Satellite Solutions News

Thuraya Telecommunications Company, the mobile satellite services subsidiary of the UAE’s flagship satellite solutions provider, Al Yah Satellite Communications Company PJSC, announced it has launched its new IP-based radio communications solution, Thuraya Push-to-Talk (PTT).Thuraya PTT has been developed with Cobham SATCOM, a provider of satellite communications solutions to the maritime and land markets. The solution will enable users to extend the range of their voice communications…

AecorLink has been granted a new patent on its company's communication platform. The patented technology will further enhance the capacity for shore-ship communication via microwave links. The salient advantage with the patent allows the networks to further improve the capability providing high-speed and stable data connections.AecorLink AB a Swedish internet service provider targeting the maritime industry. A leader in providing microwave shore to ship connectivity, the company is operating techniques stretching from Wi-Fi, LTE4G to different satellite solutions.

Russian maritime shipping company specializing in petroleum and LNG shipping Sovcomflot has chosen Orange Business Services to deploy an advanced Maritime VSAT solution on eight vessels.According to a press release from the the business services arm of Orange S.A., this initial rollout will keep the ships connected even when operating on the high seas, improving safety and optimizing navigation in challenging conditions.In addition, this solution will make it easier for crews to stay in touch with friends and family, which is essential to keep staff morale high.The first ships to receive the solution during this initial rollout phase are the Arctic shuttle tankers Mikhail Ulyanov and Kirill Lavrov, which are the largest oil tankers built in Russia.

Network Innovations and its inland waterways connectivity solution eliminates “dead spot” coverage woes. And, not a moment too soon.The bane of inland operators – or at least one of many – has always been the dearth of reliable and economical vessel-to-shore communications. Even in America’s heartland where cellular coverage is routinely billed as seamless, so-called ‘dead spots’ persist. Sometimes, this happens at the worst possible moment for an operator who has myriad far flung assets on dozens of remote inland waterways. For a long time, satellite service has not been deemed economically feasible for inland operators. Beyond that, unlike blue water deep sea operators, there was little need to download data or employ software solutions in every day operations.

Global satellite solutions and projects company, The AST Group, has recently opened new offices in Sydney, Rotterdam, Ecuador and Norwich, U.K. These new locations provide strategic bases for expansion in the maritime and land sectors and increase geographic reach.The company said Australia continues to be a success story, with growth gravitating to the East of the continent with Sydney becoming AST’s third Australian office.AST Marine Networks, a maritime solutions division of AST, has moved into larger premises based in Norwich, Norfolk to accommodate expansion in the maritime VSAT and L-Band sectors as well as opening an office in…

As maritime operators deal with challenging operating conditions, many are embracing digitalization as the most reliable way to lower operational costs and improve vessel efficiency.According to research conducted by Lloyds List Intelligence and Ovum, two-thirds of vessels use digitalization systems onboard. According to the executives surveyed, this is being driven by a desire to improve operating efficiency, with 88 percent already working toward that goal. As part of the process…

Globecomm has launched Globecomm Roam, providing high throughput, low cost cellular communications in more than 140 countries. Offering 3G, 4G and LTE services at speeds of up to 100 Mbps but at prices much lower than traditional satellite services, Globecomm Roam bundles a cellular modem, global roaming SIM card and maritime antenna to enable connectivity up to 30 miles from shoreside cell towers. “Today’s smarter ship operations call for smarter communications; owners and managers need to stay connected…

VSAT provider NSSLGlobal has launched its first-ever hybrid cellular/VSAT solution for maritime vessels, the Cellular Marine System. This service will complement NSSLGlobal’s airtime VSAT offering, or other services such as FleetBroadband and Iridium Open Port, allowing seafarers accustomed to land services to transfer from satellite to mobile connectivity, while operating up to 25km offshore. Through NSSLGlobal’s Cellular Marine System, maritime vessels can connect to robust, high-speed internet, with download speeds of up to 100 Mbit/s, for commercial and crew welfare broadband use. It is supported by a cellular roaming service, established through a major global cellular operator…

Intelsat S.A. has been selected by Marlink to deliver fast, high quality Intelsat EpicNG broadband connectivity to Mediterranean Shipping Company’s (MSC) cruise ships. At the end of May, MSC Cruises began to apply EpicNG’s high throughput connectivity aboard the MSC Divina, one of the world’s largest cruise ships. Utilizing Intelsat’s Globalized Network, Marlink will provide broadband connectivity to all of MSC Cruises’ 12 existing ships, ensuring the company’s entire fleet will be covered globally.

With most offshore wells in Brazil located between 30 and 300 km from the coast, communication with offshore assets has not always been straightforward or reliable. Some operators and service providers still use traditional maritime VSAT services for coverage offshore Brazil, yet the introduction of Microwave radio has led to a much better level of quality and reliability in high-bandwidth voice and data communications. Claudio Paschoa, Maritime Reporter’s correspondent in Brazil had an interesting conversation with Arild Fotland, head of Ceragon’s Oil and Gas Division, about the advantages of Microwave radio communications for offshore operations in Brazil. Fotland joined Ceragon in 1978 and has been stationed all over the world.

SpeedCast International Limited announced the acquisition of Geolink Satellite Services, part of the CETel Group. The closing of the transaction is subject to regulatory approval. The acquisition follows SpeedCast’s acquisitions of two satellite industry players, SatComms Australia and Oceanic Broadband, in the Australasia region in the past 12 months. Geolink Satellite Services is a provider of satellite communication solutions in the African market, servicing customers in more than 20 African countries in the oil and gas, mining, media, NGO and maritime sectors. According to global satellite communications service provider SpeedCast…

During the Informa VSAT 2014 conference in London, the Global VSAT Forum (GVF) announced the launch of its Maritime SatCom Forum (MSF) ‘Glossary’. The document, earlier iterations of which were developed by the Maritime SatCom Forum Working Group of the GVF, has been further developed by the joint-chairs of the MSF, Martin Jarrold, Chief of International Programme Development, GVF, and Roger Adamson, Chief Executive, Futurenautics. “The ‘Glossary’ comprises a highly comprehensive…

Danelec Marine, a supplier of marine Voyage Data Recorders (VDRs), announced that it has received VDR retrofit orders from its distributors in Italy and the Netherlands. Telemar SpA has taken orders for 11 Danelec DM400 VDRs from Italian shipowner Tirrenia, replacing the existing VDRs on its fleet of passenger and cargo ships’ operating on routes in the Mediterranean. Founded in Naples in 1936, Tirrenia was acquired by Compagnia Italiana di Navigazione on July 19, 2012. Telemar was founded in 1947, and is one of the world’s largest international managed satellite service and navcom maintenance providers with 14 operating companies in 12 countries. Aage Hempel, distributor for Danelec Marine in the Netherlands, is supplying VDRs for eight dry cargo ships operated by Feederlines.

Speedcast announces buyout; also announces appointment of new Board Director and Chairman. SpeedCast Ltd. announced the buyout of SatComms Australia, a satellite solutions provider in Australia. The closing of the transaction is subject to regulatory approval. The acquisition will further consolidate SpeedCast’s leadership position in the Asia-Pacific region and provide SpeedCast with an expanded presence in Australia. SpeedCast also announced the appointment of Michael Malone as a nonexecutive Board Director and the appointment of John Mackay as Chairman of the Board.

Inmarsat, a leading provider of global mobile satellite communications services inform that SatComms Australia, a provider of mobile and fixed satellite solutions, has been appointed as a Gold Service Provider. An Inmarsat service provider since 2005, SatComms provides services primarily to the maritime sector and, in recent years, has extended its business to Land and Aviation users as well. “We have enjoyed an excellent working relationship with SatComms Australia going back many years and are pleased to welcome them to the ranks of Gold Service Provider…

Inmarsat, a provider of global mobile satellite communications services, today announced that SatComms Australia, a provider of mobile and fixed satellite solutions, has been appointed as a Gold Service Provider. An Inmarsat service provider since 2005, SatComms provides services primarily to the maritime sector and, in recent years, has extended its business to Land and Aviationusers as well. To achieve Gold accreditation within the Inmarsat partnership networks, service providers must have detailed and intricate knowledge of Inmarsat’s network and service offerings while offering superior, round-the-clock customer care to end-users. SatComms Australia can now display the Gold Service Provider mark on their customer communications and will enjoy increased access to Inmarsat resources.

Intelsat S.A., a provider of satellite services, has provided an update on its satellite capacity and other critical connectivities being used in a number of restoration initiatives in the Philippines following Typhoon Haiyan. Immediately after the disaster occurred, Intelsat began working with customers and partners to ensure that the necessary infrastructure and satellite capacity were in place to accelerate the restoration of vital communications for relief workers and businesses in the Philippines.

Intelsat S.A  has introduced the Intelsat EpicNG satellite platform, a new series of satellites based upon a high performance, open architecture design. Intelsat EpicNG will be deployed for wireless and fixed telecommunications, enterprise, mobility, video and government applications requiring broadband infrastructure across the major continents. The Intelsat EpicNG platform is an innovative approach to satellite and network architecture utilizing multiple frequency bands, wide beams, spot beams and frequency reuse technology. A complementary overlay, Intelsat EpicNG will be fully integrated with Intelsat's existing satellite fleet and global IntelsatONESM terrestrial network.

San Diego, California, March 8, 2011: Boatracs Inc., a leader in providing integrated communications and software solutions to the maritime industry, announced today it is building a powerful new web-based software platform. Boatracs has partnered with TransIT Solutions, a software provider for the transportation and logistics industry, to accelerate the development of the new solution. The partnership combines TransIT Solutions’ strength in developing Internet-based GPS applications…

Inmarsat, the original mobile satcom provider for the maritime industry, has been riding the crest of a wave recently, with users at an all-time high, overall 99.9 per cent satellite reliability and the launch of its Fleet F77, Mobile ISDN and Mobile Packet Data services for the maritime community. Ruth Ling reports on what's new and what lies on the horizon. Twenty years ago, a revolution hit the maritime industry. Satellite communications became available to ships at sea. Back in 1982, when Inmarsat began offering onboard satellite communications, its first and only system was Inmarsat A, which offered voice, facsimile, telex and data services. After nine years of successful service and expansion into most maritime sectors, Inmarsat began offering Inmarsat C.

Powered by the Iridium OpenPort Service, Iridium Pilot Broadband Platform Offers Reliable, High-Quality Communications Via the World's Furthest-Reaching Network. Global Satellite USA, a satellite solutions provider, has announced the launch of the Iridium Pilot, Iridium’s second-generation maritime broadband platform. Iridium Pilot will utilize the Iridium OpenPort service – the world's first when it comes to fully global maritime broadband. Martin Fierstone, President of Global Satellite USA, commented, “Iridium is improving the customer experience on a global basis.

BATS Wireless, one of the world's leading innovators of advanced wireless wide area network (WWAN) provisioning systems, announce the next generation of its automated tracking and stabilization platforms. The enhanced AMATS and BTS product suites, which added multi-gigabit connectivity, and 360° continuous tracking capabilities for heavy payloads – now provide continuous tracking for antennas measuring up to 8 feet and 500 lbs. Enabling a truly universal WWAN solution,…

Maritime Telecommunications Network (MTN), of Miramar, Fla., a provider of satellite-based communications, networking and other services to the cruise and offshore oil and gas industries, announced completion of its acquisition by an affiliate of Perseus, L.L.C. Perseus is a merchant bank and private equity fund management company with offices in Washington, D.C. and New York City. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Over the past year, MTN has significantly expanded in its core markets and made significant inroads in its military business. In March 2004, MTN launched a joint venture with Cingular Wireless (formerly AT&T Wireless) to give passengers on North American cruises the ability to use their own mobile phones at sea for the first time.