Over time new generations of satellites were launched into orbit, while new services were added. Currently the third and fourth generation of satellites is in operation (3F, 4F). Inmarsat will also be the operator of Alphasat planned for launch in 2012 which will provide L band services in Europe, Middle East and Africa utilizing the expanded L band frequency ranges made available at WARC-03 (World Administrative Radio Conference). The fifth generation is expected to start deployment in 2013 and will operate Ka band transponders for the new INMRASAT GlobalXpress VSAT service offering user bandwidths up to 50 Mbps.
Inmarsat started operations in 1982 with leased satellite capacity for the INMARSAT A system. The table below shows the evolution of the various Inmarsat systems.
|
System |
Services Offered |
Introduction |
Max User Data Rate (fax, data) |
|
A |
Analogue voice, G3 fax, telex, data. Discontinued |
1982 |
3 kHz, 9.6 kbps, 50 Bd, 56 kbps |
|
Aero-H |
Digital voice, fax , data |
1990 |
10.5 kbps |
|
B |
Digital voice, G3 Fax, data, telex. To be discontinued 2015 |
1994 |
9.6 kbps |
|
C |
Store-and-forward messaging |
1992 |
600 bps |
|
M |
Digital voice, G3/4 fax, data |
1993 |
2.4 kbps |
|
mini-M |
Digital voice, G3 fax, data. To be discontinued 2012 |
1996 |
2.4 kbps |
|
D |
Forward paging |
1996 |
20 bps |
|
D+ |
Paging with return channel |
1997 |
20 bps |
|
E |
Emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB). Discontinued |
1997 |
600 bps |
|
mini-M |
Digital voice, G3/4 fax, data |
1997 |
2.4 kbps |
|
Aero-I |
Digital voice, fax , data |
1998 |
10.5 kbps |
|
M4 (GAN) |
Digital voice, G3/4 fax, data, packet data |
2000 |
64 kbps |
|
R-BGAN |
Digital voice, G3/4 fax, data, packet data |
2003 |
144 kbps |
|
BGAN |
Digital voice, G3/4 fax, data, packet data |
2006 |
464 kbps |
|
Aero-C |
For the aeronautical mobile services , adapted from C |
|
|
|
Swift64 |
For the aeronautical mobile services, adapted from M4 |
|
|
|
mini-M Aero |
For the aeronautical mobile services, based on mini-M |
|
|
|
F77 |
For the maritime mobile service, based on M4, approved for GMDSS, operates in global beams (-4 dB/k antenna), options: 2.4 kbps G3 fax, 9.6 kbps G3 fax, 9.6 kbps async data |
|
|
|
F55 |
For the maritime mobile service, same as F77, but not approved for GMDSS, operates in spot beams (-7 dB/k antenna), except global 4.8 kbps voice codec, ISDN bearer services are optional and has no optional 2.4 kbps G3 fax |
|
|
|
F33 |
For the maritime mobile service, (-12.5 db/k antenna), global 4.8 kbps voice codec, optional spot beam 9.6 kbps G3 fax, async data, MPDS |
|
|
|
mini-C |
For the land mobile service, as C, not approved for GMDSS, compact all-in-one unit housed in the antenna |
|
|
|
FleetBroadband |
Maritime version of BGAN |
|
|
|
SwiftBroadBand |
Aeronautical version of BGAN |
|
|
|
FleetPhone |
Maritime, regional satellite phone |
|
|
|
LandPhone |
Regional satellite phone, same as FleetPhone |
|
|
|
ISatPhone |
Global satellite phone service based on GMR-2 |
2008 |
Data: 9.6 kbps |