High Throughput Satellite News

maritime VSAT provider KVH Industries, Inc. announced it has launched satellite connectivity services that will allow vessels to use KVH connectivity while operating in Indian territorial waters. In addition, KVH will offer satellite connectivity services to Indian flagged vessels. Station Satcom Private Ltd, an existing KVH service provider based in Mumbai, will be KVH’s distribution launch partner in India.“With the award of the license by the Department of Telecommunications of India…

Viasat agreed to buy British rival Inmarsat on Monday in a $7.3 billion deal to broaden the U.S. based company’s satellite and land-based communications services.The takeover of London-based Inmarsat comes just two years after it was taken private in a $3.4 billion deal by a consortium of British-based Apax partners, U.S.-based Warburg Pincus and two Canadian pension funds.While Viasat offers connectivity and communications services to residential, aviation and defense customers in North America…

Intellian's newly-launched compact v45C antenna has been qualified for operation on the Intelsat FlexMaritime High Throughput Satellite (HTS) service, delivering global connectivity to customers in the smallest package available to date.Satellite communications services provider Intelsat released the smaller antenna class for its FlexMaritime network on Wednesday, stating the service is geared for leisure, fishing and commercial maritime vessels globally.Previously, service providers…

Satellite communications services provider Intelsat on Wednesday released a smaller antenna class for its FlexMaritime high-throughput satellite (HTS) service geared for leisure, fishing and commercial maritime vessels globally.The new maritime mobility solution enabled by the 45cm antenna is designed to bring a new level of broadband connectivity performance and affordability for fishing, leisure, tugs and other workboats, as well as smaller or coastal merchant ships, Intelsat said.Small enough to hand carry aboard vessels…

KVH Industries, Inc. and Kongsberg Digital completed the installation of their first joint maritime IoT system on an active working vessel.The team installed a KVH Watch VSAT antenna for IoT connectivity and the Kognifai Vessel Insight platform on Simrad Echo, a Norwegian research vessel owned and operated by Kongsberg, which will continue normal operations during the pilot maritime IoT project. Together, KVH Watch and Kognifai Vessel Insight provide an integrated infrastructure…

WORK Microwave has announced the results of its technology demonstration with Intellian and Telesat to increase the reliability, performance, and throughput of broadband for maritime applications. Recently, the companies successfully tested a high-throughput data link from Mount Jackson, Virginia to Pompano Beach, Florida using WORK Microwave's AX-80 wideband modem, the Intellian v150NX 1.5m Ka-band wideband antenna, and the Telesat T19 VANTAGE High Throughput Satellite (HTS).

KVH Industries has introduced the maritime industry’s only all-inclusive, no-commitment, Internet of Things (IoT) Connectivity as a Service program utilizing global VSAT communications. KVH Watch is designed as the connectivity solution for remote equipment monitoring and intervention by maritime equipment manufacturers and IoT application providers. With remote monitoring, manufacturers can act in real time, minimizing expensive service calls and ensuring that their equipment…

The provider of mobile connectivity and inertial navigation systems  KVH Industries said that it innovative Connectivity as a Service (CaaS) program, 'AgilePlans', is fast-growing choice of global maritime fleets."Increased demand for the AgilePlans subscription-based Connectivity as a Service (CaaS) program from KVH Industries has been the driving force behind the company’s unprecedented growth in VSAT unit deployments during the first six months of 2018, a timeframe when the maritime industry has been increasing its drive toward digitalization," said a pess release.KVH recently reported that it successfully shipped almost as many VSAT systems in the first six months of 2018 as it shipped in all of 2017.

Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic) announced that in partnership with its subsidiary, ITC Global, it has been awarded a four-year contract by TUI Cruises for connectivity services to two new-build cruise ships, Mein Schiff 1 and new Mein Schiff 2.The agreement establishes communication capabilities onboard the vessels serving guests and crew, enhancing the user experience during the cruise line's travels across international waters. Germany-based TUI Cruises is a joint venture between TUI AG and Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. Headquartered in Hamburg, TUI Cruises voyages sail across the globe from the Baltic and Mediterranean Seas in Europe…

While the ship owners and ship managers historically have eschewed the push to increase connectivity at sea, the path to efficiency in the digital age is paved with a robust, high speed and affordable connection. KVH and Intelsat are cooperating to provide all that and more.According to the Crew Connectivity 2018 Survey Report, based on a survey of 6,000 serving seafarers and sponsored by KVH Industries and Intelsat, approximately 75% of seafarers can no use the internet at sea, a 32% jump in three years.

Marlink Japan, the Tokyo-based arm of global maritime communications specialist Marlink is celebrating 40 years in business this month. Established in 1978 as SAIT Marine, Marlink Japan is the second-longest serving foreign-owned satcom company in the country, and has been delivering communication services and support to maritime clients in the region for longer than any other company.With deep cultural understanding and local knowledge, Marlink Japan provides Customer Support, Technical Service, and Sales and Marketing for customers based in, or operating in Japan, Korea and Far East Russia.

Connectivity solutions provider KVH Industries, Inc. announced that Brazilian oil and gas transport company Transpetro has chosen KVH VSAT connectivity for the majority of its tanker fleet. Transpetro, which provides transportation for the Brazil's state-owned oil and gas company Petrobras, chose KVH’s TracPhone V7-HTS satellite communications antenna system with a five-year airtime contract for 45 tankers, including a combination of newbuilds and existing vessels. The installations will take place throughout the next 12 months in Brazil…

Globecomm has supplied its global Ku-band VSAT service to specialist shipowner and manager Briese Schiffahrts in support of its fleet growth plans.Long-time Globecomm customer Briese is undertaking a program of fleet renewal, constructing a series of eight ‘Open Top Eco 5000’ multi-purpose vessels, designed to consume 30 percent less fuel but with increased crane and cargo capacity.The first of four ships was christened in mid-April 2018 at Zhejiang Zengzhou Shipbuilding Co with three more of the 90-meter long…

KVH Industries, Inc. announced today that global ship manager Nordic Hamburg has chosen KVH’s new advanced TracPhone V7-HTS antenna equipment and the AgilePlans subscription-based Connectivity as a Service (CaaS) program to bring fast, global connectivity to its vessels. Installations for 13 vessels have been completed, with plans for an additional 12 through 2018.“The AgilePlans program provides the highest flexibility for our fleet and we were also attracted to KVH’s global coverage…

An advanced, 60 cm marine satellite antenna system designed to consistently deliver the fastest data speeds globally to the maritime market will be unveiled tomorrow by KVH Industries, Inc., at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, in Florida. The TracPhone V7-HTS achieves data download speeds of up to 10 Mbps, three times faster than current 60 cm models on the market, including KVH’s own system, and fast enough to enable the streaming of HD-quality content at sea. In addition, to further meet the demands of increased data usage at sea, KVH is offering the TracPhone V7-HTS with new hybrid airtime plans that deliver a free, lower-speed unlimited use data channel that runs at the same time as the high-speed data channel.

Recently, Radio Holland Canada and Radio Holland USA celebrated the renewals of key airtime contracts on the Great Lakes with Algoma Central Corporation (ACC), The CSL Group (CSL) and American Steamship Corporation (ASC). Collectively, the three companies operate approximately 65 Lakers which include tankers, self-loading and conventional bulk carriers. The companies signed initial agreements with Radio Holland in 2007. The new agreements include increased bandwidth to meet the growing needs for the companies’ business operations and crew welfare.

Global Eagle Entertainment Inc. (GEE) has acquired Ku-band payload on an SES communication satellite in a move to boost capacity for its customers in North America, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. GEE will rebrand the satellite as Eagle-1. “Eagle-1 is a key element in the strategic expansion of our global satellite network to optimize quality of experience (QoE) for our rapidly growing user base,” said Abel Avellan, president of GEE. “Our vision is to reach hundreds of millions of people on the move around the world with a reasonably priced high-speed Wi-Fi experience that is equivalent to what they get at their homes or offices. To that end, GEE is increasing satellite capacity and upgrading our robust ground infrastructure of owned teleports.

Cobham announced during Satellite 2017 that a Ku-band version of its SAILOR 60cm antenna technology platform will be available this summer. As one of the lightest, most compact and high-performing Ku-band antennas, SAILOR 600 VSAT Ku is designed to provide more vessels with faster, flexible and predictable pay-monthly Ku-band VSAT services, the manufacturer said. SAILOR 600 VSAT Ku offers a balance between form factor and performance, enabling maritime satcom service providers to extend their portfolio and reach more end-users with a compact…

KVH Industries, Inc. has shipped more than 7,000 mini-VSAT Broadbandsm systems, designed and manufactured by KVH to provide mobile connectivity at sea. The TracPhone V-series satellite communications antenna systems are currently in use on everything from small recreational sailboats cruising the coastline to 1,000-foot commercial freighters transiting the world’s oceans. KVH launched the mini-VSAT Broadband service in July 2007, and has seen the popularity of the service grow, coinciding with an overall trend in the maritime industry toward increased reliance on broadband connectivity. As recently as September 2016, industry analyst Northern Sky Research reported that KVH’s mini-VSAT Broadband customers account for 29 percent of the vessels using Ku-band service.

Live network testing conducted by Marlink over the newest Intelsat EpicNG High Throughput Ku-band satellite demonstrates that the v65 system will enable users to achieve high throughput connectivity for vessels of all sizes. Maritime satellite antenna systems provider Intellian Technologies said its v65 Ku/Ka band convertible satellite communications system has been independently tested by satellite communications service provider Marlink and exceeds all expectations in terms of performance efficiency on the company’s newly launched 60cm global network.

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.

MSC Cruises, a privately-owned cruise line and market leader in Europe, South America and South Africa announced that it has worked together with Marlink – the pioneer of business critical communication solutions for customers operating in remote environments – to launch a next-generation connectivity for MSC Cruises’ fleet with multi-band VSAT services. Working with Marlink, MSC Cruises will provide dynamic bandwidth to its 12 existing ships as well as the next-generation ships currently under construction, including MSC Meraviglia and MSC Seaside. No matter the itinerary of the ships, the bandwidth will be able to accommodate seasonal fluctuations…

O3b Networks, technology solutions company RigNet and floating production service provider MODEC, entered an agreement to provide high-throughput, low latency connectivity for MODEC’s Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels off the coast of Brazil. RigNet will integrate the O3b satellite network solution, enabling MODEC to deliver operational decisions in real-time through advanced collaborative environments. Experts at onshore monitoring centers can now work directly with offshore operators, using real-time information to make better and faster decisions, resulting in increased production and enhanced operating efficiency. O3b connectivity significantly contributes to the governance of the Control of the Work required on board.