Satellite company Pivotel buys US data comms rival GMN
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Satellite company Pivotel buys US data comms rival GMN

Australian satellite phone company Pivotel is buying a US satellite company as part of what it calls an accelerated push into the satellite data communications market.

Pivotel, which offers services in the Australian market via Globalstar, Inmarsat, Iridium and Thuraya satellite networks, is to buy Tennessee-based Global Marine Networks (GMN) for an undisclosed price.

“Satellite phone technology has come a long way in a few short years,” said Pivotel CEO Peter Bolger. “Data downloads are comparatively slow, sometimes painfully slow, and are notoriously expensive on a satellite network, but we know our customers increasingly need to access the internet and apps for both business and personal use.”

GMN supplies ship-to-shore marine satellite services as branded or white-label solutions under the RedPort Global brand. It also uses the Globalstar, Inmarsat, Iridium and Thuraya networks

Bolger said: “GMN and RedPort solutions provide turnkey access to all services including filtering and compressing data as well as blocking unnecessary content and software updates so users can upload and download data faster and more cost effectively, allowing satellite users to get the most out of their voice and data service.”

GMN CEO Luis Soltero said the company “had spoken with a number of potential suitors”, but chose Pivotel. “We were won over by Pivotel’s commitment to the satellite data market and their desire to continue investing in new and improved solutions while also wanting to grow the international sales of the GMN RedPort product suite.”

The deal is expected to be completed by 1 September, said Pivotel.

GMN sponsored and provided satellite communications to Lisa Blair, who in July became the first woman to circumnavigate the Antarctic solo.




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