Mobile Satellite Communication News

The global leader of mobile satellite communication antenna systems Intellian is introducing the new 1.5m Ku to Ka convertible VSAT terminal, enabling high-speed broadband at sea and network gateways.The world’s first and only 1.5m Ku to Ka convertible VSAT, v150NX, is a future-proof system supporting 2.5GHz Wide Ka-band networks as well as GEO (Geostationary Earth Orbit), MEO (Medium Earth Orbit) and LEO (Low Earth Orbit) constellations.Its design delivers the best RF performance of any 1.5m system on the market today for ship owners, operators and network providers. It is easily converted to Ka-band by changing the RF Assembly and Feed…

Earlier this summer Maritime Reporter & Engineering News ventured to Ålesund/Sunnmøre area of western Norway visiting local manufacturers and suppliers serving the global maritime industry and featuring a series of business and technology presentations by leading sector companies including Inmarsat, VARD Group, Ulstein Group, Brunvoll, Ulmatec, Jets, ABB Marine & Ports, Fostech AS and Rolls-Royce Marine. Tom Mulligan reports on new business developments and technology innovations…

The role of Inmarsat as sole provider of satellite technology performing to Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) standards is set for advancement, after an IMO Sub Committee decided to greenlight consideration of both FleetBroadband and Fleet One for formal approval. To date, Inmarsat is the only company which has received approval from the International Maritime Organization to provide the GMDSS data and messaging communications on which mariners rely in the last resort, currently via Inmarsat C and Fleet 77 services.

On February 4, 2014, the IMSO Director General launched an Consultancy Program inviting appropriate experts to assist in the evaluation of mobile satellite communications systems for the GMDSS. The IMO Maritime Safety Committee, at its 94th session in November 2014, agreed that IMSO should undertake the technical and operational evaluation of the Iridium mobile satellite system to assess compliance with the relevant criteria for recognition as GMDSS satellite provider, noting that IMSO would convene a Group of Experts from the abovementioned Consultancy Program. IMSO has formalized an agreement with Iridium Satellite LLC to perform such technical and operational evaluation and the IMSO Director General has reported progress to the IMO Sub-Committee on Navigation…

Inmarsat, a provider of global mobile satellite communication services, today announced that Frontline, the world leader in the international seaborne transportation of crude oil, has committed to Inmarsat XpressLink for more than 100 vessels from its existing fleet and its planned new builds. “We evaluated the providers and made a purely commercial decision about XpressLink from Inmarsat,” said Kjell S. Langva of Frontline Management AS. “The choice was made after a year of positive experience with VSAT from Ship Equip”. “The cost-benefit profile and the unmatched failover capability, which offers unlimited usage on Inmarsat FleetBroadband, was key to the decision. Also Inmarsat’s ability to deliver made up the additional element in making the choice,” he said.

KVH distributor Mackay Communications offers a unique, transportable terminal for mini-VSAT Broadband service. KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq: KVHI) today announced a portable configuration of its ultra-compact TracPhone® V3 mobile satellite communication system designed for use by emergency responders. The kit, created by KVH distributor Mackay Communications, houses the TracPhone V3 antenna, modem, control unit, and cabling in two compact, hard-sided cases that can be transported easily and are even small enough to be checked as baggage on commercial aircraft.

As you know, maritime piracy has been in the news lately. As of Feb. 28, the International Maritime Bureau Piracy Reporting Center (http://www.icc-ccs.org/home/piracy-reporting-centre/piracynewsafigures) reported that pirates were holding 33 merchant vessels and 711 crewmembers pending ransoms. In 2011 alone, these gangs captured 13 ships and 243 hostages - an average of more than one ship per week. The seafarers are being used as human shields to forestall rescue attempts by military teams, and are being subjected to increasing levels of severe mistreatment by their captors – including torture and even execution. Despite the presence of scores of warships from multiple navies…

Telenor Satellite Services announced that it has formed a new company, Marlink, to provide a wide range of mobile satellite communication services, mainly for customers in the maritime sector. Marlink will act as a 'multi-supplier' of mobile satellite airtime providing communication services from a number of suppliers, including but not limited to Telenor. Marlink will also provide traffic accounting services, hardware and value-added services. "Marlink will be able to provide customers with flexible communication package solutions matching their specific needs and choices in this rapidly changing market. "In launching the new company…

Thrane & Thrane is extending its size through acquisition in an effort to be positioned as the world’s leading manufacturer of equipment for mobile satellite communication. The company acquired EuroCom Industries (Denmark), a company whose products are sold under the Sailor and Skanti brands. “The acquisition of EuroCom Industries strengthens Thrane & Thrane’s position as the world’s leading manufacturer of maritime communication equipment,” said Henrik Lunde, CEO, Thrane & Thrane. “Our customers and distribution partners will now be offered a true “one-stop-shopping” experience that can meet virtually all communication needs from the professional maritime community.

IMO's efforts to assist in the wider United Nations campaign to bring relief and reconstruction to the regions devastated by the Indian Ocean tsunami received a major boost today (10 January 2005) when the International Mobile Satellite Organization (IMSO) announced that, in co-operation with Inmarsat, it will make available up to 1000 digital land-mobile satellite communication terminals, free of charge, to the Secretary-General of IMO, for long term disaster response and relief purposes in the south Asia region. The terminals are to be supported with a programme of basic user training to enable them to be brought into use as quickly and effectively as possible, and IMSO also hopes to negotiate a package of subsidised airtime to ease the early use of the terminals.

An international business group lead by Compagnia Generale Telemar S.p.A. in Italy and Lagumar Marine AB in Sweden has formed Telemar Scandinavia AB which has acquired 100 percent of the shares in Telia Maricom AB. The acquired Telia Company, operating under the new name of Telemar Satellite Services AB, is taking over all Telia’s businesses and activities within the area of mobile satellite communication, including Inmarsat, Iridium, Globalstar as well as e-mail and data services via satellite and the Swedish telex network. The present staff from Telia Maricom AB is also joining the new company. Telemar Scandinavia will also take over the state-of-the-art DVP/IP platforms for asymmetric broadband services, recently acquired from Telia’s Satellite Division.

An international business group led by Compagnia Generale Telemar S.p.A. in Italy and Lagumar Marine AB in Sweden, has acquired the Finnish mobile satellite division from Sonera. Telemar Finland, a branch of Telemar Satellite Services AB, has taken over all Sonera’s businesses and activities in the mobile satellite communication sector, including Inmarsat, Iridium and Globalstar as well as e-mail and data services via satellite. The present staff from Sonera is joining the new company. Telemar Finland is also taking over responsibility for the Finnish Accounting Authority FI01 as well as the provision of mobile satellite services from Soneras fixed and GSM networks in Finland.

As per the company's Board of Directors, Inmarsat has decided, after a comprehensive detailed analysis, that it will not be proceeding any further with direct investment in ICO Global Communications (Holdings) as it is not sufficiently compatible with Inmarsat's future growth strategy. "Our strategy is to focus on delivering global high bandwidth integrated multimedia mobile satellite communication services to the corporate market, and we are aggressively developing our business growth strategy in line with this," said Michael Storey, Inmarsat's president and CEO.