Andy Frost, Signalhorn’s Vice President of strategic business development. Photo: Signalhorn

[Via Satellite 06-02-2014] Signalhorn has released version 1.0 of its new customer gateway to a small group of clients to get feedback on the development process. The project, which started in 2011, was reinvigorated by an award from the European Space Agency (ESA) as part of the Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) program. Signalhorn is currently using the feedback to continue developing a satellite gateway that will also attract more wireless and terrestrial players.

“We tested the portal with a handful of selected customers in late 2013 and the feedback was very encouraging,” Andy Frost, VP of strategic business development told Via Satellite. “More importantly, it contained useful direction and guidance for Signalhorn on how best to develop the portal further to suit these customers. As a consequence, we took the decision with the project team to stage the release to specific groups of customers based upon the availability of key features that provided insight into the particular platforms used to deliver service to them.”

The next step in development is a series of staged releases that support Signalhorn’s managed router offering, Xtend. The company’s Xtend solution is a hybrid intelligent network that combines satellite, terrestrial and mobile technologies along with supported Single Channel Per Carrier (SCPC) platforms. The larger release is scheduled for later this year.

“These stages are now planned to deliver throughout 2014 and 2015 based upon the in-house development resources we have today; however, should a customer want to enhance their portal with additional features specific to their network we would consider growing the team in order to meet their requirements,” said Frost.

A combination of direct requests to account directors and requirements found in certain Requests for Proposals (RFP) and Requests for Information (RFI) prompted Signalhorn to look into developing the new gateway. According to Frost, the divestiture from General Electric  — Signalhorn was GE Satcom at the project’s beginning — postponed all non-core development activity. Robert Kubbernus, the new CEO of Signalhorn, resurrected the program in 2012. Working in tandem with ESA’s ARTES program, which helps bring new satcom products to market, has helped to guide the new gateway’s progress.

“Notwithstanding our work with customers to develop requirements and features of the customer portal, Signalhorn has followed the ESA methodology for the justification of investment, the structuring and presentation of information, and reporting requirements for the award of funding from the European Space program,” said Frost. “Signalhorn has always maintained a robust product development and introduction process, introduced after years of product management experience. However, the ESA methodology has enforced a framework, timescale and rigor into which this process could fit comfortably and operate to everyone’s advantage.”

Frost said Signalhorn’s customer portal is “not completely unique” but that the goal for version 1.0 was to put in place a foundation that would immediately benefit as many customers as possible.

“Subsequent releases of the portal will include features drawn from services that we resell or integrate into our solutions, such as 3G/4G and xDSL. As these features are integral to our managed router offering, Xtend, we are already working with the wireless and terrestrial players to incorporate their services into the mix. We anticipate that the telecom operators who provide these services will cooperate in order for us to add value to their basic offering,” said Frost.

Signalhorn grew to its current position by carving a niche for itself as a Very-Small-Aperture-Terminal (VSAT) services provider, but adapting effective terrestrial and wireless technologies is a long-term goal. Its new customer gateway has as a core design goal to be readily usable by fast-paced devices such as smartphones, tablets and laptops. Frost said the portal would continue to evolve as these devices increase in number and diversity.

Frost added that there is a growing trend where customers prefer to operate their own networks. This is more common with those possessing highly technical backgrounds, up to the point where they are sometimes more knowledgeable than their suppliers. Keeping pace with new technologies, combined with ongoing customer input is part of Signalhorn’s plan to retain its value as a provider of network services.

“There is also a strong desire, on the part of the customer, to have more and more control of their networks via these portals … taken to its logical conclusion, this would effectively in-source network management back into the customer organization,” said Frost. “The value of having a supplier design, build and operate their network then becomes lost as the functional demarcation lines become blurred. These are conversations that are just starting but we anticipate that our customers will recognize Signalhorn as being expert at what we do, which is ultimately to look after their most valuable asset: the network.”