Cingular Wireless News

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.

The evolution of satellite communication use at sea closely mirrors that of land-based communication trends: a never-ending quest for speed, reliability and lower costs. While it is foolhardy to select this or any other single technology as the one with the greatest impact on the maritime industry, a strong case could be made for satellite communication. Prior to the introduction of radio, maritime communication was generally limited to line-of-sight visual signaling during clear weather, plus noise-makers such as bells and foghorns. The advent of radio greatly reduced the isolation of ships during emergencies and was quickly responsible for saving thousands of lives. The first ship-to-shore, two-way radio conversation reportedly occurred in 1922, between Deal Beach, N.J., and the S.S.

Wireless Maritime Services, a joint venture between Maritime Telecommunications Network (MTN), of Miramar, Florida, and Cingular Wireless, the largest wireless carrier in the United States, launched its customer and service driven website, www.cellularatsea.com. Wireless Maritime Services (WMS) currently provides wireless service on 15+ cruise vessels of the world’s major cruise lines. WMS was developed specifically for the cruise line industry and offers unique solutions for complete onboard wireless connectivity. Using a combination of the newest technologies available from the parent companies, including the pioneering voice and data satellite capabilities of MTN and the nation’s largest and fastest digital network from Cingular…

PetroCom is making great strides in repairing its communication systems that were damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Patched very small aperture terminal (VSAT) satellite and wireless systems that were quickly operational with ingenuity and resourcefulness are now repaired properly and working near capacity. “My staff has done an unbelievable job of improvising and thinking outside of the box to restore services. Our first goal was to patch communication trunk-lines and make them operational, which allowed us to evaluate the full extent of the damages,” said PetroCom President & COO Ken Wright. PetroCom’s DS3 fiber-optic connection has been repaired in New Orleans and VSAT satellite services are fully operational and capable of running at full capacity.