Inmarsat is setting up a world-first terrestrial 5G network to enhance its connectivity services over water.
The UK-based satellite company said it has performed trials in the UK and will now expand these through a partnership with Saudi Arabia based energy group Saudi Aramco.
5G, or 5th generation, networks are terrestrial networks with a range of between one and five kilometres and are largely being developed to enable high-speed telephone broadband.
The networks are widely linked with internet of things connectivity and give high speeds, greater throughput and lower latency than earlier network generations.
A memorandum of understanding between Aramco and Inmarsat will allow the energy giant to link remote sensors in its offshore infrastructure to a mesh, thus creating the first 5G mesh network in a maritime environment.
For Inmarsat, now the maritime division of US-listed Viasat, it means the opportunity to test the system in the environmental conditions of the region, including sandstorms, extreme heat, strong winds and water evaporation.
“Our technologies provide the ingredients for a truly bespoke solution and our exciting new partnership with Aramco is the latest example of this,” Inmarsat president Ben Palmer said.
“This new 5G mesh technology will be a significant step in helping Aramco maximise site efficiency, improve sustainability, provide a better experience for crew and protect the business from cyber attacks.
Inmarsat already has a network service linking its L-band fleet broadband and Ka-band service with another technology known as LTE, the standard for 4G networks.
