Communications Networks News

Extension of broadband communication of key importance to digital change in maritime shipping, said shipowners and pilots in Germany’s coastline.Against the backdrop of the extension of mobile communications networks planned in Germany, the German Shipowners’ Association (Verband Deutscher Reeder – VDR) and the German Federal Chamber of Pilots (Bundeslotsenkammer – BLK) issued a joint communiqué calling for urgent improvement of mobile network coverage in German coastal waters.Maritime broadband communication in the North Sea and Baltic Sea was the topic of a symposium jointly held by the Maritime Cluster Northern Germany (Maritimes Cluster Norddeutschland e.

Swiss satellite startup Astrocast announced the launch of 3 new pilots of its Low Earth Orbit Nanosatellite Network. The pilots with Actia, Marine Instruments, and Swiss Fresh Water highlight the power of satellite networks to deliver affordable communications to the world’s most remote areas.Designed specifically for IoT, Astrocast’s two-way system allows companies to monitor and control their remote assets, including over-the-air upgrades at lower latency and cost than existing satellite communications networks.“Our onboard telematic equipment is designed to support some of the toughest work, in the most remote areas of the world.

Being used to the challenges of ship-borne communications has been an asset to delivering flexible and capable communications networks ashore as Australian Navy sailors are finding in the Middle East. On her first deployment to the  region Able Seaman Communication and Information Systems Bree-ann Garner, worked as part of team developing and enhancing local area network infrastructure. Lieutenant Colonel David Jenkins, was in charge of the team and and said they had spent most of their deployment laying the foundation for updating the Australian Defence Force's communications and information systems. "We spent a great deal of time laying the ground work for the new enhanced Deployable Local Area Network Systems that will be introduced shortly," Lieutenant Colonel Jenkins said.

Vice Adm. Jan Tighe assumed the duties of the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (DCNO) for Information Warfare (N2N6) and Director of Naval Intelligence (DNI) July 15 at the Pentagon. Tighe succeeded Vice Adm. Ted N. "Twig" Branch, who has submitted his retirement request following a 37-year Naval career. Branch assumed office as the DCNO for Information Warfare/DNI in July 2013. He also served as lead for the Navy's Information Warfare (IW) Community, which brings together the people and capabilities of the Navy's Communications, Networks, Intelligence, Oceanography, Meteorology, Cryptology, Electronic Warfare, Cyberspace Operations and Space areas to the fight. He also served as the Navy's Chief Information Officer and as the Director of Navy Cybersecurity. He was the 65th DNI.

Harris CapRock Communications, a provider of managed communications services for remote and harsh environments, has launched SafePass Pro, an advanced cyber security solution for proactive defense against cyberattacks targeting oil and gas IT infrastructures. The solution is also available for cruise, maritime and other commercial customers. Industry experts estimate cyber attacks against the global energy industry will cost businesses up to $1.9 billion by 2018. SafePass Pro improves network resources, minimizes malware and spyware, enables centralized control across all sites, enforces acceptable use and security policies (AUP), and provides an opportunity to assess and eliminate network vulnerabilities.

Rickmers Group will migrate to multiband VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) from Marlink Maritime VSAT for its fleet of 90+ vessels including containerships, bulk carriers and heavy lift vessels, in a move  that aims to improve operational efficiency through better integration of ship and shore side networks in addition to providing internet connectivity for crew welfare. High bandwidth availability on Marlink’s Ku-band ‘Plus’ maritime VSAT services will enable Rickmers to significantly enhance on board IT opportunities while introducing the possibility of live monitoring…

The U.S. Navy has ordered 56 AN/USC-61(C) Digital Modular Radios (DMRs) and related equipment from General Dynamics. The newly built DMR radios will be capable of using the Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) waveform, the digital dial tone needed to make voice calls to the U.S. Department of Defense's next generation, narrowband MUOS satellite communications system. The four-channel radios form the foundation of the Navy's network communications aboard submarines, surface ships and on-shore locations. This order, valued at over $29 million, exercises option five on a contract awarded to General Dynamics in 2010. "DMR is an extremely versatile radio and we continue to update its capabilities to ensure that Navy communications networks have the most advanced and secure technologies…

After Testing Records Technology Waters, Tug and Barge Company Jumps In. Shortly after Florida Marine Transporters CIO Don Carlton installed an electronic records management system for Kimberly Hidalgo, the tow service company’s head of Compliance, he suspected there might be other department heads interested in the new software. But, when Hidalgo’s department cut dozens of hours every week from staff time spent pulling paperwork from rooms full of filing cabinets while also automating complex administrative operations with the new system, Carlton knew all department heads would be interested.

Broadband Satellite Services Limited (BSS), an investment company based in the North East of England, has completed the acquisition of AND Group & the Satcom Global group of companies. Focused on the satellite communication and telecommunication markets, BSS acquired the two businesses as part of its growth strategy, to expand into all of the key vertical markets within the mobile satellite services sector. The merged group has a geographical footprint covering all of the core markets and revenues of over $100 million. "Combining the network assets of AND Group and Satcom Global fits perfectly within our strategic framework of strengthening our end-to-end solutions capabilities in key areas…

Pole Star Space Applications said it has partnered with Delta Wave Communications to pursue onshore opportunities. Delta Wave will offer Pole Star’s remote monitoring, security and tracking solutions to the North American energy exploration, chemical and oil and gas markets. Since the late 1990s, Pole Star has developed satellite-based fleet monitoring services for use in the harsh and isolated marine environment. Because satellite-based communication provides near global coverage, Pole Star’s systems allow shipowners and managers to track their ships, even when they sail beyond the reach of other communications networks. This need applies equality to onshore companies that operate assets in remote land areas where cellular coverage is limited.

Boatracs draws attention to a growing demand for its Fleet Management Software with over 2,000 vessels presently online. The company says that BTConnect is the only fleet management platform to combine visual monitoring of vessel positions on an interactive map with location based two-way messaging and reporting, providing intelligence that enables owners and operators of offshore service, inland waterways, coastal workboat and commercial fishing fleets to run their companies more efficiently, safely and profitably.

Intelsat S.A. said it signed a multi-year agreement with Digital Networks to provide capacity via its satellite fleet and IntelsatOne terrestrial network, enabling Digital Networks to more effectively support very small aperture terminal (VSAT) communications networks in North America. Digital Networks will leverage Intelsat's teleport services and capacity on the Galaxy 3C satellite to expand its network in the United States and Canada. "This agreement will enable Digital Networks to quadruple its available throughput for delivering integrated voice, data and real-time applications for our energy customers," said Digital Networks CEO Curtis Blankenship.

MTN Satellite Communications launched MTN Nexus, a next-generation comms network billed as a hybrid that integrates it with new terrestrial wireless technologies as well as sophisticated computing, powerful processing and specialized optimization. Targeting the high volume cruise sector, MR thought an apt time to sit down with CEO Errol Olivier to discuss Nexus and its relevance to communications at sea. We understand you are a maritime satcom industry veteran. Can you give our readers a briefing on your background serving this market?

RigNet has signed a two-year contract extension to continue delivering managed communications for two world-class semi-submersible offshore drilling rigs: Transocean Barents and Transocean Spitsbergen, both operating in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. A high-performance and secure network is a high priority for the oil and gas community, ensuring effective and reliable communications, both offshore and onshore, and access to business-critical IT applications. As part of the contract extension, RigNet will deliver a fully-managed end-to-end IP network solution, relying on VSAT technology for last-mile connectivity, to ensure that the rigs derive greater value from its network services through increased standardization and innovation.

RigNet, Inc. has announced that Mark Slaughter, Chief Executive Officer and President, will present at the Jefferies 2012 Global TMT Conference in New York on Wednesday, May 9, 2012, at 8:00 a.m. EDT. RigNet is a leading provider of managed remote communications, networks and collaborative applications dedicated to the oil and gas industry, focusing on offshore and onshore drilling rigs, energy production facilities and energy maritime. RigNet provides solutions ranging from fully-managed voice and data networks to more advanced applications that include video conferencing and real-time data services to remote sites in over 30 countries on six continents, effectively spanning the drilling and production industry.

CellAtSea®, the brand name of Maritime Communication Partners (MCP) digital wireless services, enables passengers and crew to remain connected through voice, messaging, MMS, mobile internet and Blackberry services while at sea, and the company states a record 24% growth in its digital wireless service over the past 3 years. MCP's global maritime wireless network provides passengers and crew with superior wireless connectivity, and instant access to onboard information and entertainment applications. Virtually seamless, the service is conveniently billed by the user's home carrier. "We experienced an average of 180% increase in data traffic with record passenger and crew use of mobile internet and smart phone services in 2011.

According to an Oct. 28 report from Bloomberg, Northrop Grumman Corp.’s $1.68b amphibious warship, designed to transport Marines close to shore, wouldn’t be effective in combat and couldn’t operate reliably after being hit by enemy fire, according to the Department of Defense’s testing official. The report said the San Antonio-class vessel’s critical systems, such as electrical distribution, ship-wide fiber optics and voice- communications networks, aren’t reliable, according to Michael Gilmore, the Defense Department’s director of operational test and evaluation and the ship’s armaments can’t effectively defend against the most modern anti-ship weapons. (Source: Bloomberg)

User interface is the most visible system component when it comes to equipment operation. From the steering wheel and instrument cluster on your vehicle’s dashboard to the most complex industrial control system, the purpose is the same; it must allow human interface into a system. The interface must provide the user a means to control the equipment, provide feedback from the equipment to show operational conditions and alert us when something is wrong. And it should do these things efficiently, be easy to use, and visually and ergonomically pleasing.

Maritime Telecommunications Network, Inc. (MTN), a Verestar company, was awarded a contract by Thales GeoSolutions to become its provider of global telecommunications capabilities. MTN, the leader in maritime communications, entered into a three-month agreement to provide telecommunications services onboard the specialist cable survey vessel, the Baruna Jaya III. Thales GeoSolutions specializes in services and products for the offshore oil and gas, telecommunications, power and marine civil engineering industries. Thales offers a comprehensive range of integrated environmental management and monitoring services, including water quality studies and ocean current measurements.

An international fund is urgently needed in order to establish search and rescue (SAR) services along the African coastlines, including the setting up of up to five regional Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centres (MRCCs) and 26 Maritime Rescue Sub-Centres (MRSCs), the IMO Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) has agreed. MSC Chairman Mr. Tom Allan (United Kingdom) said the Committee would recommend to the IMO Council, which meets in June, that an international SAR Fund is established as soon as possible to support the establishment and continued maintenance of the MRCCs and MRSCs in Africa. The aim is to ensure that the basic communications…

Smiths Detection-LiveWave has been awarded a contract to engineer and deploy a prototype security solution for the Rhode Island Port Security Wireless Communications Network (RIPSWCN). As part of a one-year pilot program, the system will interconnect with land-based communications networks to allow government agencies and emergency personnel to share and distribute real-time data throughout Narragansett Bay. A collaborative project of the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency (EMA), Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (RIEDC), the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM), the Rhode Island Department of Administration (DOA), the RIPSWCN partnership was created as a demonstration project funded by an $856,000 grant from the U.S.

Industry experts and U.S. Navy leadership will gather next month at a workshop conducted by the American Society of Naval Engineers (ASNE) to discuss how the U.S. Navy can afford, resource, acquire and deliver “state of the shelf” C4I technologies to ensure deploying naval forces are equipped with the latest yet most dependable capabilities. Industry participants will have an opportunity to hear first hand, from the Navy’s top level C4I leadership, about the Navy’s C4I strategy and requirements and the challenges they face in rapidly transitioning the best available C4I technologies to the Fleet. Industry participants will then develop ideas and recommendations that they will present to the Navy C4I leaders. The two-day workshop, sponsored by the U.S.