Satellite Communications
Broadpoint: Servicing O&G + More
Ken Wright, COO of Broadpoint, discusses recent changes within the company and enhancements to its maritime and offshore services. What is your background? Wright As president and COO of Broadpoint, it is my goal to make sure we are meeting, and exceeding, the challenge of continually innovating and developing new technological solutions that meet the changing needs of our marketplace. Prior to this position, I was the president and COO of PetroCom. I started there in 1998 as an operations manager and went on to serve as the director of engineering for the satellite and cellular lines and then vice president of engineering and operations. During my time at PetroCom, our customers, including many in the maritime industry, had an increasing need for more robust data capabilities with mobility. This trend will only continue in the industry going forward. I am a native of New Orleans and earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and later an MBA at the University of New Orleans. I am also a registered professional engineer in Louisiana. Can you tell me a bit about Broadpoint's history in this market? Wright Our roots reach back to the 70s and 80s through the use of two-way radio and the development and deployment of the only analog cellular network backhauled through satellite at the time. While Broadpoint still may be a new name to some, for more than 50 years we have been providing telecommunication services to maritime and oil and gas customers through our early establishment of a satellite teleport and a switching facility. We operate a GSM/GPRS/EDGE cellular network and have two satellite teleports on the Gulf coast. In addition, we have international partner relationships to provide satellite services abroad. Broadpoint's mission is to provide telecommunications solutions that connect companies to their most important assets. What is the primary business focus? Wright Our primary market is oil and gas and that industry's service companies. We are continually working to meet and anticipate the needs of this market both here and abroad, on and off46
shore. We always have been leaders in satellite and cellular communications for the energy industry. In the past year, we have expanded our satellite services and increased our international capabilities. Our focus on offering international coverage with consistent reliability is very beneficial to our growing number of maritime customers. All industries are facing globalization, and the maritime industry is no different. This globalization is driving a need for increased information flow, which requires increased communications to keep businesses and their employees connected. The cost of employee turnover and retention is also on many maritime employers' minds so an employee's ability to have contact with families and friends becomes an important factor. It is also more critical than ever that all of our customers experience reliable connectivity whether they are in their backyard or on the other side of the world. Broadpoint also has a core group of customers in emergency response, both in military and governmental organizations. Our Emergency Response Unit (ERU) and supporting connectivity services can be deployed and activated in minutes to establish a communications center at any emergency site. And, the ERU has been utilized by a range of national, regional and local law enforcement agencies and municipalities. Do you see this mix changing in the coming year, and if so, how? Wright We are always looking to expand our offerings and anticipate the needs of our core customers. To that end, in 2008 much of the company will be focused on taking our existing products and services to the international market. Many of our oil and gas customers are expanding their asset bases. As they diversify their operations, the need to be in touch with other locations and their home offices, is growing exponentially. Additionally, as they move around the globe the companies that service them are following suit. Our goal is ro be where our customers are and to provide reliable communications solutions. What do you count as the core competency of Broadpoint? Wright I think Broadpoint's true value comes from our ability to provide com-
plete, integrated, customized telecommunications solutions. No company has the variety of offerings that Broadpoint does, and our range allows us to tailor unique solutions for our clients, as well as offer a number of standard packages. What technologies do you deliver that are intended to make ops more efficient and cost-effective? Wright We provide maritime customers global and regional VSAT, and GSM based cellular services. Across the board, Broadpoint's customers benefit from our best-of-breed technology that guarantees a committed information rate and the highest-quality voice and data services available. Many operators enjoy our standard and customized VSAT services, which allow customers to easily select a combination of services that meets their service needs and remains within their budget. We also have modified many of our hardware applications to ensure their stability and reliability in what can often be harsh maritime environments. What investments are you making? Wright As I've mentioned, we're very focused on taking our solutions to the international market. With such a large number of our current and potential customers transitioning to a global system themselves, it is certainly in our shortand long-term interest to provide them with worldwide connectivity. Additionally, our customer service organization is in the middle of a several-stage technology upgrade that increases the real time monitoring capabilities of our customers offshore and terrestrial based networks. This increased functionality will allow our people to better anticipate the needs of our customers and provide increased system visibility directly to our customers. How have customer demands and changes affected the service offerings of Broadpoint? Wright Like many other industries, telecommunications and those we serve have realized the necessity and value of operating within the growing global economy. For Broadpoint, this means growing our services to meet the needs of our customers off and onshore, domestically and internationally.
Many maritime and oil and gas operations have traditionally operated regionally. When they did travel across regions, they had to uninstall their communications equipment and reinstall with a different provider who covered their new region. This simply isn't the reality anymore. As oil and gas become harder to find, exploration and production operations and drilling sites are becoming more geographically diversified. At the same time, maritime operations are not only becoming increasingly global, but operators are also faced with longer voyages and increased regulations-making constant and consistent communications critical to operations. What are the most important trends in your business to be? Wright We've already discussed the international market in detail and that obviously will be affecting our business for many years to come. Other important trends include a growing focus on crew welfare, an increase in regulatory and safety requirements and a renewed desire to be prepared for a variety of emergency situations. All of these scenarios mean that our customers in maritime, oil and gas and the service industries need to be better connected to their assets and their people. It is an exciting time for us as we continue to provide our customers with the solutions that allow them to be more productive in their own lives.
Maritime Reporter & Engineering News