Mobile Satellite Ventures (MSV), which is developing a hybrid satellite-terrestrial communications network for coverage across the U.S. and Canada, has hired Drew Caplan as Chief Network Officer. Mr. Caplan will be responsible for MSV’s network engineering and technology functions, as well as leading the development and deployment of MSV’s next generation network.
Prior to joining MSV, Mr. Caplan served as Vice President of National Network Services at Nextel Communications from November 1996 to August 2005. Prior to joining Nextel, Caplan served in progressive engineering, operations, and product development roles in MCI Communications from 1983 to 1995. He was a founding member of MCImetro, MCI’s CLEC startup, in 1993, overseeing the launch of their first 20 switched services market.
http://www.msvlp.com
- In May 2006, Mobile Satellite Ventures (MSV) and its joint venture partner, MSV Canada, announced an agreement with Boeing to accelerate the deployment of its two North American satellites, which will form the backbone of its satellite-cellular wireless communications network. The agreement will move up, by approximately eight months, the construction, launch and operations of each of the two North American satellites, with the launch of the U.S. satellite scheduled for mid-2009 and the Canadian satellite in early 2010. These two new satellites will replace and expand upon the current MSAT satellite system operated by MSV and MSV Canada. The development of the third satellite for South America, MSV-SA, has been deferred to the third delivery position for the MSV system.
- Ancillary Terrestrial Component (ATC) technology allows existing satellite phone spectrum to also be used in dedicated terrestrial networks. Call capacity is managed and reallocated, in real time, between satellite and terrestrial networks via a common control center.