Occasional Use Satellite

Many organizations require 100% full-speed unshared satellite links to the Internet, be it for video streaming, video conferencing, VoIP calling, or providing maximum speeds to support an event. These full-speed sessions are normally for limited periods of time from a few minutes to a few days. We call this “Occasional Use CIR”.

CIR stands for “Committed Information Rate” and by definition is an unshared channel over the satellite link to the Internet backbone giving 100% of the available speed to that client. Occasional Use CIR is ideal for low-resolution live video broadcasters and other applications that requires the fastest, and most reliable satellite speeds immediately.

With Ground Control’s Occasional Use CIR, you pre-pay for ‘buckets of service’ that can be used at anytime during a defined period. To use the service, simply turn on the device that has been assigned a special IP address, as explained next.

CIR Is Bonded To An IP Address

Occasional Use CIR is ACTIVATED when a device assigned a CIR Bonded IP Address, IS TURNED ON, such as a video encoder or a computer. This IP address is not normally the satellite gateway’s IP address, although this configuration is used if all devices connected should be on CIR. No Phone Calls, No Special Web Pages are needed to initiate the CIR service. When a CIR Bonded IP Address is in use, service begins immediately, and deducts from the the prepaid BUCKET. Service ends when the device is turned off, disconnected, or the bucket runs empty. Refilling the bucket is done with phone call.

Flexible On-Demand CIR

Another feature of Occasional Use CIR, is that you are charged on the speed of the data stream. If you are transmitting a video stream of 500 Kbps, then you will be billed at half the rate as when transmitting a 1,000 Kbps video stream. You are charged on the speed of usage which is determined by the device throughput setting.

Paired with Shared Use Plan

All Occasional Use clients have a standard satellite Internet shared use plan that is used for all standard Internet traffic for all attached devices except the device that is assigned the Bonded CIR IP address. When a CIR session is started, it has no affect on the shared use plan’s monthly allowance. Both services are independent of each other.

Maximum CIR Speed – 10 Megabytes Per Second

Under standard conditions, Occasional Use CIR will top out at 768 Kbps in both directions. However, if higher speeds are required for any event, custom speeds of up to 10 Mbps download and 4 Mbps upload can be configured, normally in about one hour after calling. More Information.