Intellian and Inmarsat Launch Industry’s Newest FleetBroadband Terminals

Intellian is pleased to announce that it has received type approval from Inmarsat for its new FB250 and Fleet One L-band terminals, making it one of the first to market with user terminals for operation on Inmarsat’s innovation catalyst L-band network, ELERA.

The FB250 is a multi-functional terminal, either acting as a stand-alone primary communications terminal or combining with Intellian’s market-leading GX60NX and GX100NX to create the perfect Fleet Xpress (FX) solution. The Fleet One terminal provides an easy-to-install, reliable voice and data solution, ideal for smaller fishing and leisure vessels.

Intellian’s FB250 User Terminal is a compact, best-of-both-worlds solution for vessel operations, safety and crew welfare, and is the most innovative and feature-rich FleetBroadband 250 terminal on the market. Enabling simultaneous voice and data connectivity up to 284kbps, the FB250’s class-leading features and future-proofed technology deliver a far more cost-effective long-term investment than competing systems using terminal designs that, in many cases, are now many years old. The FB250’s features include a built-in firewall, analog and digital voice lines, soft PABX and a WAN port, which will support existing and future terrestrial networks such as 3G/LTE/5G and more.

Ideally suited to take advantage of and deliver optimal results from Inmarsat’s springboard for innovation, the ELERA L-band network, the FB250 represents a robust choice for a range of data critical maritime applications, including IoT, smart shipping, ocean monitoring and green energy initiatives.

FleetBroadband, together with the Global Xpress (GX) service, makes up Inmarsat’s very popular maritime solution FX, combining the reliability and resiliency of L-band with the speeds of Ka-band. The new FB250 has been engineered to perfectly complement Intellian’s highly successful GXNX series of Ka-band antennas, creating the most innovative FX product offering on the market.

This makes it an ideal solution for new build vessels, providing a future-proof solution that is both versatile and cost effective. As a result, the FB250 is expected to be of particular interest to shipyards and boost Intellian’s already thriving sales in this sector.

Meanwhile, Intellian’s Fleet One terminal represents a lightweight, dependable and affordable solution for simultaneous voice and data connectivity of up to 150kbps on smaller vessels. An ideal product for those operating beyond terrestrial coverage, whether as seasonal users or simply not in need of the capabilities of higher-end satellite communications, the terminal guarantees peace of mind with secure, unbroken access at any time for safety alerts, navigational warnings, emails, internet-based messaging and voice calls.

“Our new FB250 and Fleet One terminals are the latest products to be launched as a result of our long-standing partnership with Inmarsat,” said Eric Sung, Intellian CEO. “We’re delighted to expand our L-Band portfolio, and deliver the engineering excellence we’re renowned for to FleetBroadband customers. These new terminals provide opportunities for growth in both new and existing markets through the delivery of reliable, cost-effective and feature-rich terminals to customers across all maritime sectors.

“Our terminals will bring an advanced user experience to primary users through new features and capabilities, whilst the FB250 will also enhance our Fleet Xpress offering, combining with our GX60NX and GX100NX to create the future-proof FX solution.”

“We welcome new, innovative products that support the ELERA portfolio of services,” said Gerbrand Schalkwijk, Deputy President & COO, Inmarsat Maritime. “These terminals will be an integral part of the L-Band and Fleet Xpress offering. We are excited to be supported by a highly reputable partner such as Intellian, as we prepare for the next wave of world-changing technologies where global reach, extraordinary resilience, faster speeds, and smaller terminals ensure we meet the needs of our customers – today and in the future.”

The FB250 and Fleet One are designed to be robust, compact, lightweight and simple to install, deploying only a single RF cable for connection between the antenna and below deck unit (BDU). The built-in AptusLX management and control software can be accessed using a laptop or smart device via Wi-Fi or LAN, enabling swift and straightforward commissioning and management. The terminals work seamlessly with Inmarsat’s 505 Emergency Calling service; an indispensable free resource which will instantly patch calls directly through to an MRCC (Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre) in the event of an emergency.

Both products are available to purchase from Intellian immediately and will be stocked in regional warehouses, providing unparalleled speed of delivery and reduced freight costs to partners and customers.