Before joining Vizada, Norton served as vice president of business development and operations for ADC International, a firm specializing in mobile satellite communications to the United States government. Prior to that, he was responsible for all new commercial and government business development for Military Advantage, Inc.
Norton is a former senior United States Naval Officer and Aviator. He has held a number of critical leadership and staff positions in the U.S. Armed Forces, including serving as a Air Wing Commander and Squadron Commander in addition to positions in a number of major Naval organizations in the U.S. and overseas. He has earned numerous personal and professional awards while serving in these positions.
MSM
What is the correct mix of services for communications-on-the-move? Does this combination of technologies differ greatly, depending upon the service in question?
Bo Norton
While the trend in the commercial market in the past has been a gradual migration from L-band services (Inmarsat and Iridium) to Ku-band services, we are now seeing that the increasing throughput capabilities of the new 4th generation L-band services (Inmarsat and ThurayaIP) are causing customers to reconsider their options.
It has always been our position that in order to meet the breadth of our customer’s global requirements, we have to be able to offer the full range of satellite services, whether it be L-, Ku- or C-band. Consequently, our challenge has been to stay out ahead of the requirements with regard to capacity so that as customers’ satcom applications grow, we can meet them. To date, we have been successful as both commercial and government markets have grown significantly.
Of the two most popular SATCOM technology bands, L- and Ku-, L-band is globally available (albeit on a contended basis) using standardized, lower cost, equipment and is more resilient to interference and atmospheric impairments. However, for higher bandwidth applications operating in specific theatres, Ku-band services can offer significantly better performance with much lower operating costs.
Unfortunately, there are still significant regional availability challenges for Ku-band services in some areas. For the government customer, it really comes down to selecting a provider with a wide variety of products and services whom they can trust to offer the correct solution in an unbiased manner. Through its extensive service provider network, Vizada offers the U.S. Government access to the right mix of products and service choices to meet their requirements.
MSM
How do you see COTM playing its role in both the ground and air (UAV/UAS) segment for our military services? Will COTM replace COTH over the next year or so, making hostile environments safer for folk with boots on the ground?
Bo Norton
The deployment of COTM solutions (over COTH) on the ground and in the air is limited only by the technology which is required to support it. COTM applications require small remote antenna equipment which can be mounted on a variety of moving platforms and transmission protocols which allow these smaller antennas to operate efficiently without introducing adjacent satellite interference. COTM as it exists today, is an evolution of several generations of SatCom technology. For example, the forgiveness of L-band, coupled with Inmarsat protocols and standardization has allowed for COTM deployments for many years. However, these applications have traditionally been limited in terms of data throughput.
To address larger throughput requirements, C-, Ku- and other forms of VSAT systems have been deployed. However, it is not until recently that advancements in communication protocols and antenna technology has allowed these systems to lock onto narrow VSAT signals as the vehicle is in motion. The need to “halt” obviously increases operator vulnerability and spurred the need for new technology to overcome this limitation. Today, the latest generation of Inmarsat equipment significantly increases data throughput performance while the latest generation of some VSAT technology addresses the need to stop the vehicle. As the technology has improved, so has the safety factor of the troops on the ground.
MSM
How can latency and capacity issues be resolved, especially in war fighter situations?
Bo Norton
The lion share of latency in any satellite communication network is dictated by physics, so network architectures which optimize communications for the war fighter generate the most interest. For example, the ability to deploy remote-remote communication (e.g., single-hop or MESH) in lieu of the more traditional double-hop can cut latency in half.
Another way to minimize latency and jitter is to terminate the war fighter’s traffic using the most direct path between the ground station and the target terrestrial network destination, using private, leased or other facilities which support prioritization of real time traffic and QoS. With respect to capacity, constraints are driven by network usage and satellite limitations.
The workarounds we offer our customers include access to multiple satellite network operators, assured access through leasing arrangements, prioritization and the use of our extensive network architecture.
However, in regions with limited satellite capacity and a large amount of commercial and government activity, congestion will continue to be a challenge for the war fighter.
MSM
Is COTM becoming more important for first responders and NGOs and how will such be used?
Bo Norton
In short, yes. We continually see the need for mobile satcom in crisis situations to provide the necessary flexibility for first responders to meet critical communication needs. Of note, first responders take a lot of cues from the military on technology, and they typically follow the military’s lead when it comes to satcom usage. Over the last decade, both first responders and complimentary NGOs have become more aware of these capabilities through such situations like Hurricane Katrina and 9/11 where traditional mobile and landline communications networks were not available. Being able to offer a reliable emergency communication solution to form the critical link in their communication plans is absolutely key to many of the nation’s premier first responders and support organizations such as The American Red Cross, The National Guard and Global Relief Technologies. At Vizada, we have invested a tremendous amount in training these groups on the applications and benefits of satcom solutions.
MSM
What is changing in regard to the military’s use of commercial satellites and how do you see that continuing to evolve?
Bo Norton
In my opinion, the biggest change is the realization that the government cannot meet its own satcom bandwidth requirements through DoD satellites due to budgetary constraints and the lead time to design, fund, build and launch a military satellite system. As a result, the government is increasingly relying on commercial satellite operators to provide the necessary L-, Ku- and Ka-band capacity. Interestingly enough, the U.S. Defense Information Services Agency (DISA), which is charged with providing and leading the requirement for U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) communications, will tell you that 80 percent or more of the communications required by the U.S. DoD are covered through commercial satellites. At the same time, certain theatre commanders will tell you that that figure is actually higher in their AORs.
With the constant push for more bandwidth, usage flexibility, new and innovative solutions to help the U.S. government do its job, where does that leave Vizada? In short, a very enviable position as we have worked with our service providers and government customers to develop unique solutions to meet their requirements. These are embodied in our Vizada Solutions Certification Program and offered free of charge to them. It is my belief that we will see more of this type of public/private collaboration in the future as the need for rapid solutions accelerates. To that point, Vizada is in a prime position to provide this high level of service.
How do you ensure security in satellite communications for military usage? For the U.S. Navy, will COTM also play a role with communication buoys?
Bo Norton
Primarily through providing world class, highly reliable network integrity so that customers can run their own encryption devices with confidence. In addition, we can also provide the “last mile” connections to ensure end-to-end connectivity as required. With regard to Navy communication buoys, we work closely with our satellite network operators to ensure highly reliable connections are always available regardless of buoy location.
MSM
Having served your country as a naval officer and aviator, how did you manage the transition from the military environments to those of the commercial world? How did your Navy career prepare you for the business world?
Bo Norton
As with any leadership position, you take certain skill sets with you when you leave the military. In my case, these skills had to be melded with learning how to successfully operate in the commercial business sector. Luckily, I had mentors in both the military and commercial worlds who helped me do this and provided me with the opportunities to prove myself.
Here at Vizada, we have a team of professionals on the Government sales team with similar backgrounds so they fully understand how the government and business sectors operate. In my opinion, this has been the key to our success in meeting the customer’s needs.
Frankly, I do not understand how any company can hope to be successful in the government market without such a knowledge base. You have got to know how things are done in the government and military and how to work around roadblocks in order to succeed.
MSM
Exactly what is the L-band Aeronautical Leasing Program for CUG and how did this arrangement come about with Inmarsat? Why is this product offering of importance to government agencies?
Bo Norton
The L-band leasing program for the Closed User Group came about because of the need to provide assured access to critical government aeronautical users in key regions of the world. Essentially, it provides dedicated L-band channels to select customers who have contracted for the service. The end result is a highly reliable service that can be shared and managed amongst a defined user pool. Needless to say, it has been quite successful from both the end user and service provider’s perspective because it meets a highly critical need, is very efficient and cost effective.
MSM
What will Vizada offer in this new year for this ever-increasing market?
Bo Norton
We will continue to push our product groups and expand our portfolio to meet new requirements as they come along. You will see new Vizada Solutions in the areas such as IP Networking and Business Tools. Our team does a great job of delivering on our commitment to innovation. This year, we will continue expanding our infrastructure around the globe, along with expanding our offer of centralized control over business operations via The Source, which is our web-based management tool. We’re in a new headquarters now for the Americas and are building out a state-of-the-art Vizada Technology Center where we will work closely with government customers to co-develop solutions, beta test and demonstrate new services designed to meet needs today and in the future.