Inmarsat has spent $1.5 billion developing the Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) system, which uses compact satellite uplink terminals that connect to a laptop and provide up to half-a-megabit (.5 Mbps) of broadband throughput. With two L-band frequency satellites positioned above Brazil and the Indian Ocean, BGAN currently provides broadband connectivity across 85% of the world's landmass.

Last Friday, the FCC approved five North American distribution partners to offer BGAN, including BT, FTMSC, MVS, Stratos / Xantic and Telenor. BGAN, which promises "quality of service" live streaming at 256 kilobits-per-second, has been available overseas since January. The BGAN terminals, which weigh as little as five pounds and are built by manufacturers such as Hughes, cost around $3,000. Transmission pricing ranges from $3 to $7 per megabyte, says Inmarsat COO Michael Butler.

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