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BBC first for BGAN X-Stream spotlights Amazon adventure

02-03-2010 - The BBC unleashed the power of BGAN X-Stream to cover the courageous bid by a young female TV presenter to kayak the length of the Amazon for charity.

Presenter Helen Skelton successfully completed her solo kayak journey along more than 3,200kms (2,000 miles) of the Amazon river at the end of February.

It was the first time the UK broadcaster had used BGAN X-Stream, Inmarsat's premium IP service, for live streaming from a remote location.

Children's programme
A presenter of the Blue Peter children's programme, the 26-year-old set out from Natua, Peru, for Almerim in Brazil, on 20 January.

Helen was raising funds for Sport Relief - a UK-based initiative that aims to help transform the lives of poor and vulnerable people.

Helen broke two world records while paddling 60 miles a day, six days a week - the record for longest solo journey by kayak by a woman, and for longest distance in a kayak travelled in 24 hours by a woman. Both are awaiting verification.

Tracked daily
Her arduous journey was tracked daily and the video relayed live to the BBC Television Centre in London using a BGAN X-Stream 384kbps streaming link, provided by Inmarsat distribution partner Stratos.

The coverage gave young TV viewers an insight into the physical and emotional stamina Helen required to complete her test of endurance down the world's longest river. 

"My bottom is bruised, my shoulders are sore and the muscles in my neck are making it hard to differentiate between my head and my shoulders. But to be honest I am proud of the war wounds," said Helen.

"I'm very lucky to have amazing people in my life who've picked me up when things got hard, and most importantly inspired me to carry on."

www.stratosglobal.com

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