| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Communications satellite operators |
| Headquarters |
Paris, France Oslo, Norway |
| Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Mobile and fixed satellite services |
| Owner(s) | EADS Astrium |
| Subsidiaries | Vizada, Vizada Networks, Marlink |
| Website | www.vizada.com |
Vizada is a worldwide satellite communications services provider which operates land earth stations that connect satellite communications to terrestrial telecommunications and IP networks. Vizada provides both mobile and fixed satellite telecommunications to a wide array of markets including merchant shipping, defense and government, fishing and yachting, oil & gas, mining, and non-governmental organizations. The product offering covers maritime, land and aeronautical services. In 2011, the Vizada Group was acquired by EADS, to be integrated as a subsidiary of Astrium.[1].
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July 24, 2006, Apax Partners bought France Telecom Mobile Satellite Communications. In 2007, Apax Partner acquired Telenor Satellite Services. The merger between Telenor and France Telecom Mobile Satellite Communications resulted in the creation of the Vizada Group. [2]
In February 2008, Vizada renewed the partnership formed by France Telecom Mobile Satellite Communication with Télécoms Sans Frontières.[3]
In April 2008, Vizada received the Golden Award in Service Promotion from Thuraya for being the provider generating the most revenues of Thuraya services.[4]
In January 2009, Vizada became a mobile satellite communication provider for the United States Army Corps of Engineers.[5]
In October 2010, Vizada, through its subsidiary Marlink, received the Inmarsat 2010 partner award recognizing Vizada as a solutions innovator for the merchant shipping market.[6]
In August 2011 Apax Partners signed an agreement with EADS to acquire all assets of the Vizada Group for approximately 1 billion USD for its Astrium Services business unit. The acquisition is subject to customary regulatory approvals[7].
Vizada operates their offices and earth stations worldwide. The Vizada Group has local business units for the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Asia. The Vizada Group has three subsidiaries; Vizada which markets global mobile and fixed satellite communications, Vizada Networks which specializes in fixed satellite and hybrid network solutions, and Marlink which focuses on maritime satellite communication.
Vizada is an independent provider of global satellite-based mobility services. The company, which was formed by the merger of Telenor Satellite Services and France Telecom Mobile Satellite Communications, offers mobile and fixed connectivity services from multiple satellite network operators through a network of 400 service provider partners.
These services are packaged with Vizada Solutions, designed to add business value to basic connectivity, and delivered through Vizada’s global teleport network – five state-of-the-art satellite facilities strategically positioned around the world. Vizada works with the broadest range of network providers in the industry, including: Inmarsat, Iridium, Thuraya, Eutelsat, Intelsat, Loral, SES World Skies, and SES Americom.
Vizada Networks, a former unit of Telenor, is a global satellite communications specialist. July 1, 2008, Taide Network was rebranded as Vizada Networks in order to clarify the position of the company within Vizada Group.[8]
Vizada Networks provides tailor-made international and regional broadband fixed satellite services, international telephony and hybrid network solutions. Vizada Networks works with the major fixed satellite operators, such as Eutelsat, Intelsat, and SES World Skies.
Vizada Networks main offices are located in Oslo and Holmestrand in Norway.
Marlink is a former Telenor subsidiary created in 2002 by Telenor specialized in maritime satellite communications. Marlink is the world’s largest maritime satellite communications provider[9] equipping vessels with Mobile Satellite Services and Very Small Aperture Terminals services. Marlink provides its services through the land earth stations of Eik, Santa Paula and Southbury.
For more than 25 years, Vizada has provided maritime communication products based on Inmarsat and Iridium technologies. Vizada also developed its own satellite communication solution based on VSAT technology called Pharostar. Vizada's products provide broadband data and voice communications on board seabound vessels.
| Product | Technology | Use | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| FleetBroadband | Inmarsat | Maritime service delivering simultaneous voice and data. Streaming up to 256 kbps. | Global Coverage. |
| Fleet 77/55/33 | Inmarsat | Maritime service delivering voice, fax, ISDN data and Mobile Packet Data Service | Global coverage for voice and spot coverage for data & fax |
| Inmarsat C/Mini C | Inmarsat | Maritime service providing two-way data communications | Global beam coverage |
| Inmarsat B | Inmarsat | Digital maritime service delivering worldwide digital voice, fax and data communications | Global beam coverage |
| Inmarsat Mini M | Inmarsat | Digital maritime service providing voice, fax, and data communications | Spot beam coverage |
| Iridium OpenPort | Iridium | Maritime service delivering simultaneous voice and always-on internet access up to 128 kbps. Streaming video up to 128 kbps | Pole-to-pole coverage |
| Iridium Maritime | Iridium | Maritime service delivering voice, fax and data: up to 9.6 kbps with direct internet service | Pole-to-pole coverage |
| Pharostar | VSAT | Maritime service delivering unlimited access up to 1024 kbps for internet, email, VoIP and videoconferencing | Global and regional coverage available |
Vizada provides land satellite communication products based on Inmarsat, Iridium and Thuraya technologies. Vizada also provides full broadband satellite solutions based on a customized VSAT network.
| Product | Technology | Use | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| BGAN | BGAN | Mobile land based service delivering simultaneous voice and broadband data communications up to 492 kbps, video streaming up to 384 kbps and up | Global coverage |
| Inmarsat GAN | Inmarsat | Mobile land based service delivering voice, fax and data up to 64 kbps | Spot beam coverage |
| ThurayaIP | Thuraya | Mobile land based service delivering broadband data communications up to 444 kbps, video streaming at up to 384 kbps | Regional coverage in Europe, Africa & Asia |
| Inmarsat Handheld | Inmarsat | Satellite telephones delivering voice services | Global coverage |
| Iridium Handhelds | Iridium | Satellite telephones delivering voice, fax and data via optional data kit: 2.4 kbps, up to 9.6 kbps with direct internet service | Pole-to-pole coverage |
| Thuraya Handhelds | Thuraya | Satellite telephone delivering voice, fax, GPS, data. Telephone integrating the satellite and the GSM connectivity | Regional coverage in Europe, Africa & Asia |
| Custom VSAT Networks | VSAT | Tailored land based service including high-speed voice, fax, data throughputs up to 8 Mbit/s, network design, dimensioning, technology, space capacity, backhauling, applications, and service delivery | Global and regional coverage available |
Vizada provides aero satellite communications products based on the Inmarsat Swift services. These products enable high speed and IP based communication both in cockpit and cabin for voice communication, internet browsing, fax and file sharing.
| Product | Technology | Use | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| SwiftBroadband | Inmarsat | Simultaneous voice and data, Internet access up to 432 kbps and 64 kbps ISDN. Video streaming at up to 128 kbps | Global coverage |
| Swift | Inmarsat | Aeronautical service for cabin delivering voice, fax and data via ISDN (up to 64 kbps) or Mobile Packet Data Service (MPDS) | Spot beam coverage |
| Aero L/H/H+/I | Inmarsat | Range of aeronautical satellite communications delivering a variety of digital voice, fax, and data services along with some flight monitoring applications |
Vizada provides services around satellite communications such as data traffic management tools, secure communication tools, emailing services, data compression and encryption services, prepaid cards for satellite communications and fixed to satellite mobile communications.
| Solution type | Solution name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Messaging Services | SkyFile Mail | Compressed data transmission via email, e-fax and SMS; developed by Shamrock Software |
| SkyFile Anti Virus | Protection from malicious software such as viruses, spyware etc.; based on the Sophos anti-virus engine | |
| SkyFile Weather | Customizable weather information, including high resolution images; using data from Météo France | |
| SkyFile Video | Capture, compress, edit and transmit video files. | |
| SkyFile Access | Free FTP space to exchange large files, webmail & web browsing. | |
| SkyFile C | Optimized Inmarsat C and Mini C communications via specific land earth stations | |
| Prepaid Solutions | Universal Card | Prepaid voice calling, SMS, email & web usage |
| Fixed2Mobileb | Satellite Direct | Allows for satellite calls from any location to any satellite terminal. |
| Satellite Direct Plus | Allows for highly cost-efficient fixed-to-mobile satellite calls. | |
| IP & Networking | Terralink Data Manager | Allows to set firewall-filters, administrate account profiles & select traffic priorities. |
| Terralink Data Manager Live | Allows to set firewall-filters, administrate account profiles & select traffic priorities as well as view traffic consumption in real-time. | |
| Interconnect | Connection between mobile satellite terminal to corporate network. | |
| Business Tools | The Source | Online portal for management and control of end-user communications accounts. |
| Vizada XChange | Vizada XChange | Vizada’s proprietary box and online interface for managing satellite communications services for the maritime industry. |
Vizada operates 5 earth stations around the world that connect satellites to terrestrial networks.[10]
| Earth Station | Country | In operation since | Infrastructures | Technologies supported | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aussaguel | France | 1980 | 37 acres | Inmarsat, Thruaya, Iridium and Vizada's solutions | Atlantic and Indian oceans |
| Eik | Norway | 1976 | 10 acres | Inmarsat | Atlantic and Indian oceans |
| Nittedal | Norway | 1986 | - | VSAT Networks | Africa, Asia, Europe and eastern part of South America |
| Santa Paula | United States | 1976 | 10 acres | Inmarsat | Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Ocean, the Pacific Rim nations, the eastern Indian Ocean and the western North America |
| Southbury | United States | 1975 | 6 acres | Inmarsat | Pacific and Indian oceans |
Vizada also has an earth station in Japan through a partnership with KDDI. The earth station is located in Yamaguchi.
Vizada's IP points of presence provide local access to the global broadband services. They're located in:
In 1998, Vizada entered into partnership with the Télécoms Sans Frontières (TSF).[11] Vizada provides TSF with mobile satellites services and training for TSF personnel. TSF used Vizada's services on 14 separate occasions in 2009, and notably for the 2010 Haiti earthquake. In 2011, Vizada provided TSF with hardware, airtime for the voice calls and internet connections on the border between Tunisia and Libya.[12]