Spring 2013

For buyers and suppliers of telecommunications destined for remote & harsh environments

Spring 2013

Tapping into Emerging Markets

Where Telecoms & Energy Connect

Special Insight Report

REMOTE COMMUNICATIONS Challenges New Biz Models Vendor Advice

Get the Lowdown » Cost effective Ka band 3 years away » Emerging verticals set to grow » IT Trends for 2013 » Mobile satellite constellation on the threshold » Satellite SCADA M2M expansion projections » Rugged Rigs » $400 Discount *see page 14* PLUS www.OffCommNews.com The Quarterly, ©OffComm News ~ Spring 2013 News, Features & much more inside! » » »

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r&s Operatoory inside! direct

©OffComm News ~ Spring 2013

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Spring 2013

Your resource for telecoms destined for remote and harsh environments

In Print. Online. Offshore.

Welcome

Inside this Issue

Gunning for security is a big issue. Dealing with the threat, of physical hijacking in the maritime sector, swallowed a staggering $7billion in increasing security as well as paying ransoms during 2011. Simply upping the ante for defence with an armed approach, while a deterrent, isn’t the only option. We took a look at this in a little more detail (see page 7) and will continue to investigate in more depth over future editions. Furthermore, ensuring that essential alerts, as well as operational data, has the means to get through is as critical as pre-empting the threats themselves. If you’re faced with tackling bandwidth bottlenecks at the edge of a network, take a look at the article on page 12 written by Lawrence Poynter at iOra. In it he explores cost efficient connectivity solutions to help employees working in remote locations, challenged by severe bandwidth constraints, have access to the same information as users on the main corporate network.

The Quarterly on pages 4 & 5

For vendors and users in the remote connectivity landscape, whether existing or simply researching the sector, we also had a look at cases for alternative business models. You can read about our findings in the Special Remote Insight Report, a regular feature in OffComm News, starting on page 19. And there's plenty of helpful advice for vendors looking to claim a piece of the pie on page 22.

As always, if you have any comments we’d love to hear from you.

Georgina Elrington editor@OffCommNews.com PS: Fancy a date in Paris? OffComm News will be at the SubOptic event in April (see page 17). If you would like to meet up, get in touch.

Next edition: Summer 2013 Out in April

A Giant Leap for Communications Meet the man responsible for the Red Bull Stratos project’s comms in this special feature.

Page 9

Beating Bandwidth Bottlenecks Lawrence Poynter at iOra, explores connectivity to help those hindered by bandwidth constraints in remote locations.

Page 12

Diary on pages 16 & 17 Special Insight Report What’s next for the remote comms market?

Experts from some of the most established players shaping the next generation of remote communication share their opinions. PLUS: Key advice for vendors eyeing the market.

Page 19

Data Delivery to Ships at Sea Case study on improving speed, reducing cost for updates and changes to management system documentation.

Page 23

Tapping into the Potential of Emerging Markets Discover key barriers for investment in emerging markets and the attitudes of senior decision makers towards opportunities relating to the oil and gas sector.

Page 25

Improving IT Efficiency via Remote Access

How staff manage an IT environment is not always apparent, and can add significant cost to any organisation.

Page 27

@OffCommNews

Special offer for new subscribers Get the entire collection of our Special Insight features from 2012 for FREE* when you subscribe to the print version of OffComm News.

Looking for a solution? Check out the OCN 2013 directory on page 28. Want to be in it? See the website.

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*Report Value: £295. See page 15 for details.

Whether online or in print, copyright remains that of CTLD Publishing Ltd. It is prohibited to OffComm News is a trading name of CTLD Publishing Ltd photocopy, scan, distribute either hard copies or digital versions on a website, via email or Company No. 7774639. Read the digital version online by clicking the current edition anywhere else without prior permission in writing from the publisher. Reprints are available for such image on the home page at www.OffCommNews.com. Printed by HP, OffComm News is purposes. Should instances be found, an invoice will be issued for the total reprint cost of the available in print by subscription only. 12 months 4 issues £50 or 24 months 8 issues £73. article or articles. The publisher is not responsible for the endorsement for products, services or Advertising: George@CTLD.me Editorial & Subscriptions: Editor@OffcommNews.com opinion offered, nor any subsequent effects relating to accuracy, goodwill, substantiations or ©OffComm News ~ Spring 2013 www.OffCommNews.com consequential outcomes relating to news, features or advertisements. Directory image 3 credit: Telephone: 44 (0)203 239 1777 Ronfromyork

The Quarterly OffComm News Round Up News in brief

e-SEA Crew Welfare for Zaratan Seajacks, an owner and operator of purpose-built self-propelled jack-up vessels, has installed a dual antenna system on another rig: The Zaratan. The installation of the e-SEA system has made browsing the internet and communicating with the outside world a far more enjoyable experience for the crew onboard, leading to a happier and more productive workforce. The vessel is designed to service the wind farm installation market in the harsh operating environment of the North Sea, as well as to provide services to the oil and gas industry. ”The e-SEA system from Woodsons is excellent for crew morale, welfare considerations, downloading attachments, web surfing and just great to have on board. It is essential really in this day and age,” said Captain of Pacific Blade.

Deepwater Accommodation for 400 in Progress A subsidiary of McDermott International, Inc. has signed a contract for the design and construction of a new vessel, tentatively named: Derrick Lay Vessel 2000. It is to be constructed at Keppel Singmarine in Singapore and is expected to take approximately 2.5 years to build. On completion, the vessel will be able to accommodate up to 400 personnel.

24 Hours That's all it takes to get a VSAT up and running, according to the new commitment from Marlink, an Astrium Services company.

It has developed a concise antenna installation and commissioning system to have vessels fully connected to Marlink's WaveCall standardised VSAT service in just one day.

Remote acc e services acc ss ount for 88 perc ent o all breache f s Se e page 27

Next Edition: Summer 2013 Focus on Crew Welfare Legislation Device control offshore

Infotainment & Rig Connectivity Crew calling cards. A review of provisions, impacts and cost control

Poseidon 800km Offshore the offshore oil and gas industry in the Eastern Mediterranean region.

Through Cyta’s telecommunications hub, Radius will provide offshore customers with secure, low-latency broadband connections.

Telecoms for offshore oil & gas in eastern Mediterranean

Radius has teamed with Cyta, which provides landing facilities and collocation services, to create the Poseidon. The system is a high capacity undersea cable providing telecommunications facilities to

©OffComm News ~ Spring 2013

Extending for some 800km from two shore landings in Cyprus, Poseidon will create a self-healing ring that borders the Cypriot EEZ, enveloping the offshore oil and gas lease blocks established for development by the Republic of Cyprus. www.radiusocean.com www.cytaglobal.com

www.OffCommNews.com

On the Threshold for Mobile Satellite Constellation Globalstar, Inc., a mobile satellite voice and data services company, has six satellites waiting at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for launch early February 2013. Once deployed, the fleet will position the company as the first mobile satellite service provider to deploy a second generation constellation of low earth orbit satellites.

Satellite Locator App Norsat’s Satellite Locator app enables users to locate geostationary satellites, assess obstructions in the line of sight and point satellite ground terminals. The customisable application overlays a spatially accurate arc of satellites on the mobile phone or tablet screen, and includes a complete almanac of satellite information. The app is available as a free download on both the AppStore and Google Play.

Rugged Rigs Redline Communications Group Inc. has shipped over 300 of its RAS wireless nomadic systems, providing broadband connectivity to oil and gas drilling rigs in the U.S. and the Middle East. A high speed, long range connection capability allows rigs to become part of a larger network with access to corporate systems and the internet, effectively turning them into ruggedized connected offices, regardless of whether they are five or 500 miles from the shore based office.

Inflight Broadband Six transponders of Ku band capacity over three SES satellites will enable Gogo broadband in the sky to aircraft flying busy transatlantic routes.

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The Quarterly OffComm News Round Up Sneak Preview of the Wayfarer

News in brief

A new satellite terminal will be joining the Norsat line early in 2013. The Wayfarer is a fly-away satellite terminal designed for rugged use throughout the resource sectors ~ including oil & gas. With a one button auto-acquire technology for satellite acquisition, the Wayfarer is both rugged and easy to use. It is operational at temperatures ranging from -40°C to +52°C

Quarters for 450

www.norsat.com

4G LTE for Mine Operations Alcatel-Lucent will enhance the speed and capacity of existing critical communications for Rio Tinto’s West Angelas mine in the Pilbara, Western Australia, extending it further with 4G LTE and fibre optic technologies. The enhanced connectivity will support the fast delivery of high-bandwidth data for in-pit mining operations, including asset monitoring and other production and safety systems. www.alcatel-lucent.com

95 Cabins in New Living Quarters Technip and Samsung Heavy Industries have been contracted by Total E&P Norge for the Martin Linge development project, located approximately 180 kilometres west of Bergen, Norway. This contract covers the engineering, procurement, fabrication, transportation, hook-up and commissioning of the topsides of a fixed production platform. The topsides will compose of utility, process and flare modules, as well as a living quarter with 95 single bed cabins. www.technip.com

Overall, the global satellite SCADA/M2M market is expected to reach $2.7 billion in 2021, more than doubling the current $1.2 billion annual revenue base.

Emerging verticals to grow The budget picture for the military, competition in the oil & gas sector and, to some degree maturation in the transportation and cargo market; lead to narrowing margins that will likely result in flat revenue growth. However, new opportunities are on the horizon for emerging verticals led by the deployment of renewable energy facilities that in turn drive growth in the utility sector. The

©OffComm News ~ Spring 2013

100 Crew Accommodated in New Offshore Vessel Kleven has signed a contract with Rem Offshore for the build of a large offshore construction vessel.

With a length of 108 meters and a width of 22 meters, it will be one of the largest offshore vessels Kleven has built, with capacity to accommodate 100 crew.

Telemedicine Offshore

Satellite SCADA M2M Expansion Projections A report from Northern Sky Research (NSR) projects a healthy mix of satellite SCADA/M2M opportunities over the long term, albeit via a shifting mix of vertical market demand.

Prosafe has entered into a contract with Jurong Shipyard Pte Ltd. in Singapore for the construction of a second harsh environment semisubmersible accommodation rig.

The unit will have the capacity to accommodate 450 persons in single man cabins. The company was also awarded a contract by Elf Exploration UK Ltd for the provision of the Safe Bristolia accommodation support rig at the Elgin-Franklin Facility in the British sector of the North Sea.

increase in mining activity should likewise usher in more robust growth over the long term.

See page 19 for more in our Special Insight Repo rt

“Together, traditional verticals and emerging markets yield dynamics that call for the improvement of core, traditional offerings in order to be competitive while, at the same time, pr o v i d i n g experimentation and risk-taking in targeting emerging opportunities,” according to the study’s author Jose Del Rosario, senior analyst for NSR. The market is currently dominated by L band and is likely to remain the preferred platform over the long term. However, Ku band has gained inroads in the transportation and cargo market and is used more frequently in new verticals.

www.OffCommNews.com

NuPhysicia and Harris CapRock Communications have completed an alliance agreement that creates a standardised and optimised telemedicine technology for customers across the energy, government and maritime markets.

NuPhysicia's InPlace Medical Solutions is a telemedicine-based offshore and remote medical service that offers medical access and quality health care through an effective telemedicine physician presence at a site.

3,500 Ships Get Connectivity Globecomm Systems Inc. reached a maritime industry milestone in providing connectivity services to 3,500 ships globally.

5

News

Air, Sea & Land Role for Zetron in Russian Oil Field

Wireless or Wired Rig Intercoms?

When considering the communication and safety needs of a land based or offshore oil rig there are plenty of options on the market. One of the first choices to be made is whether to go for a wireless rig intercom or a wired rig intercom.

Eztek’s NEK 606 cables are armoured and made for use in hazardous areas. The cabling means that the remote stations do not need separate local power sources.

Unlike wireless rig intercoms there is no risk of the remote station failing, compromising safety, because there are no batteries to recharge.

Tetra technology is enabling the coordination of safety and operational communications in the remote Exxon Neftegas Chayvo oil field on Sakhalin Island.

Sakhalin Island lies to the north of the Japanese island of Hokkaido, along the eastern coast of Russia. It is a mountainous environment with a climate of extremes: minus 50c degrees in the winter with up to five metres of snow and 40c degrees with very high humidity in the summer. Oil was discovered there in 1880.

Potential recoverable reserves, from the north of the island where Chayvo is located, are thought to be 307 million tonnes of oil and 485 billion cubic metres of gas.

The oil field’s production platform, onshore processing facility and oil terminal are equipped with Zetron DCS5020 digital consoles, giving operators control over all marine-band UHF, air-band VHF and MTM700 TETRA radios, as well as landline telephony.

Zentron Model 390 remote desktop controllers are also deployed on the oil field’s production platform to give workers and safety staff access to the Tetra network without the risk of localised RF energy causing an explosion. The Zetron DCS-5020 enables operators to manage up to 30 different radio and telephone channels through a touch-screen display.

Wireless rig intercoms sometimes require setup to be carried out by specialist technicians which can add to the cost and time to deploy. They also need additional antenna to boost the signal as the metal structure on oil rigs can get in the way.

While most wireless devices are hand held, both the 2 Way TalkBack and 4 Way TalkBack rig intercom systems are hands-free, allowing rig workers to continue their tasks safely and effectively. There is also an emergency broadcast button for increased safety. A cabled system decreases the need to add extra antenna to counteract the effect of metal on wireless signals.

New Vessel for 130 Crew Ulstein has entered into a contract with Island Offshore and its American partner, Edison Chouest Offshore, for the delivery of a multifunctional offshore vessel based on Ulstein’s SX121 design, with an option for an additional vessel. There will be accommodation for 130 crew.

Image, an artists impression of the new vessel

©OffComm News ~ Spring 2013

www.OffCommNews.com

6

Interest

AGM Interrupted by Piracy, Fatal Hijack & Multi $Billion Fraud The InterManager meeting got quite a shock on 11th October 2012 in Copenhagen. when it was faced with a fatal hijack, an agonizing suicide, lawless Somali pirates and a complex cyber fraud.

Modern Day Piracy at Sea Anti-piracy options have, to date, involved increasing the armed presence on board vessels. However data suggests that pirates are undeterred by this and merely respond by upping their game as the ‘reward’ is still considerable.

The cost of piracy in 2011 was estimated at $7billion (£4.46b), including increased security spend & ransom payments.

Not too far from fiction, Payload is the gripping debut book by maritime marketing expert K D Adamson at an InterManager associate member company.

She unveiled the book at the organisation’s annual general meeting at the end of 2012. While this kind of story wouldn’t usually meet our editorial rules, this one peaked our interest as the fraud detailed within it is perpetrated via the control of the satellite solutions used to communicate with vessels.

Twenty percent of the book’s royalties will be donated to The Mission to Seafarers which provides help and support to the 1.2 million men and women who face danger every day to keep our global economy afloat.

Founded in 1856, the Mission is e n t ir e ly f un de d by v o lun t ar y donations and available in 250 ports worldwide. Martin Sandford, acting secretary general at the organisation, said: “This action thriller contains some key themes that highlight the real dangers seafarers face across the globe including Somali piracy, harsh conditions and having to suffer long periods of isolation.” www.missiontoseafarers.org

©OffComm News ~ Spring 2013

With approximately 150 incidents of maritime piracy recorded globally in 2011, security is a growing issue. Some operators have understandably turned to armed response as a way of combating the problem. However, this is not without its own risks. Nor is it supported by all Governments.

Marine MTS, based in Aberdeen UK, has developed Sentinel™, which tracks user vessels remotely. As well as helping the user plot a safe route through problem areas, the software automatically alerts emergency or military services should something unusual happen on board.

www.OffCommNews.com

The software will, for the first time, allow ships to be precision tracked from anywhere in the world via Loc8™ technology.

Vessels using the software can be monitored from a land base anywhere in the world. This means that ship operators and owners will be better able to foresee problems that onboard crews may not be in a position to spot ~ or communicate.

All buyers of the software will be vetted prior to having the product supplied to ensure that the technology stays on the ‘right side’ of anti piracy efforts.

“It’s hard to believe that current software on the market doesn’t

track all the factors that might put a ship at risk, but that’s the case,” says Wynne Edwards, managing director at the company.

Combining weather information and detailed security data, the software will allow the user to plot the optimum route to minimise the threat of piracy. It can monitor other vessels in the surrounding area, including their real time movements, with resulting data able to be viewed on land, at a head office or an emergency response centre. Any deviation in the planned course or speed would automatically spark an alert to nominated security forces.

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©OffComm News ~ Spring 2013

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Riedel Communications furnished the fibre based video and signal distribution as well as the wireless video links from the capsule’s onboard cameras ~ enabling those stunning pictures to be delivered from the Red Bull Stratos project.

A Giant Leap for Communications That 120,000 foot skydive from the edge of space transcended human limits. Between the team at the launch site, mission control and extreme jumper, Felix Baumgartner, was Riedel Communications. The company provided the connectivity, integrating both wireless and wired digital intercom systems, for the Red Bull Stratos project that captured attention the world over. Meet the man responsible for the communications strategy in this special feature.

Thomas Riedel, Founder & CEO of Riedel Communications

The Interview How did it feel to be selected by Red Bull for this project?

It is a great honor to be part of such an achievement. Since we have been working with Red Bull on a great number of projects including the Red Bull Air Race or the Red Bull X-Fighters, we were approached in the very early stages of this project.

What were the initial requirements and did they change as the mission progressed?

www.riedel.net ŠOffComm News ~ Spring 2013

The initial requirements were not so complex at the beginning, but evolved during the course of the project. With projects like this, requirements are www.OffCommNews.com

always in a state of flux and change.

While the main tasks stayed the same, it was the detail on how things should or could be handled that evolved.

What were the biggest barriers and how did you overcome them?

There were a fair number of barriers that were new to us. Ranging from colour correction and white balance challenges for the cameras, due to the change of the atmosphere, to tracking and telemetry tasks that were more demanding than usual. Together with a group of specialists in the Red Bull Stratos team, and our own R&D, we managed to overcome them.

Cont‌./

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Did you have prior experience in this kind of high speed connectivity?

How has this project helped your technology offering?

Working at such a high speed is something that we usually don't do. But in conjunction with the specially developed radio kit, the operation was not really different than other radio applications. Plus our experience with the Red Bull Air Race helped us understanding the demands more thoroughly.

There is nothing that can be singled out.

The whole project was an experience that helped us on many levels, but nothing that will be directly developed into new products. But of course, the experience gathered here will be of high value in the future.

What was the greatest triumph?

That's hard to tell. There are quite a number of projects each year that feel like a really great triumph. But sure, the Stratos project is definitively amongst the greatest, but also projects such as the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup share an equal amount of dedication and triumph.

What’s next for Riedel?

We are not just focusing on communications. We believe that integrating various types of signal such as video, audio or communications into one infrastructure is a demand that will grow significantly. With our MediorNet technology that provides a fibre-based real-time infrastructure for HD video, audio, communications and data, we are already turning this idea into a production reality.

Communication at super speeds

»»»

©OffComm News ~ Spring 2013

www.OffCommNews.com

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In the capsule For reliable communications between Felix and mission control, Riedel Communication implemented an onboard video control system for nine HD video cameras with specially developed telemetry.

This system was responsible for the control of the video recording and also worked as a comprehensive digital video router inside the capsule. It offered complete remote control of the whole video system and featured three HD video downlinks that were dynamically assigned to the selected cameras.

Maximum reliability was paramount All video signals on ground were distributed and routed with Riedel's MediorNet technology. Twenty four nodes were installed in a redundant ring topology to provide maximum reliability. This meant that in case of a potential connection loss, between two nodes, the signals would still have been distributed.

Ground based solutions for mission control & broadcast The on site system involved the entire compound, the mission control, the production offices, the media/press centre and the OB truck. All these facilities and positions were integrated into one single communications infrastructure via the Riedel Artist Digital Matrix system, fibre based communications with broadcast quality audio.

The company also furnished the on-site digital radio network with more than 100 radio receivers and ten channels, which were integrated into the wired matrix intercom system. This meant that radio users were able to directly talk to intercom users ~ and vice versa.

ŠOffComm News ~ Spring 2013

The connection to the launch pad of the capsule was also realised with the MediorNet system – this time with two MediorNet Compact frames that were connected to the main system. All links in the MediorNet system were realised with Riedel PURE, a fibre cable for demanding mobile applications that is equipped with ruggedized Neutrik OpticalCON Quad connectors.

The MediorNet backbone transported all video signals of the Red Bull Stratos mission as well as all signals from the OB truck and from the tracking truck. It also distributed the broadcast audio between mission control and the recording facility.

The data of the telemetry that was used for some broadcast applications such as the Moving Map was transported via MediorNet.

www.OffCommNews.com

11

Opinion

Beating Bandwidth Bottlenecks at the Network Edge

Lawrence Poynter, product director at iOra

Exploring sophisticated and cost efficient connectivity solutions to help employees working in remote locations, suffering severe constraints on bandwidth, access to the same information as users on the main corporate network.

The ability to communicate information and data over low bandwidth connections can be a game changing capability for organisations with a distributed workforce.

Access to the latest information can have a critical impact on the ability of remote users to perform their roles and those located in areas with limited bandwidth must be supported by tightly integrated information systems that ensure uninterrupted, real-time access to operational data.

Global web portals provide a single and consistent view of data and are a common means of providing access to corporate or mission critical data, which are often deployed across distributed networks and enable firms to store, search, categorise and archive critical information assets. Chemical company Celanese for example, deploys SharePoint as its main strategic document management and business collaboration platform. It is used to provide its sales people with 24/7 access to up to date content on their laptops, wherever they are in the world.

While web portals provide a platform to put information at an operative’s fingertips, wherever they are located, they are typically designed to operate over a local area network (LAN) and often struggle when deployed over an extended wide area network (WAN).

Accessing any web based application over an extended WAN can introduce performance degradation and impact on the user experience of remote workers ~ and the more remote the location, the more constrained bandwidth resources are likely to become.

The dangers of workarounds Remote and mobile users can quickly become frustrated with the performance and availability of enterprise web applications over limited bandwidth connections or where localised issues such as latency and periodic disconnection occur. They either stop using them altogether, or once they have accessed information from the central source, copy it manually to local servers or hard drives. This results in multiple issues.

©OffComm News ~ Spring 2013

Reconcile the need for universally available and globally consistent information If remote users have to employ workarounds to overcome poor performance on the WAN, the return on investment realised via web applications is severely diminished due to inefficiency in the way the information is being accessed. Furthermore, any changes or updates to information held locally are not reflected in the central database i.e. the master database or ‘single source of truth’.

This can have disastrous consequences given that web applications are often used to keep their employees up to date with ever evolving regulatory frameworks that corporations must comply with in order to manage risk.

The maritime industry for example has to meet rigorous safety standards, such as the International Safety Code, which go through constant review and updates. It is of paramount importance that key personnel on ships, at sea for months at a time, are able to access the latest versions of these regulations (see page 23).

Potentially, and even more serious, is that the workarounds employed to copy confidential enterprise data locally can threaten the security and the integrity of the data itself. An extreme example is that of the military, which needs to communicate highly sensitive information to personnel out in the field, but must at all costs prevent this data from being accessed or saved on a device that could potentially fall into enemy hands.

Satellite networks, commonly used by organisations in extremely remote locations such as on oil rigs or battlefields, provide a unique opportunity for linking globally distributed assets. But limited bandwidth, high latency and intermittent availability make them a highly restrictive and often costly information channel.

www.OffCommNews.com

Cont…/

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At the same time, the sheer volume of application data that needs to be replicated over available networks can easily consume all the available satellite bandwidth. And should poor weather conditions such as heavy rainfall bring a satellite connection down, employees still need a way to be able to work offline until the connection is restored.

The challenge for companies is therefore to reconcile the need for universally available and globally consistent information with the fact that many users of that information operate at the very edge of the network where available bandwidth and network coverage can be inconsistent at best.

Super-charging network connectivity There are four broad options available to organisations facing the connectivity conundrum at the network edge.

The first is network acceleration. Most accelerator devices can be installed in the form of hardware appliances at each end of the network and, as the name suggests, have the effect of speeding up communication between any two points on that network.

Generally speaking, these devices will store repeated network calls issued by the computer in an intelligent fashion and effectively reduce the amount of data to be sent over the network, speeding up network traffic by a factor of between six and ten.

The second option is compression. By reducing the quantity of data that needs to be sent over the network, compression techniques will reduce the amount of bandwidth required and consequently the cost of delivery. Various compression tools are available that provide the mechanism for reducing the data footprint of any updates sent over the network so that better use can be made of the available capacity.

Thirdly, content distribution enables firms to proactively deploy key data closer to the end user and thus reduce reliance on external network connections. This allows users to avoid calling over the connection to access data. When the remote worker needs to access that information, it is available in a local store that does not require reaching back to shore over a fragile or costly satellite connection.

ŠOffComm News ~ Spring 2013

Finally, least-cost routing enables companies to actively switch between providers of bandwidth, and is a smart way to reduce bandwidth costs.

In a typical scenario, communications will switch from satellite based delivery when operating remotely and out of range of the network, to more cost-effective VHF (radio) delivery when in range.

For example, server-to-server replication technology, combined with compression, allows update amendments to be passed between a master and replica server over connections as small as 1-100kbps, enabling organisations to ensure 24/7 business continuity. Meanwhile, server to virtual server solutions create a virtual copy of content on remote servers or devices and can support lightweight read-only portals for remote offices. Similarly, server to laptop connectivity solutions can ensure mobile and field workers dependent on laptop connectivity have exactly the same experience as they would if working at head office by creating a virtualised copy of the master server application.

Options Organisations have many connectivity options for delivering business and mission critical information to the network edge with the type of user experience expected within the corporate LAN.

In all of these scenarios, web page links will still work, documents can be updated and database search and access is available despite low bandwidth connectivity ~ even if the user is offline. Crucially, solutions combining web virtualisation and innovative forms of compression technology are extremely cost effective, which is essential given the high cost of acquiring capacity on specialist networks powered by satellite and VHF, or the potential for breaches in security and compliance should employees seek workarounds to poor performance and degradation in the WAN.

The most practical approach is to adopt a hybrid of all four solutions. Essential content can be automatically distributed over an accelerated network giving end users guaranteed LAN speed access to data that originated over the corporate WAN. Hybrids must also be designed according to the needs of the organisation, the network topology and the types of devices being served at the network edge.

www.OffCommNews.com

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©OffComm News ~ Spring 2013

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14

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In Print. Online. Offshore.

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Connectivity has a direct impact on just about every corporate bottom line. Some business operations are conducted in highly challenging locations where a whole new spectrum of issues ~ and innovations ~ arise. OffComm News is the global magazine dedicated to exploring developments in communications destined for some of the remotest places on earth.

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15

Where Technology

Diary Dates & Energy Connect 30 - 31 January 2013

18 - 21 March 2013

4th Maritime Piracy & Security Summit London, UK Contact: ACI Europe +44 207 981 2503 jkorfanty@acieu.net www.wplgroup.com/aci/conferences/eu-mps4.asp

Satellite 2013 Conference & Exhibition Walter E. Washington Convention Center Washington D.C. Contact: Kisme Williams, marketing manager T: +1-301-354-1785 www.satellite2013.com

Developing Ship Operator's Overall Strategy: Join us in London at ACI's 4th Maritime Piracy & Security Summit to hear the options for a shipping company operating in one of the global HRA’s (High Risk Areas): What makes a proper risk assessment? What are the operational options? How can the crew be fully prepared? What international support and operational aid is available? How is the threat developing? Speakers from: US Navy, IMO, IFSMA, MOL LNG European Bureau, NATO, Willis Global, Clipper Group, Aegis Advisory, Wallenius Marine, Olive Group, Oxberry Risk Maritime, Ince & Co and many more.

The SATELLITE Conference and Exhibition is led b y professionals in the community who have their finger on the pulse of satellite-enabled communications to ensure you experience the most relevant topics and receive actionable solutions. Our mission is to keep you up-to-date on recent developments & challenges in the satellite community. Join more than 12,000 communications professionals representing more than 75 countries from the military/government, broadcast, enterprise, mobile, telecommunications, maritime & commercial markets to explore next generation products & technology from 350 exhibiting companies & discuss tomorrow's solutions for today's challenges with experts, thought leaders and veterans from the field.

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27 - 28 March 2013

3 - 5 February 2013

8th Maritime Communications & Technologies Summit London, UK Contact: ACI Europe +44 207 981 2503 jkorfanty@acieu.net www.wplgroup.com/aci/conferences/eu-mct8.asp

TELSA Four Seasons Hotel, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Contact: Meesum Raza Tel: +971 4336 5161 www.telsaexpo.com TELSA is the only dedicated B2B Telecommunications & ICT Exhibition and Conference in Saudi Arabia. The event will support the growth and development of the telecoms sector in Saudi Arabia by providing a platform for telecoms operators, regulators, services providers, vendors and other stakeholders to engage each other.

The event will draw on an extensive network of business leaders, telecoms professionals and government agencies throughout Saudi Arabia, the Middle East, and the rest of the world.

MEDIA Join us at the annual maritime ICT summit and PARTNER increase your operational efficiency

by Speci al Discount for OffComm implementing the appropriate technologies.

News readers Learn about the latest innovations as well as Quote MPMCT8 to claim actual case studies to find the correct course of technological investment specific to your fleet.

Technology discussions include: Marlink, VSAT, ABS, SEEMP, RAP, WRF & GFS systems, SafetyNET, oil filters & monitors, X_Band radars, ERP, ECDIS, AIS, ARPA, Immarsat, FFDS, RDID, IPTV, GSM, environmental monitors, internet and broadband options, risk and safety software. Speakers include: Bernard Schulte Shipmanagement, V Group, SAMI, Stark Moore MacMillan, InterManager, Hyproc Shipping Company, Gottlieb International Group and Clipper Fleet Management India.

Events for quality global networking & real live innovation ©OffComm News ~ Spring 2013

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Where Technology

Diary Dates & Energy Connect 8 - 10 April 2013

27 - 30 May 2013

Broadband MEA JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai, UAE www.mea.broadbandworldforum.com

SatCom Africa Contact: enquiry.za@terrapinn.com

Broadband MEA has established itself as the leading event focusing on fixed and wireless networks across the Middle East and Africa MEDIA PARTNER region. The premier annual industry high-level conference and exhibition will see over 1000 of the region’s decision makers converge in Dubai to do business and stimulate the growth of broadband in the Middle East and Africa. The world class exhibition will run alongside the conference and will offer a firsthand look at cutting edge broadband technologies, applications, solutions and services.

SatCom Africa provides a platform where new revenue streams can be explored, key technologies can be evaluated, and operators and developers can gain valuable insight into implementing successful business models. In scope, content and experience SatCom Africa is the only event of its kind in Africa in 2013. The two day agenda will provide an unrivalled learning experience, with case studies and keynote addresses from leading operators in Africa. Content will enable decision makers to evaluate key strategies, technologies and the costs involved. Speakers are your clients and potential clients discussing how they plan to integrate satellite into the network.

22 - 25 April 2013

4 June 2013

SubOptic 2013 Marriot Rive Gauche Hotel & Conference Centre Paris, France Contact: john-horne@btconnect.com or norma.spruce@alcatel-lucent.com www.suboptic.org

EIC Connect Oil, Gas & Power St Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi Registration contact: Charmaine Atkinson www.eic-connect.co.uk/OilGasPower/ AboutTheEvent.aspx

SubOptic 2013 will be the eighth in a series which started in 1986 and is the premier conference for the undersea communications sector. It is organised by major organisations in the industry on a non-profit basis and is the only event organised in this way.

Previously, SubOptic 2010 in Japan attracted over 700 attendees ranging from senior executives to specialist engineers, representing over 200 organisations from around the globe and a 50 booth exhibition promoting products and services from all elements of the industry.

EIC Connect Oil, Gas & Power will bring together the world’s leading operators and EPC contractors who will be outlining their business opportunities on Middle East energy projects from a series of theatres in the main exhibition hall. Their sessions will be supplemented by one-2-one meetings where delegates will have the opportunity to put their products and services forward to the decision makers.

To maximise your presence at any of the events we media partner with, get in touch to discover what OffComm News can do for you. Editor@OffCommNews.com

Events for quality global networking & real live innovation ©OffComm News ~ Spring 2013

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©OffComm News ~ Spring 2013

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18

Remote Insight

What’s next for the remote communications sector? Experts from some of the most established players share their opinions.

Spring 2013 ©OffComm News ~ Winter 2012

www.OffCommNews.com www.OffCommNews.com

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Insight Special Report As the cost of high speed satellite broadband, such as KA band, comes down and services become available in more locations, operators will face pressure from the industry to deliver greater value on a closer par with fixed line prices. In this special report we look at the challenges, the new business models & technologies and present advice to vendors from the experts in the industry.

Keith Johnson, President, energy solutions at Harris CapRock, said that the top challenges in our industry continue to be the availability of bandwidth, the effects of latency and challenging licensing requirements.

“Bandwidth availability continues to be the primary challenge as our customer’s appetites increase. Today’s energy customers, both onshore and offshore, are constantly adding services and applications that require them to increase bandwidth usage in order to meet their needs. In addition, public internet links are becoming more important for crew morale and retention.“

New technologies and business models set to change the remote connectivity landscape Byte based models James Tucker, VP, carriers and operators, Inmarsat said that the availability of bandwidth speeds in remote areas, which are comparable with current DSL capacity, is a key element. He also highlighted GSM backhauling, via satellite, could be used as an extension to a cellular network in remote areas at a relatively low cost.

Commenting on the rise of Ka band, David Harper, CEO of iSat Ltd said that, “despite record growth in satellite communication technologies, the uptake of Ka band has been slower than expected, especially in Europe. We were told of the numerous benefits Ka band would bring, but it seems that the market disagreed and voted with its wallets.”

Spring 2013 ©OffComm News ~ Winter 2012

Growing demand for high speed communications at similar prices to the consumer offerings, is a sentiment shared

by Chris McIntosh, CEO at ViaSat UK. He said that the requirement to pay great sums upfront for a hotchpotch of different equipment, coupled with paying subscription fees, is driving up costs and inhibiting remote exploration. Inevitably, he said, we will see telco operators offering communications equipment as part of a bundled offering along with satellite communications coverage in order to deliver greater value.

Optimising bandwidth Jim Lunn, VP program and technical services, Hughes Europe, said that oil and gas companies are not immune from today’s intense financial pressures and so need to make the most of the bandwidth available to them. Most companies today typically have a dedicated communications link to each rig or ship. And here the potential exists to optimise bandwidth performance by sharing connectivity between multiple remote sites and the data centre.

Will the remote landscape simply become another geographical description?

The big issue for any exploration company is that of bandwidth cost. Moving away from a dedicated resource to a shared one provides the opportunity to make much better use of existing bandwidth. For example, if each oil rig uses 2mbps of connectivity five times per day, it may be possible to share that bandwidth between ten rigs, therefore requiring a substantially lower investment.

Cont.../

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Top five IT trends for 2013

See page 24

»»»

Insight

continued from previous page..../

For many, moving away from an individual rig-based approach to a business-wide, fleet communications strategy may require a fundamental change of mindset. However, the potential savings in sharing in-route communications are significant.

Providers of satellite technologies face a constant battle to keep up with the oil and gas industry’s insatiable appetite for bandwidth, as the volume of data derived from remote locations and fed into data centres continues to grow exponentially. The resulting challenge for providers is to meet these increasing capacity demands, at the same time providing a robust service at competitive cost. In response, while there has been a recent transition from C band to Ku band for most of continental Europe (enabling more reliable bandwidth) this has yet to be completed for ocean areas which are still covered in the main by C band frequencies.

In further increasing bandwidth, without a parallel increase in price, it is likely to be three years or more before Ka band is commonly available for ships and oil and gas rigs. Having said that, the industry continues to put pressure on providers to drive such technology improvements as quickly as possible, as faster voice and data speeds deliver immediate and substantial benefits in terms of lower cost and better performance.

©OffComm News ~ Spring 2013

Latency still under the microscope “Latency is a challenge that we all face.

New technologies like satellite constellations closer to earth and fixed wireless solutions are helping to combat some of these delays, but the most effective way is to design applications and infrastructure with t h e se k n o wn de lay s in m in d.

Requirements in licensing also presents a challenge, and they differ from country to country,” says Keith Johnson.

He also envisages that low latency, high bandwidth Ka band VSAT services will represent an interesting potential technology in the next twelve months.

These high throughput solutions will allow for large amounts of energy industry data to be quickly transmitted back to the home offices, as well as provide an avenue for large numbers of users to leverage more sophisticated crew morale solutions. Clients that are able to offer these crew services will use them as differentiators in the market for recruitment and retention as well as for increased business data services.

M2M continues to surge Demand for improved operations efficiency and new governmental regulations will push the adoption of wireless M2M in the industry, says a spokesperson from the research firm Berg Insight.

The installed base of wireless M2M devices in the oil and gas industry was 164,000 at the end of 2011. Growth, calculated at an annual compound rate of 2105 percent means that the number is set to reach 435,000 by www.OffCommNews.com

2016 with 275,000 units over cellular and 160,000 satellite based units, according to a recent report.

Collaboratively, low frequency satellite communications will come to the fore as M2M plays a greater role. Low data rate comms could connect several remote locations and continuously convey key information such as the temperature of drill bits, and the flow of pipes., providing near autonomy.

Inmarsat estimates that satellite will capture an average of between two to five percent of global M2M requirements, but there will be marked geographic differences in penetration.

In emerging markets, where alternatives are more limited and building out terrestrial networks will take substantial investment and time, satellite M2M penetration will be significantly higher for the foreseeable future. In developed markets, where terrestrial networks have greater coverage, the percentage will be lower.

»»» Advice for vendors targeting the super remote market

»»» 21

Vendors contemplating upping their stake in the remote sector, or dipping a toe in the water, could benefit from the advice of established experts.

Insight Keith Johnson, President of energy solutions at Harris CapRock says that locations, such as ultradeepwater as well as inland markets like oilsands and mining locations, continue to create unique challenges for customers and vendors alike. The importance of quality communication increases as you move into even more remote environments.

In many cases, it is required to offer several solutions in a single package in order to combat any outage and to offer fully resilient communications.

This becomes very challenging as the remote areas are moving further north on the globe. It is critical to keep in mind that the telecommunications links in these super remote markets are providing lifeline and safety communications, core operational support communications, guest services as well as crew morale and entertainment links in areas where there are no alternatives.

The ongoing focus on developing solutions that will be able to adapt throughout the lifecycle of a remote site will be an important part of the future. In the energy sector, primarily, the lifecycle of a site can move from times of a few users with high reliability requirements (exploration and drilling), to many users with high data rate and reliability requirements (drilling and completions) to fewer users with smaller data requirements, but high reliability (production and pipeline).

The importance in developing an overall solution that can serve all of the needs of all of the phases of the energy sector will prove to be vital in developing long term relationships with multiple users in a given geographic area.

“While the telco industry can now offer portable and resilient communication, the operators still need to work together to fill gaps in coverage if they are to offer a truly global option to their customers,” says Chris McIntosh, CEO at ViaSat UK.

Vendors entering the super remote market need to understand that forming an organisation built on networking, in its entire form, will be a key success driver.

One of the challenges, according to Reinhold Lueppen, director of solutions, at Astrium Services, is a resistance to invest. Decision makers are looking to reduce costs on board, and they are less open to delve into new projects with renewed infrastructure at high cost.

Shipping companies need to save money so it is essential for distributors to be able to convince them of the long term benefits and cost savings of remote technologies.

With a lot of competition in this market: “How does the consumer not get lost? What is best for them? These are questions that must be addressed by the vendors in the future,” concludes Reinhold.

Image ©A. J. Van Der Wolde

©OffComm News ~ Spring 2013

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Secure your place in the market Top Tips for Vendors Keep the customer top of mind.

Flexible payment options can encourage customers to buy.

Simplify the offering.

Address cyber threats.

As more instances have arisen within the oil and gas industry, demand is likely to increase for telecoms operators to secure transmissions.

Provide cost efficient bandwidth.

View your offering as a collaborative network opportunity.

Create partnerships across the board.

Is your company listed in our directory? Basic entries are free. See the website for details.

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Case Study Data Delivery to Ships at Sea Improving speed and reducing cost for updates and changes to management system documentation.

Zodiac Maritime Agencies Limited (Zodiac) is an international ship management company specialising in very large ore carriers, (VLOCs) Capesize, panamax, handymax and handysize bulk carriers, chemical tankers, LPG tankers, container ships and pure car (truck) carriers.

The company required a management documentation system to connect regularly with vessels around the world. The current method of CD distribution being manually delivered every few months was proving to be costly, unreliable and ineffective. Zodiac embarked on a review of IT systems and operations to enable documents to be sent via satellite network whilst using minimum network connection and resources.

To keep information on board up to date, optimise data transfer between its onshore office & ships at sea and minimise the data sent over satellite, Zodiac deployed iOra’s Geo Replicator software.

The software enables remote users working on the edge of the corporate network to access the latest documentation as needed across Zodiac’s 45 vessels with minimal resources. “The introduction of the technology has enabled us to work with much improved efficiency and has now been deployed across the fleet to transform the way we o pe ra te . I n st ea d o f s endin g information by CD, which was a timely and costly process, we can now send data electronically but using minimal network time. We are now looking at installing this technology into other areas of the Zodiac business,” said Ian Shechter IT manager at Zodiac.

Who’s Who in Remote Communications?

News & Features Research Special Insight Opportune

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Predicted by Ian Kilpatrick, chairman of Wick Hill Group

Move away from a niche approach: Trend shifts to monitor over the next 12 months

BYOD

High Density Wireless

Companies will be trying to integrate BYOD with their networks over 2013.

While tactical needs will drive integration, strategic requirements will become increasingly important.

Alongside this, and dependent on the penetration of Windows 8, we can expect to see the growth of Windows to Go secure USB sticks, which provide remote users with the supported version of the corporate desktop. These are available from a limited number of suppliers authorised by Microsoft and include Imation’s IronKey Workspace for Windows to Go.

Wireless requirements have been significantly incrementing over the last year and this trend will continue in 2013. BYOD has changed both the data transfer and performance expectations of users. However, these expectations have not been met, with many networks still inadequate in their coverage and performance. The new 802.11ac standard, with 1 gigabit per second throughput rates, will be a key driver in organisations moving to high density wireless in 2013.

Mobile Device Management With employees using devices for both business and personal use, the security and management issues became blurred. Mobile Device Management solutions (MDM) will accelerate in 2013.

Growth will be strongest for MDM solutions that offer features such as ensuring mobile device usage complies with company security policies, allocating access rights, managing configuration, updating policies, dealing with data leakage issues, and dealing with lost or stolen devices.

MDM also needs to address the problem of managing both employer -owned and employee-owned devices. A crucial component for continued growth will be the clear separation between the management of business and personal data on devices. There are over 100 suppliers in mobile device management. Many of them are good ~ but niche ~ solutions.

ŠOffComm News ~ Spring 2013

Rapid growth of wireless, increased virtualisation & the move towards convergence High density wireless will provide companies with high coverage and high performance, supporting business critical applications and delivering complete site coverage.

As legacy wireless implementations buckle under the strain of demand, organisations are moving from tactical deployment of wireless to strategic implementations. There will continue to be a shift, from niche solutions, towards a more strategic approach. Gartner’s Magic Quadrant identified companies addressing strategic and tactical needs, such as Xirrus, which has been experiencing and will continue to experience stratospheric growth.

Data Backup and Recovery While large organisations have always been at the forefront of backup and recovery, data centres and big data have experienced significant demands. Smaller organisations have also been under immense pressures

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from increasing data volumes, archiving and compliance requirements.

At the top end, new data replication technologies will have a major impact for data centres in 2013. In volume terms, the lowest move (but in market-hype the biggest) will be significant growth in direct back-up to the cloud. RDX, hybrid and cloud data back-up solutions are available from vendors such as Imation and Barracuda Networks.

Data Leakage Protection With growing volumes of data and with regulatory bodies increasingly prepared to levy fines for various non-compliance issues, data leakage protection will continue to be a major cause for concern during 2013. Companies will be looking closely at how to secure and manage their data as their network boundaries spread even wider, with increased use of social networking and BYOD, increased remote access, the rapid growth of wireless, increased virtualisation and the move towards convergence.

Increasingly, organisations will couple DLP products with SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) solutions. DLP concerns will also continue the growth curve for authentication (much of it hosted in the cloud) and encryption, to protect data, both in motion and at rest. Some companies will look to hosted security services and the cloud to cope with an increasingly complex security situation. SIEM and authentication solutions are available from companies such as LogLogic, Check Point VASCO and SafeNet.

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© Can Stock Photo Inc. / 3000ad

Tapping into the Potential of Emerging Markets Oil & gas sector companies have been used to making do with a lack of telecommunication infrastructure, difficulty in hiring expertise locally and complex regulatory constraints. A study by Tata Communications has highlighted the growing influence of developing economies on the sector. The Connected World report* explored key barriers for investment in emerging markets and attitudes of senior decision makers towards the opportunities offered therein.

The findings challenge some preconceived ideas and attitudes regarding BRICS** and other developing regions. They also draw attention to the huge opportunities when it comes to safeguarding the growth of the oil and gas industry, as fluctuations in energy prices continue and the demand for energy increases globally, writes Alexandre Pelletier, business development director, global enterprise solutions, Tata Communications.

The role of developing economies in global economic growth While a sluggish European economy struggles to recover, other regions are proving more resilient. This is putting companies in developed countries under immense pressure to move beyond their comfort zone and find alternatives outside of their home markets. It comes as no surprise that over half of the oil and gas companies surveyed in the report anticipate huge growth opportunities in emerging economies. Nearly half (45 percent) of oil and gas organisations are already operating in these markets, with 35 percent expected to increase their investment by 20-40 percent in 2013.

Asia seems to be leading the way According to the recent Oil and Gas Investment Perspectives for Asia report by Ernst & Young, Asia accounted for more than half of the world’s increase in oil demand in the last 10 years, and the region is expected to account for more than 80 percent of the world’s net oil demand growth over the next 25 years.

The role that Asia will play in the growth of the global oil and gas industry will continue to grow, which is reflected in the views of the Connected World survey respondents too, whereby 40 percent of senior decision makers from the oil and gas sector are looking into expanding into China and 27 percent are considering a move into India.

Cont.../

*Survey of 1,600 business leaders globally, including decision makers in the oil and gas sector. **Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa

©OffComm News ~ Spring 2013

www.OffCommNews.com

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Tapping into the Potential of Emerging Markets

Bob Dudley, the CEO of BP Group, highlighted that global demand for energy will grow by around 40 percent over the next two decades, with the emerging markets at the forefront of this growth.

Continued from previous page...

With China and India expected to account for 75 percent of the world’s net oil demand growth by 2035, the report found that oil and gas companies look to these markets not only for current economic growth (54 percent) but also future economic growth prospects (77 percent). However, recognising the importance of not putting all your eggs in one basket, 36 percent of respondents are also looking into the opportunities offered on the other side of the globe by Brazil. As expansion into developing markets becomes an indication of the global economic shift, some companies are already making the most of growth opportunities offered by these regions.

At the launch of the BP Energy Outlook 2030 earlier this year, Bob Dudley, the CEO of BP Group, highlighted that global demand for energy will grow by around 40 percent over the next two decades, with the emerging markets at the forefront of this growth. In light of this, the company has realigned its strategy accordingly, with operations ramped up in the fastest growing countries, including Brazil and India.

It’s likely that other companies in the oil and gas space will soon follow BP’s example. In fact almost a third of oil and gas companies are looking at expanding into these markets to follow the path of their competitors.

Another key driver for investment was, perhaps unsurprisingly, the need to mitigate the impact of the uncertain global economic climate at home.

Despite the growth and expansion opportunities, operating in new markets can prove challenging because of physical factors such as the lack of a robust technology infrastructure and social factors including differences in governance and political uncertainty.

Unlike Connected World respondents from other industries ~ including professional services, IT and telecoms and retail ~ which were attracted to assets such as technological innovation and local talent in developing markets, oil and gas sector respondents associated these regions with a lack of local skills (45 percent). The fact is that the bulk of oil and gas natural resources are located in these economies and therefore the sector’s companies have been used to making do with a lack of telecommunication infrastructure, difficulty to hire expertise locally, and complex regulatory constraints.

However, it doesn’t have to be the case of ‘making do’.

Finding technology partners that can help them lower these barriers is essential to increasing productivity while reducing risk.

Cont.../

©OffComm News ~ Spring 2013

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Opinion

Continued from previous page...

Regardless of the new market you’re looking to, it’s crucial that decision makers fully appreciate the challenges unique to each market to maximise ROI. Over half of decision makers from those oil and gas organisations that have already taken the plunge and are operating in emerging markets reported that government regulation in the new economy had proved the biggest challenge, which demonstrates the importance of thorough homework ahead of making an investment.

Another considerable deterrent for investment was the lack of a reliable communications backbone, as 34 percent of oil and gas respondents said that the lack of this business critical infrastructure would actually prevent them from entering a new market altogether.

The role of a communications infrastructure was also highlighted by respondents as amongst the most crucial factors associated with running a truly global business.

Almost half of oil and gas respondents cited reliable communications across all territories (48 percent) and cost effective communications amongst these territories (47 percent) as two key factors for success, topped only by a flexible business strategy (56 percent).

The importance of having reliable, high speed internet connectivity and the latest communications technologies reflects the increasingly connected society we live in and our expectation to be able to work effectively wherever, whenever and however we want.

That’s why businesses need to ensure that their organisation is truly global when they move into a new region, regardless of their location, working effectively together.

Recognising that a communication infrastructure plays a key role in businesses looking to create a global presence, the telecommunications industry has invested heavily in bringing the digital infrastructure of developing markets onto a level playing field with mature markets. With the foundations of a reliable communications infrastructure gradually taking shape worldwide, more and more players in the oil and gas industry can be increasingly confident about future investments in new markets.

Improving IT Efficiencies & Security with Remote Access IT departments have had a shared directive for years: do more with less. As such, administrators are constantly challenged with improving efficiencies that both support an organisation’s needs and reduce costs.

Traditional costs associated with maintaining IT environments, including: people, hardware, power, facilities and maintenance; are relatively easy to identify, track and account for, says Peter Holmelin, director of development at Netop. How staff manage an IT environment, however, is not always as apparent, and can add significant cost to any organisation.

Just having a team travel to a different location to maintain equipment, can quickly add labour costs and delay an admin from focusing on other projects.

Through a mature technology, a fully capable Remote acce remote access solution can dramatically ss services improve efficiencies while helping companies ac co un t for 88 maintain compliance and protect data. percent of all breaches Tightening the Belt For the last ten years, IT administrators have been implementing technologies that increase the efficiency of their infrastructures, including information lifecycle management, thin provisioning, virtualisation and disk-to-disk backup, to name a few. These technologies have proven to reduce costs over the long term and provide real benefits to organisations.

For many enterprises, especially those with dispersed network environments, remote access is a technology that can be equally impactful.

Security & Compliance Although remote access offers many benefits, there’s an inherent risk that can exist in the technology. In fact, remote access services account for 88 percent of all breaches leveraging hacking techniques, according to a recent Verizon business report.* The right remote access solution, integrated and used correctly, will offer organisations multi-factor authentication, client-defined access rights and session logging so they can avoid unnecessary risk and ensure security and compliance.

Sources: Ernst & Young, Oil and Gas Investment Perspectives for Asia, 23 Jul 2012: Chevron, Energy Supply and Demand, April 2012: BP, Energy Outlook 2030 Review, January 2012

©OffComm News ~ Spring 2013

Peter Holmelin director of development at Netop

www.OffCommNews.com

* Source: http://www.verizonbusiness.com/resources/reports/rp_databreach-investigations-report-2012_en_xg.pdf

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The 2013 Remote Communications Directory A resource of suppliers of technology and telecommunications destined for remote & harsh environments

Oil & Gas Comms

Mines Deserts

Rigs

Encryption

Offshore Networks

Crew Internet Welfare Security

Super Remote Connectivity Supply & Support Vessels

BYOD Satellite VSAT

M2M Broadband

Hybrid Networks

Accommodation Barges

Maritime

ŠOffComm News ~ Spring 2013

Infotainment

www.OffCommNews.com

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The Remote Communications Directory 2013

www.astriumservices.com

www.orange-business.com

Contact email: ASBC.Customercare@astrium.eads.net Tel: +33 5 61 28 89 99 Fax: +33 5 61 28 89 98 Nature: Mobile and fixed satellite communications solutions for maritime, land and aero verticals.

Regions: Global

Contact: Michel Verbist Email: Michel.verbist@orange.com Nature: IT solutions Regions: Global

Astrium Services is the number one innovative leader in satellite business. Astrium Services is responsible for comprehensive fixed and mobile end-to-end solutions covering secure and commercial satcoms and networks, high security and broadcast satellite communications equipment and systems, and bespoke geo-information services, worldwide. These services are packaged with value added solutions designed to enhance satellite connectivity, and delivered through Astrium’s global teleport network, including many state of the art satellite facilities strategically positioned around the world.

Orange Business Services has the broadest experience in IP transformation of any service provider, serving the world’s largest companies for nearly 60 years and pioneering advances in IP based networks. Our maritime satellite service provides real-time, broadband services to shipping fleets that sail the seven oceans.

Vessels can be integrated with your corporate network, enabling the same access and communication capabilities as land-based offices.

AND

Maritime Broadband Marlink MTN Navarino NSSL Global OceanSat OmniAccess Orange Business Services Orbit Communications Systems OTESAT Maritel Radio Holland Safa Telecom Satco Communications Satcom Global Satmarin Selex Elsag Signalhorn Singapore Telecom Sky Stream FZ LLC Speedcast Telemar Telenor Satellite Services Xsat Global

www.and-group.net www.satcomms.com www.vizada.com www.balkantelekom.net www.cw.com www.comtechefdata.com www.dsdtelecom.com www.vsat.com Emerging Market Communications www.emc-corp.net European Satellite Link www.eurosatlink.com EX4U Telecom www.ex4u.org Gilat Satellite Networks www.gilat.com Globecomm Systems Inc. www.globecommsystems.com Globewireless www.globewireless.com h2osatellite www.h2osatellite.co.uk Harris Caprock www.harriscaprock.com Hellenic Radio Services www.hrs05.gr High Capabilities Telcom www.hicap-telecom.com IEC Telecom www.iec-telecom.com Imtech www.imtech.eu Inmarsat www.inmarsat.com ITC Global www.itcglobal.net KVH Industries www.kvh.com Lunasat www.marine-technologies.com Applied Satellite Technology Astrium Services Balkan Telecom Cable & Wireless Comtech EF Data DSD Telecom Elektrikom

www.maritimebroadband.com www.marlink.com www.mtnsat.com www.navarino.gr www.nsslglobal.com www.oceansat.com www.omniaccess.com www.orange-business.com www.orbit-cs.com www.otesat-maritel.com www.radiohollandgroup.com www.safa-telecom.com/ www.satco.no www.satcomglobal.com www.satmarin.com www.selexelsag.com www.signalhorn.com www.info.singtel.com www.sky-stream.com www.speedcast.com www.telemargroup.com www.telenor.no www.xsatglobal.com

If you would like your company included in our next directory email the publisher’s marketing department George@ctld.me with ‘Directory14’ in the subject header. Basic listings are free.

©OffComm News ~ Spring 2013

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©OffComm News ~ Spring 2013

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