22/12/11
Troops in Afghanistan are enjoying an extra 1 hour and 15 minutes of talk time to keep in touch with family and friends this Christmas.
All troops on deployed operations this festive season are being gifted an additional 30 minutes of call time funded by the MOD. And as an extra Christmas bonus communications provider Paradigm, will also gift an additional 45 minutes meaning that troops can talk to family and friends for longer over the festive season.
Service personnel on operations already get an allowance of 30 minutes talk time each week which can be used to make phone calls.
Troops on operations are also entitled to internet access as well as Wi-Fi giving personnel access to their emails from the privacy of their accommodation.
Nick Harvey, Minister Armed Forces, said:
"I have the utmost respect for our Armed Forces who willingly endure the hardship of being separated from their families and loved ones over the festive period to protect our national security. I am delighted that we can offer those deployed on operations this extra talk-time."
Flight Lieutenant Andy Wilson who is responsible for managing welfare communications for Defence, Equipment and Support said:
"Christmas can be a difficult time for troops and their families and we are pleased that we have been able to offer this extra of talk time so that our boys and girls on the Front Line can keep in touch with loved ones when it matters the most."
Managing Director of Paradigm Keith Norton, said:
"Our WelComE service means that serving men and women, wherever they are in the world, can always keep in touch with their families and friends. Paradigm is proud to support British troops over the festive period and we are thankful to Cable & Wireless who have joined us this year in giving our serving men and women additional talk time over the Christmas period"
Talk time is part of WelComE (Welfare Communications Everywhere) project which is run in partnership with communications company Paradigm under the current WelComE service.
Last year the cost of calls made from Afghanistan to a UK landline were reduced from 11 pence to 6.5 pence per minute.
21/12/11
Source: http://www.defense-aerospace.com/article-view/release/131215/military-satcoms-revenue-seen-doubling-by-2020.html
CAMBRIDGE, MA --- NSR's annual review of the government and military satellite market shows the industry stands to continue revenue gains until 2020 but will need to provide higher level solutions for less cost, and via a host of new procurement methods.
The shaky global economy, as well as increasing budget pressures within countries that have driven market growth over the past 10 years, notably the United States, are at the core of future procurements and in choosing the solution mix over the long term.
"The budget crunch is becoming more pronounced and has taken center stage in procurement decisions. As such, creative solutions including hosted payloads and public-private partnerships (PPP) like the Paradigm-U.K MoD model may be some of the ways to move forward to address fiscal constraints," according to the study's author Jose Del Rosario, Senior Analyst for NSR. "Recent developments likewise signal increased non-U.S. participation in overall spending where cash-strapped allies are finding solutions within the commercial satellite industry that fit their own budget limitations."
The pullout from Iraq and Afghanistan is foremost in setting the barometer or market direction over the long term as it signals a new era in military projection and engagement. Declining troop presence will adversely impact certain segments of demand, but other applications will not only nullify service reduction but even drive growth. Intelligence gathering, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) in particular will require far greater bandwidth support than enabling troops on the ground. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) will specifically drive usage as ISR missions are expected to increase as troops are withdrawn.
"Providing less expensive but higher throughput bandwidth for UAV missions and supporting instruments that enable greater accuracy is one of many opportunities the commercial satellite industry can target in cementing its long-term relationship with government and military entities," Del Rosario notes. "UAVs can never replace troops on the ground and indeed, a relatively large corps of soldiers will continue to engage the enemy. But over time, more UAV or UAS missions will develop around the globe."
In sum, NSR projects government and military satellite communications revenues to grow from an estimated $4.0 billion in 2010 to $9.4 billion by 2020, yielding total revenues of $71.9 billion over an 11-year period. Satellite services that support ISR and tactical missions on the ground and in the sky should receive the highest boost.
NSR is a leading international market research and consulting firm with a core focus on the satellite sector and related industries. Founded in 2000 and with an experienced group of analysts located in all regions, NSR specializes in analysis of growth opportunities across four core sectors: Satellite Communications, Broadcasting & Digital Media, Hybrid & Emerging Applications and Commercial Space.
17/10/11
Paradigm's Managing Director, Keith Norton, presented at Satcon 2011 conference and expo in New York last week. Please
Click Here to view his follow up interview with Space News.
22/09/11
See below for full article
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/09/16/362058/black-box-data-streaming-service-could-be-ready-by-early.html
Black box data streaming service could be ready by early 2012
An in-flight aircraft performance data transmission service that promises to vastly improve on aircraft communications addressing and reporting systems (ACARS) could be in service in early 2012.
EADS's Astrium Services unit presented its Airborne Data Service (ADS) concept at the Paris air show, where it attracted much interest during the then-ongoing search for the wreckage - and black box - from Air France flight AF447, which disappeared over the Atlantic earlier in the year.
Astrium Services is currently testing the satellite system with aircraft of two commercial carriers, and expects to begin trials with a third European airline in the next few weeks.
A six-month trial will provide enough data to verify ADS's viability, but Astrium is confident that the system, being developed in partnership with Star Navigation in Canada - which developed the in-flight monitoring equipment - and using Iridium communication services is mature enough for commercial use.
Chief technology officer Eric Souleres said the system is undergoing an "intense" development phase.
ADS is principally intended to provide airlines with real-time encrypted data to improve maintenance, repair and operations planning. This will be achieved by identifying aircraft components that are not performing at optimum levels and require servicing or replacement.
As a result, the system enables in-flight visibility of performance data, and can be tuned to provide whichever measures and performance parameters an operator chooses. It broadcasts position data every minute and, critically, it can also augment black box information in emergencies.
According to Souleres, the plan is for Astrium to operate a ground station that will provide airline clients with a report on each flight.
However, if the system detects a problem that might endanger the aircraft, ADS would begin transmitting a higher quantity of information and the ground station would immediately notify the airline, which would be responsible for contacting the flightcrew.
Aircrew need no training to operate the system, as its operation would be automatic - unless they were alerted by the ground station to a problem.
Souleres said a special processor must be installed on the aircraft, which probably does not need a specialised antennae. All onboard equipment, however, is Category D, so ADS poses no certification issues.
The system is suitable for any civil aircraft and may also be appealing to military operators, he added
22/06/11
* Aircraft performance, data analysis and transmission via satellite
* Real-time encrypted data to improve maintenance, repair and operations planning
* Designed to ensure detailed and timely data to avoid anomalous performance and augment ‘black box’ information in emergencies
* Aircraft location updates every 60 seconds
Le Bourget, 22 June 2011 – Astrium, Europe’s leading space company, will launch a new airborne data service providing high-throughput, real-time data streaming and positioning via satellite for the general aviation market.
The Airborne Data Service, enables the real-time transmission of flight data to aircraft operators by utilising on-board processors capable of analysing actual flight performance against expected parameters. Using satellite networks, the service will have a significantly higher data-throughput compared to legacy Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting Systems (ACARS). The service uses in-flight equipment that compresses, encrypts and then securely transmits the data via satellite to Astrium ground stations, which then relays this information to airline operators, enabling in-flight visibility of performance from ground-based facilities.
The service is configured to alert operators if pre-defined performance templates are exceeded in flight and will also improve efficiencies in aircraft maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) by identifying aircraft components that are not performing at optimum levels and either require servicing or replacement.
This service will also augment the current aircraft ‘black box’, transmitting specific data in the event of an emergency and constantly track the location of the aircraft.
Astrium Services through its affiliated company, Paradigm Services Limited, will deliver this service under an exclusive teaming agreement between Canada’s Star Navigation and Paradigm Services Limited. The service, which was first demonstrated at the Berlin Airshow in June 2010, uses in-flight equipment developed by Star Navigation.
The service is now available for pre-operational orders, and following successful customer pilots is envisaged to become fully operational by the end of the year.
9/06/11
Join Paradigm and their parent company EADS at the 49th Paris Air Show in Le Bourget this year at explore Paradigm's advances in Airborne Data Services.
11/04/11
Paradigm will be attending the National Space Symposium in Colorado Springs this week as well as LAAD in Rio and Defence IT in the UK.
Visit us at anyone of these shows to discuss your military satellite communications requirements and learn more about of services.
For more information about these events, visit our events page in the Media section of our website.
7/02/11
Thank you to all of those who took the time to complete our website survey, we have found your feedback very valuable. This survey has now closed and a winner has been selected at random.......
Congratulations to Lauren Mulcahy
21/01/11
Dear WelComE user,
The following announcement is to advise you that MSN messenger is currently unavailable on all fixed WelComE PC's.
This is due to Microsoft discontinuing support for the currently installed version (Version 2009 - Build:14.0.8089.726).
The workaround for this issue is to browse www.hotmail.com which will redirect you to the 'Windows Live Sign-in' page, from here you can login using your normal MSN Messenger credentials.
We advise you to follow the same process if you are accessing MSN Messenger via Wi-Fi.
Please be assured that Paradigm IT are looking into this issue and will provide an update shortly.
We thank you for your cooperation and understanding in this matter.
7/01/11
Dear WelComE users
On 10th January 2011, there will be disruption to the Wi-Fi service from 08.00 till 10.00 UK time. This is due to essential maintance work.
If you have further questions please contact the WelComE Customer Contact Centre on 0800 4334 993, *0 from any Paradigm provided phone in theatre or visit paradigmsecure.com
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
Thank you for your cooperation.