Satellite Communications Industry News

U.S.-based global communications company Viasat has completed the acquisition of its UK-based rival Inmarsat."The combined company enhances our scale and scope to continue to drive growth in the increasingly dynamic and competitive satellite communications industry. The company’s assets, once fully integrated, are expected to increase the pace and scope of innovation in the global satellite connectivity sector, offering new and improved capabilities to customers that will address the ever-increasing speed…

KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq: KVHI), a leader in mobile connectivity, has announced that it has shipped its 10,000th VSAT satellite communications system. This is the latest milestone for a company whose history of innovation in the maritime satellite communications industry began in 2007, when KVH introduced the TracPhone V7, the first maritime 60 cm VSAT terminal, and the mini-VSAT Broadbandsm service. Since that time, KVH has become the market share leader for maritime VSAT terminals (Source: Euroconsult…

Satlink Satellite Communications has entered into a new agreement with Inmarsat to integrate Fleet Xpress into Satlink’s existing service portfolio. Through the agreement, Satlink will bring more than 1,500 vessels to the Fleet Xpress service over a five-year period. Fleet Xpress, the Global Xpress maritime solution, sets a new standard for maritime global communications with crew welfare, regulatory and operational efficiency at its heart. The service, which is facilitating innovative ‘connected ship’ applications, delivers the highest levels of reliable, high-speed broadband connectivity and exceptional performance across all of the world’s oceans, with continuous connectivity and guaranteed performance.

Satlink Satellite Communications Ltd, a satellite communication and technical services provider, announced that it has become an Inmarsat Partner for Fleet Xpress and FleetBroadband. As part of the partnership Satlink’s solutions will be integrated with Inmarsat’s Fleet Xpress service to deliver value added services including its in-house developed Satbox, and Tracklite service that enhances connectivity to their existing global customer network involving merchant shipping, offshore, fishing and leisure markets. Socrates Theodossiou, joint Managing Director of The Tototheo Group said, “On-board bandwidth requirements keep growing, driving the satellite communications industry to integrate and develop in-house tailor made solutions for end-users.

The satellite communications group Inmarsat plc cautions that with the slowdown in the global economy hitting shipping, satellite communications industry faces rough weather, according to a report in Reuters. The British company, which provides data and voice connections to shipping, warned that tough trading was set to persist in its maritime and government markets this year. "We are seeing modest growing headwinds in terms of global trade slowdown and increased scrappage and lay outs," Chief Executive Rupert Pearce said. The capital expenditure forecast is more than analysts expected, and came as Inmarsat said it had revenues of $1.27 billion in 2015, similar levels to 2014. Its revenues from maritime services were $593 million in 2015, down $2.4 million from the year before.

It’s no coincidence that Class standard bearer DNV GL’s incoming group chief exec, Remi Eriksen, is a former telecoms engineer who knows his way around Houston (IT) and Singapore (yards). After all, the satellite communications industry understands shipping. The reverse should also be true. Speaking ahead of his first day as CEO, Eriksen describes a future of “fast ships and slow growth” — not bandwidth growth, mind you. Satellite operators, network providers and other vendors are eying broadband for Big Data transfers.

Maritime operational effectiveness is to be enhanced globally through the provision of training and certification for seafarers assigned to use advanced satellite communication systems on-board commercial vessels. The initiative, which has been tailored for maritime professionals serving on thousands of commercial vessels at sea, is being led by Seagull Maritime, a Norwegian provider of seafarer training, and GVF, the London-based international association of the satellite communications industry. “Ship owners and managers depend daily upon broadband satellite communications for mission-critical applications”, said Roger Ringstad, Master Mariner and Managing Director of Seagull Maritime.

During the Informa VSAT 2014 conference in London, the Global VSAT Forum (GVF) announced the launch of its Maritime SatCom Forum (MSF) ‘Glossary’. The document, earlier iterations of which were developed by the Maritime SatCom Forum Working Group of the GVF, has been further developed by the joint-chairs of the MSF, Martin Jarrold, Chief of International Programme Development, GVF, and Roger Adamson, Chief Executive, Futurenautics. “The ‘Glossary’ comprises a highly comprehensive…

Globalstar, Inc. announce that all second generation satellites are now in full commercial service, completing the world's most modern satellite communications mobile network. Global customer segments include: oil and gas, government, mining, forestry, commercial fishing, utilities, military, transportation, heavy construction, emergency preparedness, and business continuity as well as individual recreational users. The company's new network supports its current lineup of voice…

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?

MTN is proud to be celebrating its 30th year in the satellite communications industry. Over the past three decades, MTN has contributed to the evolution of the satellite industry and continues to deliver communications solutions that address the needs of both commercial users and governments. - Built the first 5-meter C-Band transportable satellite antenna made to travel with the presidential administration for Summit meetings and Pentagon press pool required events. - Delivered the industry's first stabilized, "transmit and receive" Ku-Band satellite antenna system for the U.S. Navy deployed on the USS Iwo Jima (LPH-2) during the first Persian Gulf crisis. - Introduced the first onboard Internet cafés for cruise ships leveraging MTN's VSAT technology.

To help support the growing customer base of its TracPhone V7 and mini-VSAT BroadbandSM network, KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq: KVHI) has hired Cheri Capuano, a 16-year maritime satellite communications industry veteran, to manage commercial sales in the Gulf of Mexico. Capuano comes to KVH from Stratos Global, where she worked as a sales manager for 11 years. Prior to her experience at Stratos, she spent five years at CruisePhone.

Marlink has completed a new five-year agreement with Delphin Cruises of Hamburg, Germany, to provide complete onboard satellite communications for its luxury liner, the Delphin Renaissance. The agreement calls for Marlink, a company within Telenor Satellite Services formed to serve as the preferred interface between maritime customers and the satellite communications industry, to provide Sealink high-speed data service. Operating at speeds up to 128 kbps, the Sealink solution allows guests and crew to enjoy greater access to e-mail, fax services, and telephone service.

OSLO, Norway and ROCKVILLE, Maryland (October 27, 2003) - Marlink today announced that it has signed a five-year agreement with the owners of the MV Mona Lisa, represented by Kyma Ship Management, Inc. of Miami, Florida, to provide complete satellite communications onboard the vessel. The agreement calls for Marlink, a company within Telenor Satellite Services formed to serve as the preferred interface between maritime customers and the satellite communications industry, to provide Sealink high-speed communications service. Operating at speeds up to 2 Megabits per second, the Sealink solution allows guests and crew to enjoy greater access to the Internet, e-mail, fax services, and telephone service.

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.

First announced this past fall, a new four-year agreement between Marlink and Radisson Seven Seas, was finalized during a press conference at this year's Sea Trade Cruise Shipping Convention in Miami, Fla. Held at the Raleigh Hotel, executives from Marlink, (a wholly owned subsidiary of Telenor); and Radisson Seven Seas Cruises, the briefing outlined the satellite services that will be provided onboard Seven Seas Navigator and newbuild Seven Seas Voyager, which is to be launched this year. The two vessels will join Seven Seas Mariner, which has been offering Marlink's service since 2001, in providing high speed data communications at 128 kbps.