This article reviews the powerful multiple-user email capabilities of Astrium's SkyFile Email system. As an example, a ship's Captain can provide his crew individual email accounts for use through the ship's Iridium or Inmarsat Fleetbroadband satellite phone via one (or more) Windows-based computers that are local on the ship. The Captain is given a Master Username and Password that allows him to create or delete subaccounts for his crew on the fly. For example, if the Master Username was Ship123@SkyFile.com, then the Captain can create additional email subaccounts of the form CrewName1.Ship123@SkyFile.com. Here are some of the features that the Captain can select for the subaccounts:

• A subaccount can be made Private or Corporate. Corporate accounts can be audited by the captain. Private accounts are allowed to select their own 8-digit password when they first log on.
• A subaccount can be limited so that it cannot start a mail exchange. This is an important cost saving feature to reduce satellite airtime usage. Only privileged users can initiate a data call through the satellite phone.
• A subaccount can be limited to local (intraship) email.
• A subaccount can be given a maximum number of minutes of airtime usage. on a monthly basis.
• A subaccount can be given a limit on its individual mail size of No attachments alowed, 0.1 MB max, 0.3 MB max, 1 MB max, or no limit.
• A subaccount can be given or restricted from access to shared archive files.

All of this can be done on a single screen by the Captain, with virtually no training, and there is no cost at all for Outfitter Satellite clients on most prepaid and postpaid plans. The email functionality is similar to Microsoft Outlook. For more information about SkyFile for multiple-user applications please call.