UK satellite communications specialist Inmarsat posted pre-tax profits of $51.5m (£26.4m) for the second quarter of 2008, up 30.1 per cent from $39.6m (£20.3m) in the same period in 2007. Revenue was $163.7m (£83.9m), up 14.2 per cent year on year.

Inmarsat sells a range of satellite communications and GSM systems to the maritime, media, construction, mining, oil and gas, aid agency and government sectors. It is also trialing in-flight GSM networks using satellite uplinks with major airlines, with aeronautical revenue growing 45.6 per cent.

The company’s broadband global area network (BGAN) satellite modems are used to transmit IP based voice, data and video from areas and regions not covered by wired broadband or cellular networks.

BGAN sales revenue yielded $19.6m (£10m), up 42 per cent on the previous quarter, with natural disasters in China and Burma leading to increased usage in those regions, said Inmarsat.

Pre-tax profits for six months ended 30th June were $87.8m (£45m), up 31.5 per cent compared to the same period in financial year 2007, with revenue up 70.8 per cent to $485.5m (£248.9m).