Nera and Xantic Enable New Communication Services

Nera and Xantic have entered an agreement to update the Inmarsat gateways at Burum and Perth to allow for the implementation of the new Inmarsat Fleet F55 and Fleet F33 communication services for the maritime market. Xantic is the first Inmarsat operator and land earth station owner to enter into an F33/55 upgrade program with Nera. The service is planned to be globally in operation in April this year. The F33 / F55 Inmarsat services are mainly targeted at Yacht, Fishing and commercial vessels operating within the Inmarsat spot and global beam areas. The new services bring improved data capabilities to smaller and medium sized vessels and give them advanced, reliable and cost effective communications facilities that were previously only available on larger ships. The services may also serve as back-up solutions and crew calling solutions onboard larger ocean going vessels. The on-board Nera F33 terminal and antenna, which will be launched to the market this spring, is small, lightweight and ideally suited to fit smaller and medium seized vessels. "The expansion of the Inmarsat Fleet service to include Fleet F33 / F55 is an exciting move towards new business potential within the market for maritime Inmarsat services. The new Fleet technology that Nera and Xantic are announcing means increased possibilities for users of smaller vessels to benefit of the improved maritime access to data services. In addition to global and secure telephone services, the user will now benefit from improved capability for Internet browsing and e-mail solutions when they are out at sea. We look forward to co-operate with Xantic and other Land Earth Station Operators to ensure the success of the Fleet F33 / F55 solutions," says Terje Ask Henriksen, President Nera SatCom.