The BBC filed news reports on the mudslide in the Philippines using Inmarsat’s Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN), the first news reports filed using the mobile satellite service, Stratos Global Corp. claimed.

The mudslides hit Guinsaugon village in the Philippines’ southern Leyte Province Feb. 17 and a BBC journalist and cameraman began reporting from the area Feb. 19. The village is located more than six hours from the nearest airport in Leyte’s provincial capital of Tacloban, and normal communications methods are not an option following the disaster.

The BBC’s television report on the mudslide recovery effort was the first news report ever to be transmitted using BGAN via an HNS 9201 terminal.

"The BBC’s success in using BGAN this week demonstrates how the service allows lightweight newsgathering in remote regions, with the minimum of equipment," Ian Canning, Stratos’ managing director, EMEA, said in a statement. "This enables newsgathering crews to file from areas that have little or no telecommunications infrastructure."

BGAN offers data communications at speeds up to 492 kilobits per second and the ability to conduct voice and data communications simultaneously. Service was launched in December in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia, with coverage scheduled to expand into North and South America in the second quarter of 2006.

Stratos is the largest provider of Inmarsat mobile satellite telecommunications services following its recent acquisition of rival Xantic B.V., holding 44 percent of the Inmarsat service market.