services remote work sites, so any employee out of range will not have access to mobile connectivity. Businesses expect to remain in contact with their employees and a mobile satellite communications systems can make that a reality.

Mark Borgas, SpeedCast's vice president of Australia-Pacific, commented on the new satellite system."Exploration teams need to communicate as if remote sites are only extensions to their corporate network,” Borgas said. “ReadyCONNECT™TA12 optimizes the logistics process associated with the relocation of exploration and construction sites, while cost-effectively managing bandwidth and equipment across all locations."

TA12 is a mobile VSAT device that anyone with basic electronics knowledge can set up. It functions as a method of delivering mobile connectivity to employees within its range, a reach of up to one kilometer. The key feature of the TA12 is its usability compared to other VSAT devices. Older and comparative models are difficult and time consuming to set up, thus, not conducive for simple or temporary deployment.

For oil and gas companies that work in a number of different remote areas for relatively short periods of time, they do not want to employ experts just to set up their VSAT devices. The cost of hiring additional staff could eliminate any convenience gained by purchasing a mobile satellite in the first place.  If the TA12 pulls through, it could change the face of mobile satellite deployment and bring oil and gas companies back onto the grid.