Broadband Global Area Network
This latency is mainly due to the great distance that has to be traveled before a packet can reach the Internet but is slightly exacerbated by the back-end technology as the average latency over a Very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system is roughly 550 ms. BGAN users frequently use PEP software or other TCP packet accelerators to improve performance, and the BGAN user is often assigned a non-routable IP address and routed through a NAT server; this increases security and helps control usage costs.
The main two that apply to basic BGAN usage are the Standard Background IP (Internet) and Telephone Voice.
The BGAN terminal needs to find its position using GPS before it can negotiate with the satellite, so a clear view of the sky is necessary, to begin with.
BGAN is being used in the world today for disaster response, telemedicine, business continuity, remote site monitoring (telemetry), military use, and recreational use.
Most BGAN terminals can support a router or switch device, so users can plug in multiple computers or even VOIP phones and set up a mobile office.
The Standard + Plus BGAN service introduced by Inmarsat in May 2017 provides unlimited Internet use for a low fixed monthly price using consumer-grade routing.
BGAN Link, launched in March 2012, is for fixed locations that require 5 to 30 Gigabytes of data transferred per month.
In late 2013, Inmarsat introduced Unlimited BGAN Link "GEO" plans for specific countries/regions, including Central and South America, Australia, and lower Africa.
Terminals may move four times per year with 30 days notice with a US +$1,000 transfer cost and must be at the location for no less than three months.
An alternative service using more intelligent terminals to talk to the I4 satellites named SwiftBroadband has been developed for aircraft use.
Media outlets often use In-Motion BGAN satellite terminals for streaming video on the move.
Another advantage to in-motion BGAN systems is saving precious minutes when arriving at a live event.
As of 2016 the only terminal to support the full set of modes and bonding is the Cobham Satcom EXPLORER 710.
