BGAN Class types refer to the maximum capable speeds of a BGAN terminal. These ratings are applied by Inmarsat who certifies all BGAN terminals. Inmarsat states that all terminals must be able to deliver no less than 70% of the published Inmarsat bit rate for the class that it is rated for.

The difference in speeds between a Class 1 and Class 2 BGAN terminal is quite small (94% as fast) for a standard Internet connection (charged by the Megabyte). The big difference between these BGAN class types is a Class 1 has much faster streaming services that are charged-by-the-minute. Streaming services are unshared data connections and are often used by news broadcasters to stream live video from remote locations.