Voice And Data Services News

Iridium Communications announced the first seven companies it has authorized to provide its Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) services, planned for commercial introduction in the first half of 2020. The seven companies, Arion Communications, AST, Marlink, Marsat, NSSLGlobal, Satcom Global and Speedcast will be the first in the industry to provide truly global satellite GMDSS service to mariners, and the first to offer a new choice in satellite network and equipment.

Real-time fisheries management and governance to ensure robust quota compliance and safeguard sustainable fishing.Inmarsat, along with its partners Addvalue Innovation Pte Ltd (Addvalue) and Network Innovations, have launched a type-approved IP-based terminal and Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) for fishing vessels operating in United States (U.S.) waters. The Addvalue iFleetONE communications terminal and proprietary VMS have been type-approved in four of the five U.S. Fisheries Management regions, as required by the U.S.

IEC Telecom will launch its Orion Edge+ satellite voice and data communication solution during this week’s Sea Asia (April 9 to 11).Orion Edge+ provides high quality, reliable broadband with the ultimate cost effective operational benefits. It also provides flexible data plans with no long-term commitment. This flexibility makes Orion Edge+ ideal for busy offshore support vessels, tugs, and oil and gas contractors.Powered by Thuraya’s Orion IP broadband and Thuraya’s Seastar circuit switched voice terminal…

Growing options emerge for ever-increasing data and Comms demand. In the United States alone, 625 million tons of cargo is transported along the more than 12,000 miles of commercially navigable waterways each year, moving vital commodities to and from 38 of the nation’s 50 states. The advent of subchapter M has raised the bar significantly for as many as 5,000 inland vessels, both in terms of safety and the need to document and more closely control this tonnage. At the same time, domestic coastal transport and offshore energy support vessels also face growing communications requirements.

Marlink said it has migrated Aker BioMarine’s Antarctic krill harvester fleet support ship, La Manche, to Inmarsat’s Fleet Xpress service. The system provides a boost to crew communication facilities on board as well as enables vessels to benefit from improved business intelligence and remote access to the vessel’s IT network. The service uses the XChange Universal Remote Access (URA) solution, one of Marlink’s many Value Added Services available on Fleet Xpress. “Fleet Xpress has transformed our communication capabilities aboard La Manche.

EMC today announced a new global Ku-band VSAT package of connectivity and content for ships at sea, optimized for the next-generation high-throughput satellite (HTS) networks that are now being deployed. “Designed with crew welfare as a top priority, the new EMC VSAT platform offers a combination of services and capabilities never before available from a single marine VSAT supplier,” said Gilles Gillesen, president of EMC’s commercial shipping business unit. EMC’s patented SpeedNet technology solves the age-old problem of latency in web access at sea. Using a proprietary intelligent protocol and global backbone, SpeedNet predictively fetches, compresses and pushes multiple layers of websites at once to local servers.

Inmarsat (LSE:ISAT.L), and Cobham SATCOM today announced that their partner Beijing Marine Communication & Navigation Company Ltd. (MCN) has won the largest Inmarsat Fleet Xpress installation project to date, with Nanjing Tanker Corporation of China. Just two weeks after the launch of Inmarsat’s Fleet Xpress service, the agreement brings always-on, next generation high-speed broadband capability worldwide to 70 ships; delivering ‘smart shipping’ connectivity to drive performance optimisation and a step change in crew communications and welfare for Nanjing Tanker Corporation (NTC) vessels. “Nanjing Tanker Corporation has been pivotal in China’s expansion in oil…

Inmarsat and Cobham SATCOM announced that their partner Beijing Marine Communication & Navigation Company Ltd. (MCN) has won the largest Inmarsat Fleet Xpress installation project to date, with Nanjing Tanker Corporation of China. Just two weeks after the launch of Inmarsat’s Fleet Xpress service, the agreement brings always-on, next generation high-speed broadband capability worldwide to 70 ships; delivering ‘smart shipping’ connectivity to drive performance optimization and a step change in crew communications and welfare for Nanjing Tanker Corporation (NTC) vessels.

Global satellite communications service provider SpeedCast International Limited has entered into an agreement with O3b Networks, where O3b will provide capacity for Papua New Guinea via its Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellite constellation. The O3b-based service will allow SpeedCast to deliver high throughput and low latency internet services to local customers. SpeedCast’s high bandwidth new IP Trunk from Port Moresby to the international Internet backbone will enable high throughput voice and data services, whose performance will be similar to or even exceed that of traditional fiber connectivity, SpeedCast said. O3b’s MEO configuration provides low latency in satellite communications of less than 150 milliseconds.

Fishermen on board Chinese coastal fishing vessels can now keep in constant contact with friends, family and colleagues thanks to a brand new application developed exclusively for Inmarsat’s Fleet One service. Created by Beijing Marine communication and Navigation Co. (MCN Beijing), Inmarsat’s largest Distribution Partner in the People’s Republic of China have launched a bespoke chat application for fishermen called ???, or Fish Chat. Fish Chat is the first Fleet One application for the Asian fishing market that has been tested and certified by Inmarsat. “We are delighted that MCN Beijing has developed an application which is fit for purpose for the needs and requirements of the local market and optimises the Fleet One service for their customers” said Ronald Spithout…

Ku-band coverage boosted with Seychelles region extension delivering high-speed data. Airbus Defence and Space has expanded its Ku-band VSAT (Very Small Apperture Terminal) coverage in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), using the Intelsat IS-702 S2 satellite. The new coverage enables improved availability of Pharostar, Sealink and WaveCall VSAT voice and data services for vessels transiting or operating primarily in the Seychelles area, north to Ethiopia and south to Madagascar. Several diverse maritime groups will make use of more available high speed VSAT, including commercial fishing, government, naval, shipping and yachting vessels. An improved Ku-band footprint will also enhance security and anti-piracy efforts in the region.

Iridium Communications Inc. today announced Iridium GO!, the industry’s first portable satellite hotspot that connects to any smartphone or tablet, dramatically extending voice and data coverage for personal devices when they are out of range of cellular networks. Iridium GO! creates a satellite-backed Wi-Fi zone anywhere on the planet, enabling up to five smartphones to make calls, get their email, text and use some apps, even when terrestrial networks are non-existent, unreliable or costly.

SATCOM’s Availability, Pricing and Utility tempts marine users left unsatisfied by limitations of cellular communication. The inland operator hoping to survive in tomorrow’s rapidly emerging business environment using cellular communications alone is likely to be, as a minimum, disappointed. In a worst case scenario, they may find themselves out of business. That said; there are options that inland transportation businesses can turn to when trying to effectively manage their far-flung businesses. One such option involves the KVH inland solution. According to Steve Griffin, Manager, Commercial Sales at KVH Industries, Inc., the launch of the TracPhone V3ip gave inland operators a solution that had not previously been made available to them…

ST Engineering unveiled a suite of total naval solutions offered by its Electronics and Marine arms at IMDEX Asia 2013, designed to provide users with comprehensive maritime awareness, command, control and advanced communications systems. From May 14-16, 2013, at the ST Engineering Booth in the Changi Exhibition Center, ST Electronics and ST Marine will showcase their capabilities covering Maritime Safety, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief, Maritime Communications Systems and Electrooptic solutions. One of the highlights this year is the Damage Control Trainer, a multi-storied, shore-based trainer that has been constructed to resemble a ship.

ESSI Corporation and Hughes team up to address the unique requirement of this hardworking maritime sector. When ESSI Corporation and Hughes teamed in 2009 to deliver broadband VSAT services to the workboat industry, they quickly discovered that not only was this a unique industry, but also that when it came satellite communications, several important requirements had to be satisfied to keep these customers happy. As a service provider, a customized service tailored to those needs evolved. According to ESSI Corporation’s Emil Regard, offshore workboats and OSV’s first and foremost demand a certainty that the bandwidth ordered will be available, anytime, especially in the worst of conditions.

Next-generation remote powers high-bandwidth applications, unleashes the performance of high throughput satellites. VT iDirect, Inc. (iDirect), a company of VT Systems Inc. (VT Systems), has announced key performance statistics for the Evolution X7 remote, the first in a family of next-generation remotes that have been optimized to deliver best-in-class Adaptive TDMA throughput performance and operate with high throughput satellites. Built on an entirely new multi-core hardware system…

KVH Industries, Inc., has named Boatracs Inc., a leader in integrated maritime satellite communications and software solutions, the first Value Added Service Provider (VASP) for its mini-VSAT Broadband service. This collaboration will deliver an end-to-end fleet management package for the commercial workboat and fishing markets, bringing Boatracs' market leading software applications to vessels via a reliable broadband connection in a single package. Sold under the name "Boatracs Broadband Fleet Management Solution", this innovative package includes a KVH TracPhone® V3 and mini-VSAT Broadbandsm service for global broadband connectivity as well as Boatracs maritime software platforms, Boatracs BTConnect® and Boatracs BTForms™.

Partners Integrate the Iridium Core 9523 Into Advanced Smart Devices To Provide Connectivity Everywhere On The Planet. Iridium Communications Inc. announces the commercial availability of the Iridium Core 9523 transceiver. The Iridium Core 9523 further emphasizes the company’s Iridium ForceSM vision of bringing vital building blocks to partners who develop innovative, portable communications devices. 26 Iridium development partners, including FLYHT, SkyTrac Systems and Fastwave Communications…

Maritime Communications Partner (MCP) has strengthened its foothold in the Mediterranean through a major turnkey telecommunications contract with Corsica & Sardinia Ferries, one of Italy’s most prestigious ferry operators. The five-year contract covers Mobile Telephony, Mobile Internet, WiFi and VSAT for eight passenger ferries and plays a key role in supporting Corsica’s ongoing aims to provide crew and passengers with competitive wireless communications backed by a highly reliable quality cellular network.Corsica & Sardinia Ferries are one of the biggest operators on the Western Mediterranean Sea transporting about 3.5 million passengers annually aboard their ferries running to and from France and Italy to Corsica and Sardinia.

In an effort to grow its business in the Asia Pacific region, Thuraya has unveiled a new regional office in Singapore and named Bilal Hamoui Regional Director for Asia. The company also plans on assembling a full team to cover the Asia region out of Singapore. Thuraya's satellite network features dynamic resource allocation and satellite spot-beams designed to support multiple voice and data without the risk of congestion. The company's ubiquitous coverage in Asia extends from Japan in the North to Australia in the South, including all 22 major countries in the region, major straits, waterways, and islands. Its product line includes Thuraya Marine and Seagull 5000i for narrowband voice and data services and a soon-to-be-launched marine-grade broadband product.

Vizada, independent satellite communications provider, has launched Pharostar, its proprietary VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) fixed satellite communications service and the latest addition to its maritime broadband portfolio.   Vizada’s new Pharostar VSAT service will help meet increasing market demand for high-performance broadband connectivity at sea. Based on iDirect technology, the service provides standard IP data speeds of 1024 kbps for multiple applications such as internet, email and VoIP.   The connectivity emulates that of corporate networks and an “always on” service permits unlimited data transfer. The service also enables crew on board merchant vessels, tankers and oil & gas platforms to use voice and data services simultaneously with near global coverage.

Inmarsat Holdings Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Inmarsat plc (LSE: ISAT), provider of global mobile satellite communications services, reported unaudited consolidated financial results for the 3 months ended 30 September 2008. Andrew Sukawaty, Inmarsat's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer said, "Our business continues to generate strong revenue and cash flow growth across all of our market sectors. We have seen no impact of global economic weakness in the usage and take…

Marlink, provider of maritime satellite communications, has agreed to purchase the WaveCall™ brand from Sea Tel®. Marlink will package its maritime VSAT solution and full-service support network with the Sea Tel® 4006 Ku-band antenna system. Sea Tel®'s 4006 Ku-band antenna provides satellite communications specifically in the maritime environment. It is comprised of Above Deck and Below Deck equipment designed to withstand extreme marine conditions and maintain a stable connection, ideal for vessels that require "always-on" satellite communications. WaveCall™ by Marlink provides e-mail, Internet, voice and IP packages for the leisure yachting sector.