VDES - A First Step Improving Arctic's Telecommunications In Future

First, this presentation at Arctic Frontiers will give an overview of the current situation and the resulting gaps in telecommunications (terrestrial and satellite) infrastructure in the Arctic. There is a large increase of activities in the Arctic (shipping, mining, eco-tourism, etc.) and, therefore, a larger demand on communications –also for safety reason. Currently, the existing infrastructure cannot meet this demand. During the last years, this is slowly noticed by different organizations and committees. Activities speed up towards this topic. For example, these days, the Arctic Council starts a Task Force on Telecommunications Infrastructure in the Arctic. One identified key element for future Arctic communications is a new communications system, namely VHF Data Exchange System (VDES), mainly in respect of shipping activities. Now, this system is in the standardization phase and is envisioned as one pillar supporting the maritime e-navigation concept by United Nations’ International Maritime Organization (IMO). The system contains a terrestrial and also a satellite component and, thus, it has a global coverage including the Arctic. We will give an insight of VDES in terms of its specifications and requirements. Also what are challenges for the system design for the Arctic shipping and other users? Finally, we would like to aim at providing answers to the fundamental questions: Are there any other innovative solutions out there which can provide communications with higher data rates in the Arctic, e.g., during oil and gas installations? • • Could these solutions be shortly available? • Are there technical solution being compatible with already existing or other future techniques