Stratos Global, a provider of advanced mobile and fixed-site remote communications solutions, today announced it successfully provided Inmarsat BGAN mobile satellite communications service to the Ultramagic Experience hot air balloon expedition over Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro that ended August 30th.
The Ultramagic Experience was a 14-day expedition by seven balloons across Tanzania that featured flight over Kilimanjaro. This is the first time that BGAN has been used by balloonists. With a peak of 19,327 feet (5,891 meters) Kilimanjaro is Africa’s highest mountain.
BGAN from Stratos provided reliable voice and data connectivity to the balloonists during the expedition, which was vital to ensure the safety of all balloonists. The BGAN connectivity also enabled fans to track the balloon’s itineraries and view spectacular images taken during flight – via the expedition’s web site. “The expert balloonists from all over the world who participated in this event were very grateful for the support that Stratos provided, and for the reliable connectivity that was made possible by BGAN. The BGAN connectivity was especially critical for one balloon crew that was forced to land high up on Mount Kilimanjaro and was later rescued,” said Ultramagic General Manager Josep Maria Llado.
Gerbrand Schalkwijk, Stratos Vice President, Global Enterprise Sales said, “The successful deployment for this event demonstrates BGAN’s versatility and reliability, even at very high altitudes. It is gratifying to work with our partners to help ensure the safety of the balloonists and the completion of this demanding expedition.”