China Transportation Telecommunication Center (CTTC), an agent of the International Mobile Satellite Organisation (Inmarsat) in China, announced here Wednesday the successful launch of a Broadband Global Area Network(BGAN) in China.

BGAN is a new service that Inmarsat started to provide to the world on December 7.

Six years in development, BGAN is the world's first mobile communications service to provide both voice and broadband data simultaneously through a truly portable device on a global basis. It is also the first to offer guaranteed IP data rates on demand.

Delivered via the Inmarsat-4 satellites - the world's most advanced commercial communications spacecraft - the service was initially available across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

Following the successful launch of Inmarsat's second I-4 satellite on November 8, network coverage will be extended to North America and South America in 2006.

The two I-4 satellites will deliver seamless broadband coverage across 85 percent of the world's landmass and be available to 98 percent of the world's population.

"BGAN delivers broadband where other networks can't," said YangHongyi, director-general of the CTTC." It enables anyone to set up a broadband mobile office in minutes and remain fully productive -wherever they are on the planet."

BGAN offers IP data speed of up to 256 kbps, with the option of guaranteed data rate up to 492 kbps. The service is designed for mobile users who want dependable, secure broadband access when working in locations with an unreliable or non-existent telecom infrastructure.

BGAN enables users to access their corporate network via a secure VPN connection, use e-mail and other office applications, browse the Internet, send large file attachments, stream video or audio - and make a phone call at the same time. It also supports a range of encryption standards for secure communications.

The service is accessed through a range of lightweight satellite terminals -- the smallest is about half the size of a laptop and no more than two kilograms.

(Xinhua News Agency December 22, 2005)