Winegard provides VSAT antennas for DTS SatCom box, oil field operator

Very small aperture terminal (VSAT) manufacturer Winegard Co. will provide more than 200 customized portable VSAT units to Data Technology Solutions (DTS.) DTS will integrate the Winegard compact satellite communications terminals into its new SatCom Box on behalf of one of the largest oil field services companies in the U.S.

Winegard's customized VSAT systems provide data, voice, and video communications services for oil field service companies on both coasts of the United States as well as the Gulf of Mexico. A VSAT network allows the headquarters of DST's customer to directly stay in contact with its many, widespread oil field operations without having to go through a single terrestrial station.

Winegard entered a multi-year contract with DTS for the former's Small Footprint VSAT system. The Winegard SatCom terminal's compact 2-way antenna can fit inside its custom-fabricated skid, making transportation and integration easy.

DTS customizes their SatCom Box product according to their customer's specific needs. It will integrate the Winegard VSAT's controller and antenna mount into a patent pending SatCom Box.

According to Mike Guidroz, President of DTS, Winegard was chosen because of its innovative and reliable antenna designs, the speed at which those same antenna can be customized according to the user's needs, and the rugged construction of its VSAT units.

Winegard was able to respond in weeks or even days when presented with a request for a specific antenna, compared to competitors which reported took months to do the same. “Speed to deliver is a key factor for our customers,” Mr. Guidroz said.

"The SatCom Box has set a new standard in the industry,” said Jon Manley, Director of Engineering for Winegard. He added that Winegard proudly supplied its premier VSAT antennas to DTS for integration into the latter company's SatCom Box.

Winegard's extensively-engineered and tested satellite antenna lead the industry when it comes to performance, quality, and usability. The Company's VSAT systems is compatible with HughesNet, iDirect, Gilat, and ViaSat modems, allowing it to provide high-quality Internet on satellite and other SATCOM services.

Winegard took pains to reduce total cost of ownership through its product's single-button operation. Its VSAT system can be set up without any need for additional equipment or knowledge, and it also automatically acquires a satellite uplink, all in less than three minutes.

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SkyVision will provide VPN, satellite services to Broadlink telecom

Telecom / infrastructure company Broadlink signed a contract with SkyVision Networks for the latter to provide Virtual Private Network (VPN) and Internet connectivity services to Broadlink's South African enterprise customers.

SkyVision made the announcement on Aug. 15. Specializing in hybrid connectivity, SkyVision will provide Broadlink with end-to-end business connectivity through the use of VSAT services.

“Broadlink has made great strides in the South African business market," Broadlink Managing Director Mike Brown said. "However, we have seen an increased demand from our customers for communication solutions catering to business sites and branches across our borders."

In response, Broadlink will use SkyVision’s satellite services, local hubs, and teleports to expand the former company's range of terrestrial and wireless communication solutions in the African market.

"By partnering with SkyVision," Director Brown explained, "we can now accommodate their requirements for connectivity solutions across the African continent, allowing us to expand our reach exponentially.” 

SkyVision acquires Afinis VSAT company, extends African presence

UK-based SkyVision Global Networks Ltd. continues to strengthen its position in the African market through its recent purchase of local VSAT operator Afinis.

Originally owned by Monaco Telecom, Afinis has local offices and licensing in Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Senegal. The African satellite communications company provides a wide plethora of VSAT products and services for the financial, mining, and oil and gas sectors.

Its new owner intends to leverage Afinis' extensive knowledge of the local sectors in accordance with SkyVision's overall strategy in Africa. SkyVision intends to become one of the biggest satellite communications companies in the African continent.

To that end, SkyVision is expanding its operations and services throughout the African continent. Afinis' firm presence in Africa's French-speaking countries, its significant grasp of the corporate market, and its value added services will help cement SkyVision's position as a significant satellite communications provider in Nigeria, East, Central and Southern Africa.

In turn, Afinis' current and potential customer base will benefit from the increased scale and strong customer service of the combined businesses. SkyVision possesses strong global reach and is increasing its activity and presence in Africa by bringing world-class services to the rapidly-developing local markets.

“We look forward to welcoming the Afinis team into SkyVision," said Doron Ben-Sira, CEO, SkyVision Global Networks, "and to continue offering customers the superior service they are accustomed to.”

SkyVision had earlier established a subsidiary satellite communications company, SkyVision South Africa.  It also signed a multiyear contract with satellite service provider Telesat. SkyVision will be tapping Telesat's Telstar 11N satellite for Ku-band capacity in the African region.

Israeli attorneys: Inmarsat provides VSAT services to Iran

An Israeli legal group is accusing VSAT provider Inmarsat of continuing to provide prohibited mobile satellite communications gears to Iranian government-controlled oil tankers and other ships despite US-initiated sanctions.

The U.S. government has imposed a series of commercial sanctions with Iran. The sanctions included satellite communications systems such as the mini-VSATs manufactured by Inmarsat. These satcom systems are reportedly used by Iranian ships to evade the US sanctions.

On July 12, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Treasury Department released a list of vessels that are reputedly acting directly or indirectly on behalf of Iranian government and commercial interests. A good number of the Iranian OFAC-blacklisted vessels are registered in other countries to hide their links with their home country. Twenty-eight ships on the OFAC list are specified to be equipping Inmarsat communications gear.

The Shurat HaDin-Israel Law Center sent a letter to Inmarsat on July 25. The Israeli legal group claims that Inmarsat continues to sell mobile satellite links to Iranian-owned or -controlled vessels.

A day later, Israel Law Center Director Nitsana Darshan-Leitner and Inmarsat spokesman Christopher McLaughlin had an interview. Director Darshan-Leitner claimed that Iranian-operated, foreign-flagged vessels use Inmarsat communications gear to help them slip through the embargo’s net.

“The evidence is very clear,” Darshan-Leitner declared, “Despite the sanctions, Inmarsat continues to provide satcom services. They are not supposed to deliver any service at all under the sanctions, not even emergency services.”

Spokesperson McLaughlin responded that Inmarsat had thoroughly analyzed the ships listed in the OFAC update. According to him, none of those ships are using the new Inmarsat mini-VSAT systems.

McLaughlin explained that Inmarsat's newer services allow the satellite communications company to identify users through their subscriber identity module (SIM) card numbers. This allows Inmarsat to gain a direct insight into their customer base while remaining true as a wholesale provider.

The Inmarsat spokesperson admitted some of the listed ships are apparently using older Inmarsat gear. However, McLaughlin also established that Inmarsat is an international treaty organization. Inmarsat is thus not obliged to find out the identity of the customers.

In addition, Inmarsat is also duty-bound to provide the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) service to every ship in the world. GMDSS are low-throughput signals designed to provide ship-to-shore emergency calls.

Director Darshan-Leitner apparently agreed that GMDSS service was an exception to the rule imposed by the sanctions. However, she pointed out that the embargo also includes Inmarsat mini-M and Fleet communications assets, and that the Iranians' use of these older VSAT units count as a violation of the bio.

McLaughlin called the mini-M and Fleet systems in questions “heritage services.” He explained that the heritage systems were contracted and installed during the time that Inmarsat did not require its distribution partners to identify all customers. Even after Inmarsat modified its business model, it remained unable to precisely identify what SIM card is activated where.

“For mini-M, Fleet, Inmarsat B and our other older services,” McLaughlin stated, “We cannot get that far down into the service provider structure. But I can tell you we have been through the whole list of ships,” he assured Darshan-Leither, “and none of them are carrying our broadband services.”