Expand Networks Makes Mobile Communications Work on the Battlefield

According to satellite optimization company Expand Networks, making C4 mobile communications work reliably from Bagram Airbase to Baghdad is "a tall order: Pursuant to this agreement stressful conditions and across enemy lines, the U.S. military and coalition forces have to set up tactical networks connecting hundreds of remote locations."

Using satellite links, "land, air and sea forces transfer millions of networked applications and services including video and voice over IP, global positioning systems, Common Operational Picture, e-mail, instant messenger, even news feeds from CNN."

According to Expand Networks, which questions whether VSAT/satellite is a friend or foe to the on-the-move fighter, providing mobile warfighters broadband-like performance for on-the-move satellite access is an uphill battle," since "most military communications take place over low bandwidth links," because satellite bandwidth is expensive, 'noisy' and subject to traffic collisions."

You sure wouldn’t want to be on a battlefield using unreliable satellite links to transfer VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) calls, GPS maps or stuff hosted at the Pentagon, thousands of miles -- hopefully -- from the battlefield. Neither would you in business, even though the stakes might not be quite so noteworthy.

Company officials say their Expand Accelerators let the mobile network perform comparably to a headquarters network by increasing bandwidth throughput, speed and application responsiveness, and that their compression algorithms provide 100-400 percent more WAN capacity on average with peaks of 1000 percent-plus.

TMC recently reported that Expand Networks was tapped to provide its Virtual Accelerator to help brand management company INTERSPORT International optimize its SAP, video conferencing and additional critical applications between its Switzerland and China headquarters.

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