Satellite Service Providers and the Battle for the Oilfield Customer - Offshore
From INVESaTWIKI
Offshore – Demand for Greater Bandwidth
Offshore Drilling Rigs are
essentially mini-communities. A
typical rig accommodates one
hundred or more individuals,
usually for several weeks at a time.
Data and voice requirements are
extensive for both business and
personal needs, and reliability and
service of communications links are
of critical importance. Demand for
Bandwidth on Demand is
increasing as transmission of large
files, VoIP and Videoconferencing
applications is becoming more
common. Since it is impractical from
a cost standpoint to maintain
broadband fixed links for such
“bursty” traffic, shared bandwidth
solutions are generating significant
interest, and traditional “turf
battles” between regional and
corporate IT over centralized
network control and planning are
gradually giving way to the
overwhelming economic
advantages of the new
technologies. As a result, selling
such technologies has definitely
become easier. While the availability
of new satellite technologies and
the demand for greater bandwidth
are the predominant driving forces
in the business, there is also a
growing demand for new and
innovative services to fit the unique
requirements of offshore
operations.
While provision of pre-paid calling
and internet access is in its infancy,
the demand for limiting access to
the oil operator’s corporate network
to employees only as well as the
cost associated with providing
communications services to third
party contractors is generating
interest in pre-paid solutions for
both internet and voice carried over
parallel networks through common
antennas. Hence the ability to sell
complete packages of services and
to provide innovative, full service
solutions will become critical to
success in this market. [1]
References
[1] Satmagazine.com - January 2004
Satellite Service Providers and the Battle for the Oilfield Customer
