| Terminal |
Phone |
| Cost |
• Dial-Up
Modem
•
Local or national telephone charges
|
| Features |
• Single
Voice
• Up
to 56Kbps data dependent online quality |
| For |
• Lowest
cost solution where available and reliable
• Most PCs
and laptops have a modem fitted |
| Against |
• Reliability
& quality may be poor
•
Lines may be unavailable
•
Does not follow the reporter to new
office or new story
•
Slow for very large files
•
Could have a large phone bill at the
end of the month if used inappropriately –
HR and financial control issue |
| Comment |
• Always
the benchmark and least cost starting point
when available. If data speeds of 19900 –
56K are required, and only for short durations
each day then land-line should always be considered. |
| Terminal |
Cell phone |
| Cost |
• Cell phone
handset
• Local or
national telephone charges |
| Features |
• Single
Voice
• Up to 9.6Kbps
data dependent online quality |
| For |
• Flexible
locations
• May enable
reports to be filled directly from the field,
without return to office
• Pre-pay
billing to control costs is available
• Interfaces
directly to a laptop or some PDA’s |
| Against |
• GSM coverage
not 100% national
• GSM data
service is not always consistent even where
there is basic coverage
• Slow for
very large files |
| Comment |
• Slow for
data traffic but very flexible in terms of
location, and connecting to different systems,
where data coverage is available. General
Packet Radio Systems (GPRS) are starting to
become available which can provide an 'always-on'
internet service in conjunction with GSM phone
capabilities. |
| Thuraya
and Irudium: Satellite Phone Dial-Up
Connectivity |
|
Product data
sheet (Thuraya) 
Product data
sheet (Iridium)
| Terminal |
Either a hand-held design or
a unit which is approx. laptop size.
|
| Features |
•Single
voice
•2.4 - 9.6
Kbps data
•Dial-Up Networking
•Compression
software for text emails
•Header review
options
•IMAP or POP3
access to email
•Web browsing
and FTP possible
•Various tariff
options : pre-pay, pay as you go, fixed monthly
tariffs |
| For |
•World-wide
coverage possible with certain networks
•Portable,
can operate from flexible locations
•Interfaces
directly to laptop or PC
•Proven field
equipment for journalists
•Pay only
when need to use the system – no story,
no cost |
| Against |
•Dial-up,
circuit switched system, payable by the minute
•Slow, and
hence expensive for large files
•Only small
attachments possible |
| Comment |
•Proven
technology for mobile, transportable and
field applications
•E mail
capable but slow for general data use.
•However
as a back-up or system that’s only
occasionally used, the pay-as-you-go feature
can be attractive.
|
| More Info |
Product data
sheet (Thuraya)
Product data
sheet (Iridium) |
| SatIP:
A Low Cost VSAT With Internet Connection |
|
Product data
sheet (SatIP)
| Terminal |
•Small
satellite dish and indoor unit connected
to PC or small LAN.
•Various manufacturers and
many service providers. Dish usually 1.2
– 1.8m
|
| Features |
•Internet
connection, using shared bandwidth to reduce
costs
•Ethernet
connection into PC or laptop
•“Always
on” so large files can be sent overnight,
or over a longer period of time
•Open connection
to the Internet
•Ku-band so
some issues with availability in heavy rain
conditions
•Fixed to
building
•May offer
VoIP
•May offer
other IP capabilities such as VPN
•All traffic
goes to central international hub for routing,
so national traffic is double hopped |
| For |
•Full web
coverage
•Good starter
kit for small offices 1 – 4 PCs
•'Always-on'- no
dial-up and no phone line needed
•Lower cost
data rates, up to 384Kbps
•In some cases
can fix or guarantee data rates to enhance
usability |
| Against |
•The cheapest
tariff, of the cheapest systems, are usually
so over-subscribed
•Loss of service
in heavy rain conditions
•Can be slow
at certain times of day due to shared nature
of bandwidth
•Probably
too slow to operate VPN to access secure web
sites without time-out issues
•Provides
an open pipe to the Internet, so anti-virus
is required per PC, and firewall if connected
to a local LAN |
| Comment |
•Good solution
for small, self contained offices, who want
to be independent of local telco, need email
and limited web access, provided users understand
limitations. |
| More Info |
Product data
sheet (SatIP) |
| SatWidth
and SatWise: High Performance VSAT
With Internet Connection |
|
Product data
sheet (SatWidth)
Product data
sheet (SatWise)
Product flyer
(SatWise)
| Terminal |
•Small
satellite dish and indoor unit connected to
PC or laptop. •Various
manufacturers and many service providers.
Dish usually 1.8m – 2.4m
Once a site has a requirement for more networking
solutions, but is seeking an off-the-shelf
solution, then the chosen VSAT terminal can
be combined with the AfriConnect SatWise product,
to provide instant networking LAN management,
firewalling, content management, power supply
protection and filtering in a single box.
|
| Features |
•Ethernet
connection to router, PC or laptop
•VPN, IPsec,
DHCP, VoIP, IP compression, PSTN
•Open connection
to the Internet
•“Always
on” so large files can be sent, and
higher data rates so transfer is quick
•C-band
so no rain fade issues, high availability.
•Fixed to
building.
•All traffic
goes to central international hub for routing,
so national traffic is double hopped
|
| For |
•Full
country coverage
•IP functionality
•Higher
speed connection
•Higher
reliability
•"Always
on"
•No phone line
needed
|
| Against |
•Higher
start-up cost
•Higher monthly
recurring cost associated with higher data
rates
•Need to select service provider
with care to ensure that QoS on shared carrier
is high |
| Comment |
Ideal Small to Medium Enterprise
(SME) and Corporate solution with higher speeds
and VPN capabilities |
| More Info |
Product data
sheet (SatWidth)
Product data
sheet (SatWise)
Product flyer
(SatWise)
|
| Private
Networks:
Private VSAT Solution |
|
Product data
sheet (Private Networks)
Terminal |
Determined only
by the business requirements, can be 1.2m
– 4.5m terminals, located on poles,
roofs, trailers, vehicles and evenships.
|
| Features |
•Any
to any connectivity, at any affordable bandwidth.
•Choice
of frequency, dish size, data rates, architecture
and encapsulation.
• Fully
flexible, corporate solutions |
| For |
•Client
organisation has complete control over bandwidth,
choice of hardware, cost per month
•Very
resilient, secure communications |
| Against |
•Although
bandwidth can be shared across a company,
there is no general sharing so bandwidth charges
tends to be higher initially than a shared
solution |
| Comment |
Private networks are required
for specific, or secure customer requirements,
where single hops for data, or voice traffic
are a firm requirement, or where routing through
the Internet is unacceptable for security
reasons, or where a company is establishing
a corporate WAN.For these users satellite
links are used to bypass terrestrial bottlenecks
or establish international circuits without
using the local PTT. The satellite links are
the basis of the their WAN, rather than just
a source of Internet connectivity. |
| More Info |
Product
data
sheet (Private Networks)
|
|
