Globecomm Systems Inc., a global provider of satellite-based communications infrastructure solutions and services, reportedly has invested in a 3G core switch to expand its managed wireless business to offer 3G hosted mobile services to under-serviced areas worldwide.

In a release, company officials said the 3G services include voice, video, and data services and further enhance Globecomm’s rapidly growing hosted switch, roaming and managed network service businesses.

This means carriers will now have access to broadened wireless coverage through Globecomm’s carrier-class 3G switch platform without a major capital or operational investment.

“We are proud to provide this carrier-grade hosted mobile core switch to service our growing base of wireless customers,” said Andy Silberstein, vice president and general manager of services, in the release.

Silberstein said that the company’s investment in 3G mobile technologies uniquely positions Globecomm to help mobile cellular carrier customers seamlessly and profitably advance to the next generation of mobile services.

Recently Globecomm Systems (News - Alert) announced that it had received a contract extension from NATO valued at $9.1 million to extend communication services and onsite support for the company's previously deployed GPS-Based Force Tracking System (FTS (News - Alert)).

Globecomm previously announced approximately $35 million in contracts from NATO for this project to design and install a GPS FTS, bringing the combined contract value to approximately $44 million.

The FTS provides NATO with high levels of tracking data and messaging traffic. It enables NATO to identify where its personnel are located at all times, identify other multi-national forces and have the ability to do so in routine and operational situations.

This is critical in assisting with the identification of friendly forces and helps prevent fratricide or 'blue-on-blue' incidents.

In December Globecomm Systems announced the introduction of an operational commercial X-band service offering to US Military and Coalition Forces operating in Southwest Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

Globecomm’s end-to-end X-band offering combines licensed teleport assets, a global fiber network, commercial X-band space segment, a redundant iDirect (News - Alert) Internet Protocol (IP) services platform, and a wide range of satellite terminal equipment options.

This service provisioning will support the demand for increased US Military and Coalition Forces’ bandwidth requirements in an IP-centric fashion.