Brent Horwitz News

EMC has entered a long-term strategic agreement with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings to deliver a faster Internet experience and premium entertainment over satellite to meet the rising expectations of cruise passengers, with demands for home-like performance and content. EMC’s recent innovations put satellite connectivity on par with meeting these skyrocketing needs, enabling Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings brands to provide an exceptional quality of experience for their guests. Following the 2015 MTN acquisition, EMC has fully integrated its innovation of highly valued patents, maritime experience and unparalleled network coverage to provide the highest quality of experience and satisfaction to passengers.

P&O Ferries and MTN Communications (MTN) announce the delivery of high-performance Internet connectivity and access to online content through the first Wi-Fi hot spot on the English Channel. This service is now live on the English Channel on ferries serving the P&O Ferries Dover-Calais route. These vessels are reportedly the first ferries in the world connected to the MTN Terrestrial Broadband Network (TBN), in addition to having back-up satellite connectivity, as many cruise ships do today.

MTN Communications (MTN) has expanded its cruise client base with three additional operators leveraging enhanced services for passenger, crew and corporate communications. MTN provides products, solutions and content to address each line’s passenger segment with Internet and calling communications, entertainment and content. Noble Caledonia specializes in “small ships delivering big experiences.”  With the goal of generating lasting memories for like-minded travelers, the operator revolves its itineraries around world events…

After launching its Terrestrial Broadband Network (TBN) just more than one year ago, MTN Communications (MTN) announces the number of TBN-connected cruise ships has doubled and covered regions have tripled. Since the MTN TBN kick-off in Alaska in the Summer 2013 cruise season, several MTN partners, including Norwegian Cruise Line and Princess Cruises, are leveraging this new technology to enrich their passenger and crew communications experience. Thanks in part to this new technology, the MTN hybrid network now delivers approximately 10 Terabytes of data daily.

MTN Communications (MTN) says it has extended the companies' 12-year relationship and will be introducing new communications services to its three-ship Regent Seven Seas Cruises fleet and five-ship Oceania Cruises operation. MTN explains that it delivers a complete communications solution including MTN Worldwide TV (MTN TV), Internet and voice services for passengers and crew, including the maritime-specific voice app for calling and messaging onboard and ship-to-shore. Prestige pioneered the launch of this app – MTN OceanPhone Mobile – onboard several of its vessels. OceanPhone Mobile leverages vessel Wi-Fi infrastructure and the reliable MTN network so crew can call and message with family and friends using their own smartphones and tablets.

MTN Communications (MTN) says that three cruise operators around the world have selected the company for its passenger, crew, corporate communications and content services. Lindblad Expeditions – a pioneering travel company that works in partnership with National Geographic to provide expdeditions promoting conservation and sustainable tourism around the world. Pearl Seas Cruises has selected MTN as service provider for its inaugural ship, the 210 passenger Pearl Mist, which was recently launched in Baltimore. Windstar – a sailing luxury small ship cruise line offering the feel of a private yacht. The operator is renewing its ten-year relationship with MTN, including plans to leverage service on its two newest ships, the Star Breeze and Star Legend, bringing the total fleet to six.

MTN Expands Ferry Business by Securing Contract with Largest South American Ferry Operator; Buquebus Chooses MTN for its Value, Innovation, and Commitment to Service Excellence. MTN Satellite Communications (MTN) announces a new contract with Buquebus, the largest ferry operator in South America. MTN will provide Buquebus with VSAT (very small aperture terminal) satellite communications services, as well as Internet and Wi-Fi connectivity, throughout its expanding fleet. The demand around the world is growing for passengers and crew to be able to stay connected and entertained while commuting. MTN has been the leading communications provider in the cruise, yacht, and government vessel markets.

MTN Satellite Communications (MTN) wins VSAT service contracts from four specialised luxury cruise ship operators. •    Windstar Cruises , a sailing luxury small ship cruise line based in Seattle, Wash. “Our team at MTN recognizes that no two customers are alike and it is our job to develop communication solutions that not only meet, but exceed their unique communications requirements,” said Brent Horwitz, senior vice president and general manager for MTN cruise and ferry services.

MTN Satellite Communications Celebrates 15-Year Anniversary of Delivering Internet Service to the Cruise Industry, Exceeding 150 Million Logins; Company Continues to Raise the Bar, Delivering Communications Solutions for Cruise Ship Passengers and Crew While at Sea. MTN Satellite Communications (MTN), a provider of maritime communications, connectivity and content services to remote locations around the world, is celebrating the 15-year anniversary of its Internet solution aboard cruise ships. Since 1999, more than 150 million passengers and crew members have logged in to the Internet to stay connected in some of the most remote locations around the world.

MTN Satellite Communications & Wireless Maritime Services partner to introduce first maritime voice application. MTN Satellite Communications (MTN),  and Wireless Maritime Services (WMS),  announce the availability of the 'Connect at Sea' voice application, enabling passengers and crew to make cost-effective phone calls and send text messages from their personal Apple iOS or Android devices while at sea. Communication at sea is a complex matter and MTN and WMS have jointly developed a unique solution that not only offers a clear connection, but a service that works with a vessel's Wi-Fi infrastructure and data/voice prioritization strategy for the maritime industry.

MTN Satellite Communications (MTN), global service provider of communications, connectivity, and content services to remote locations around the world, announced that it has been awarded a five-year contract extension with Crystal Cruises to provide its VSAT satellite communication services. According to Brent Horwitz, senior vice president, MTN cruise and ferry services, MTN will continue providing a full range of satellite communication services for guests and crew, including onboard cellular phone service, OceanPhone crew calling, inbound dialing, and MTN Worldwide TV. The agreement calls for each ship to have a guaranteed committed information rate (CIR) of 1 MB with the ability to burst to significantly higher bandwidth levels. www.mtnsat.com

Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship, has been equipped with MTN Satellite Communications’ (MTN) state-of-the-art VSAT satellite communications system. The 1,184-ft, 225,282-gross ton Oasis of the Seas carries up to 5,400 passengers and a crew of more than 2,000. The satellite communication requirements for such a massive ship presented special challenges, according to MTN. “The communications suite is a critical component for operating the ship and its passenger services,” said Max Schmidt, vice president of information technology, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. “For the inaugural voyage of Oasis of the Seas, MTN supplied the highest bandwidth ever used on a single ship in the history of the cruise industry,” said Brent Horwitz, senior vice president of MTN.