BGAN from Stratos Provides Connectivity for Digital Archaeological Study in Remote Mongolia

-- University of California project, supported by National Geographic, searches for tomb of legendary Mongolian leader Genghis Khan --

BETHESDA, MD, Feb. 4 /PRNewswire/ - Stratos Global Corporation, the leading global provider of advanced mobile and fixed-site remote communications solutions, today announced it is supplying Inmarsat BGAN mobile satellite communications service to University of California San Diego (UCSD) researchers to support their ambitious archaeological survey in remote Mongolia.

BGAN from Stratos is providing broadband data and voice connectivity to UCSD researchers in the Valley of the Khans (VOTK) as they search for the tomb of the legendary Mongolian leader Genghis Khan. Stratos equipment supplier ViaSat is donating its VRT-100 rugged BGAN terminal for this project.

The VOTK research project (www.valleyofthekhans.org), supported by the joint National Geographic Society/Waitt Grants Program, is led by UCSD research associate Albert Yu-Min Lin, Ph.D. Dr. Lin initiated this project using a new, non-invasive scientific approach.

The project is performing a non-destructive archaeological search for the tomb of Genghis Khan, utilizing modern digital tools from a variety of disciplines, including digital imagery, computer vision, non-destructive surveying, and on-site digital archaeology. The search seeks to locate the tomb without disturbing it, thus maintaining respect for local customs while enabling protective measures through organizations such as UNESCO. The VOTK research project was recently nominated as one of National Geographic Adventure magazine's 2010 Adventures of the Year.

"Having access to BGAN from Stratos, with the rugged VRT-100 terminal, provides us with reliable connectivity in northeastern Mongolia's 'Forbidden Zone', one of the world's most remote regions. The service is playing a critical role in helping us maintain the highest levels of safety and productivity while in the field," said Dr. Lin. "BGAN has provided effective connectivity for a variety of media formats and is an invaluable tool for photo transmission and blogging."

Stratos President and CEO Jim Parm said, "Our successful contribution of BGAN service for this important project showcases the service's portability and high performance. We are also grateful for the opportunity to demonstrate the durability of the VRT-100 and its suitability for use in a variety of harsh outdoor environments."

About BGAN from Stratos

Stratos is one of the world's largest distributors of Inmarsat's BGAN (Broadband Global Area Network) service, a mobile satellite offering that uses portable, lightweight terminals to provide video (guaranteed up to 384 kbps streaming), high-speed data (up to 492 kbps) and voice connectivity anywhere in the world. Stratos now boasts more than 11,500 BGAN activations in 185 countries.

Since its introduction in late 2005, BGAN from Stratos has been widely adopted by media organizations, military agencies, first responders and professionals in many other industries worldwide. More information on BGAN from Stratos is available at www.thepowerofbgan.com.

Stratos customers fully utilize The Stratos Advantage, a suite of value-added services that help elevate BGAN from Stratos far above baseline offerings. These value-added services, including Stratos Dashboard, keep costs within budget by monitoring airtime and restricting unauthorized. The services provide users with cost control, firewall management, full traffic information, pre-paid facilities, high security options, easy VPN access, messaging services and full IP range.

About Stratos

Stratos is the world's trusted leader for vital communications. Stratos offers the most powerful and extensive portfolio of remote communications solutions including mobile and fixed satellite and microwave services. More than 20,000 customers use Stratos products and industry-leading value-added services to optimize communications performance. Stratos serves U.S. and international government, military, first responder, NGO, oil and gas, industrial, maritime, aeronautical, enterprise, and media users on seven continents and across the world's oceans. For more information visit www.stratosglobal.com.

SOURCE Stratos Global Corporation