New article in The Petroleum journal: Integration solutions without borders. No. 4 (82) September 2013

The legendary Nathan Rothschild is credited with the classic phrase “Who owns information - owns the world. However, in the 21st century, in addition to the possession of information, the speed of its transmission is becoming the most important competitive advantage. Twenty years ago, when a sovereign economy was just getting on its feet in newly independent Kazakhstan, a banking system was being built, a group of communications specialists founded Arna Sprint Data Communications.

 

Young engineers, who even then knew how to look into the future, set themselves the task of incredible difficulty - to build a national-scale data transmission network - the first in the history of the country. Today, after 20 years, we can confidently say that all the plans and tasks have been fully realized thanks to energy, confidence in success and creativity. KazNet® public data transmission network was built and put into operation. Its further development, today and tomorrow, was the construction of its own multiservice telecommunication network using the most modern technologies, equipment, high-speed digital satellite and terrestrial communication channels. Now the legal successor of Arna Sprint Data Communications - ASTEL® JSC - is one of the largest Kazakhstani non-state telecom operators. In a nutshell, the company's function is to establish a stable connection from any point and with any point on earth.

 

Equipped with equipment from the world's leading manufacturers, ASTEL® offers its customers a wide range of high-quality services, including: network solutions and data transmission services, satellite communications and wireless access services, broadcasting and telephony, Internet access, system integration and delivery. equipment, as well as the development and implementation of other projects of any complexity. Working in close contact with clients, taking into account the specifics of their business processes, as well as individual requests, the company is in constant development, finding solutions that meet the most demanding requirements of its clients. An additional competitive advantage is that ASTEL® customers, along with the service, receive technical support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

 

Also, just over two years ago, the company expanded the list of its services by launching a portable satellite communications complex for rapid deployment on the market. Its main components are a compact handheld satellite terminal (VSAT) in a shockproof, dust- and waterproof housing and a collapsible high-strength satellite dish. The constructive solution of the complex allows in a matter of minutes, without the use of additional tools, to assemble by one person and establish communication from a location at an ambient temperature of -400C to + 600C. And the equipment built into the terminal allows you to organize telephone communication both with subscribers of the corporate telephone network, and with the ability to make calls through the public network, data transmission over IP - both within the corporate network and with the ability to access the Internet at speeds up to 2 Mbit / s, video signal transmission via a satellite channel - from a wired video camera or a video surveillance camera directly connected to the terminal.

 

It is also possible to receive a video signal from a wireless video camera within a radius of up to 5 km and its retransmission through a satellite channel, from a satellite channel with display on the built-in and / or on an external display and organization of a wireless network (Wi-Fi) with a coverage radius of up to 200 m. the support of the "quality of service control mechanism" (QoS) has been implemented, which makes it possible to simultaneously organize a video conferencing session, IP telephony and any other bandwidth-critical applications simultaneously with data transmission. The equipment also allows you to organize secure private networks (VPN). The complex can be used by emergency response services, organizations involved in the elimination of the consequences of emergencies.

 

It is also indispensable for use by oil crews, drillers and other oil and gas professionals working in areas where conventional communications are not available. As part of their main activity, oilmen, as you know, work according to the following algorithm: search, exploration, test drilling, then the transition to a stationary mode. It is clear that all this is associated with moving from place to place, and therefore the need for stable communication is required every time in different places. Therefore, such a means for organizing communication is more than relevant and in demand in the oil and gas complex. Second: during the operation of oil and gas pipelines, it is possible to monitor, for example, safety, environmental conditions, security in general, or possible emergencies. In these cases, you can quickly deploy a communication center on site, and you can send both a voice message and a picture. It is very important to use such a complex in the localization of various emergency situations, especially those related to ecology.

 

For example, in the event of an oil spill (and in Kazakhstan, oil production by the risk class is considered to be the maximum), the possibility of operational data exchange will be appreciated. Indeed, in such cases, the count goes to minutes, and each minute brings specific financial losses to the culprit of the accident. The convenience of such a complex is also in its size - it fits into two or three suitcases (depending on the configuration), which any man can carry. The second important direction in which ASTEL® is moving is integration projects related to the construction of communication machines. And the model of the car does not matter, starting from "Niva" and ending with "Kamaz" or "Ural". It all depends on the tasks set by the customer and his wishes. In the military, such complexes are called command and staff vehicles. Outwardly, it looks like this: "Kamaz" with a kung, a self-unfolding antenna on top, inside the kung is equipped with all the necessary equipment for communication, starting with a radio, a satellite modem, and remote cameras. By the way, a Wi-Fi zone is deployed around the kung, as well as around the portable complex. A similar "command and staff autocomplex" is actively used by oilmen. For them, such machines are equipped not only with external cameras, but also retractable ones, located on the mast at a height of 3-4 meters, which allows you to shoot and transmit an excellent picture. In fact, this makes it possible to monitor the production process on-line. “We have been selling such complexes for two years already,” according to ASTEL®. - The components of the equipment are completely different and of different production, ranging from American antennas, Israeli modems, and ending with their own integration units, software for channel switching".

 

 Oil and gas companies are one of the major corporate customers for ASTEL®. The office in Atyrau, which has been operating since the company was founded, is a leader among regional divisions. Over the past decades, the staff of the Atyrau office has remained practically unchanged. This means that today they are not just professionals in their field, but experienced experts in the specifics of the region. Among the long-term clients of ASTEL® are oil and gas companies such as KazTransOil, PetroKazakhstan, Tengizchevroil and many others. One of the key clients is Agip, for which ASTEL® has developed and successfully implemented a project for organizing satellite data and voice transmission channels, as well as a wireless access system at stationary and mobile offshore facilities in the Kazakhstan sector of the Caspian shelf.

 

For all its clients, the company provides full or complete cycle services. That is, after the sale, technical support is provided, one year of warranty is given (at least twice a year, preventive maintenance plus repairs as needed), and then an extended warranty agreement is concluded. Including work is underway with the customer in the field. For this, in all regions of Kazakhstan, the company has its own offices, cars, people and work teams. Summarizing everything that has been said, we can say with confidence: no matter what task in the field of communication the client turns to ASTEL®, he will never hear the word “no”: ASTEL® implements any solution.