Satellite Telecommunications News

Canada-based satellite telecommunications provider Kepler Communications welcomed four new satellites into its constellation today, further expanding the active constellation to 19 satellites in total. These four satellites; KEPLER-16, KEPLER-17, KEPLER-18, and KEPLER-19 were launched via a Falcon 9 out of Cape Canaveral as part of the Transporter-3 mission at approximately 10:25 AM EDT. Once fully operational within the constellation these will add additional capacity to Kepler’s Global Data Service (GDS) offering while also performing as a test bed for bringing the internet to space…

British satellite telecommunications company Inmarsat plc will extend its service portfolio for customers with the launch of Fleet LTE, following an agreement with subsea fibre and offshore LTE network operator, Tampnet.The new service which is primarily aimed at offshore support vessel (OSV) operators, but could also be used by fishing and ferry operators operating in the area,  leverages low-latency, high data speed communications available via a dedicated Access Point Name (APN) on the Tampnet North Sea LTE network and could be extended to other regions such as the Gulf of Mexico if successful.Inmarsat’s new Fleet LTE service means customers can access high speed 4G…

British satellite telecommunications company Inmarsat plc and the provider of electric, digital and connected solutions for the marine industry ABB Marine & Ports have signed a master supply agreement aimed at tackling an obstacle identified by ship owners which has stopped them using IoT (Internet of Things) technology.A recent 2018 Inmarsat survey of 125 owners found 51% identifying an inability to get data off ships in real-time as their obstacle to IoT adoption.The agreement recognises ABB as a certified application provider to work with Fleet Data, the IoT platform developed by Inmarsat and Danelec Marine which collects information from onboard sensors…

British satellite telecommunications company Inmarsat plc has signed a business cooperation agreement that allows Hyundai Global Service (HGS) to offer ship owners and managers a total care solution route to maritime digitalisation.South Korea's HGS was established in 2016 by parent group Hyundai Heavy Industries as a digital transformation solutions provider to optimise ship operations and performance.The ground-breaking agreement paves the way for a cooperation that will include the use of Fleet Xpress Dedicated Bandwidth Services by HGS to support its digital services for ship owners, plus recognition of HGS as an Inmarsat Certified Application Partner (CAP).The formal agreement has been announced after the completion of trials on board three ships over a three month period…

Marine Satcom major Inmarsat has introduced two new components to its maritime cyber security service, Fleet Secure, as it continues to develop solutions that combat ever-increasing cyber threats faced by shipowners and ship managers.Accoridng to a press release from the British satellite telecommunications company, vessel operators will benefit from a powerful, multi-layered endpoint security solution, Fleet Secure Endpoint, which is based on industry-leading technology from ESET, a world leader in digital security, and powered by Port-IT to protect desktop computers and other systems connected to a vessel’s network.Fleet Secure Endpoint has been developed to remove infections and thwart hackers before damage occurs to onboard endpoints and connected systems…

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has announced a joint success with Japan Radio  and JSAT MOBILE Communications in building a network that shares data recorded in Voyage Data Recorder (VDR) by using Fleet Xpress provided by Inmarsat, a high-capacity, high-speed satellite telecommunication service. Like the flight data and cockpit voice recorders on airplanes, VDR records data on vessel movement (position, navigation speed, main engine rpm, and so on), voice communication on the bridge, image data on nautical instruments such as radar, and the Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS). An international treaty mandates that large-scale vessels and passenger ships that ply international waters be equipped with VDR…

London International Shipping Week (LISW) is proud to announce Inmarsat Global Ltd as Lead Diamond Sponsor for LISW 2017. Inmarsat is a British satellite telecommunications company which provides mobile communication services to the maritime industry worldwide. Inmarsat continues to be highly supportive of LISW, choosing to renew their prestigious diamond sponsorship positioning, which the company held in both 2015 and 2013. “London International Shipping Week is a highlight in the global maritime calendar,” says Ronald Spithout, Inmarsat Maritime President. “The UK has been a driving force in the maritime industry from the beginning.

SpeedCast International Limited, a global satellite communications and network service provider, and KTsat, the satellite service provider in Korea, have announced the two companies have been awarded a new contract to provide global Ku-band maritime communications services to up to 150 vessels. The service will be installed over the next 18 months. “It has been a phenomenal experience to work with SpeedCast for our maritime customers. We saw a great momentum from our partnership that our KOREASAT satellite fleets in Korea and in the Asia-Pacific region have been growing over the past few years. SpeedCast has been providing an extensive infrastructure for providing this seamless connectivity for maritime data…

SpeedCast International Limited (SpeedCast), a global satellite telecommunications service provider, announced that it has been awarded a multi-year communications contract from Gulf Marine Services (GMS). The new dual-beam Ku-band satellite service will provide high-performance broadband connectivity for client office applications and voice services across nine GMS barges. GMS is one of the largest providers of self-propelled, self-elevating accommodation jack-up barges in the world. The vessels work in offshore oilfields, often in harsh weather conditions, and therefore require a reliable and high-quality connection between the vessels and the land-based operations.

SpeedCast International Limited (SpeedCast), a global satellite telecommunications service provider, announced that it has been awarded a multi-year communications contract by international shipping company, Vroon. The new Ku-band satellite service will facilitate high-performance broadband connectivity with multi-megabit speeds, providing “hotel experience” Internet facilities for Vroon clients aboard specific categories of vessels. These include subsea-support vessels (10-25 passengers)…

Satellite telecommunications service provider SpeedCast International Limited has been awarded a satellite service contract by Allseas Group S.A., an offshore pipeline installation and subsea construction company. The contract covers Allseas’ flagship vessel, the Pieter Schelte, one the world’s largest ships, which took to the seas for the first time for sea trials in September. The satellite service provides broadband connectivity for mission-critical communications between the vessel and the land-based operations.

Intellian Technologies strengthened its partnership with SpeedCast Limited, a leading satellite telecommunications service provider, for the Commercial Shipping and Offshore Oil and Gas markets. SpeedCast has expanded the reach and capabilities of its global maritime broadband service to address a broader base of end customers. The service now extends across more than 20 Ku-band beams covering nearly all major shipping lanes and offshore regions. The global maritime broadband service is one of the most widely deployed VSAT offerings in the world, and is ideally suited to the advanced Intellian antenna technology. With Intellian recently selected as one of SpeedCast’s preferred suppliers…

Thrane & Thrane, a manufacturer of equipment and systems for global mobile radio and satellite communications, and SpeedCast Ltd., a satellite telecommunications service provider, announced the upcoming launch of the SAILOR 900 VSAT antenna system on SpeedCast’s Global Maritime Broadband Network. The partnership allows Thrane & Thrane and SpeedCast to respond to the increasing demand for satellite communications in the maritime community. Thrane & Thrane and SpeedCast have agreed to enter into the partnership to provide comprehensive broadband packages comprised of the SAILOR 900 VSAT…

ORBCOMM, a global satellite telecommunications company, entered into an agreement with Fleet Management Solutions LLC to provide wireless data access through its low-earth-orbit satellite network for tracking and managing fixed and mobile assets around the world. FMS is launching their ORBCOMM enabled MLT 300 Series tracking solution nationwide with roughly twenty selected fleets this month. The MLT 300 provides GPS and other critical sensor information to end-users, with an emphasis on reliability and cost effectiveness. For the initial soft launch, the MLT 300 series is targeting the North American market, leveraging more than 130 dealers for sales and support. FMS also offers customers subscription options through its FMAC arm (Fleet Management Acceptance Corporation).

Satellite telecommunications firm Globalstar Telecommunications said on Monday that five of its founding partners will provide the company with further equity financing. Under the terms of their agreements, Loral Space & Communications Ltd., Vodafone Group Plc, Qualcomm Inc.; Elsacom, and a France Telecom/Alcatel partnership will purchase 5.2 million shares of common stock of Globalstar for $56 million. Loral will purchase $12 million of this total. A sixth partner, ChinaSat, has indicated an intent to purchase an additional $12 million of Globalstar shares upon receipt of government approval. The share purchases are based on a price of $10.71 per share. The transaction is expected to close by September 29.

Captain Marine Services, Inc. of Dana Beach, Fla. has been servicing the yachting and sport diving industries for the last nine years for all of their need above and below the waterline as well as, providing immediate procurement consolidation and delivery of marine parts, supplies, and diving equipment. President Capt. Thomas J. Dunzelman recently announced the opening of a new shipping, receiving and agents office in Turtle Cove Marina, Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands, BWI. With many years of experience in the Turks & Caicos Islands, they can advise your clients as well as your crew on what to do and see while visiting Providenciales. Captain Marine Services provides an office where a captain can talk to another captain/engineer about their equipment needs.

Australian telecom giant Telstra and Hong Kong-based Asia Satellite Telecommunications Co. said on Tuesday they had established a framework for Telstra to use AsiaSat satellite capacity in Asia, including Australia. Under the agreement, Telstra has reserved four Ku-band transponders on AsiaSat 3S satellite's steerable beam, the two companies said in a statement. The high power steerable beam would be fixed over Australia to support new broadband satellite services, the statement said. A Telstra director said the agreement would boost the already significant satellite capacity available to Telstra and the Internet protocol backbone company joint venture to be established with Hong Kong's Pacific Century CyberWorks.

Pacific Corporate Group LLC, a private equity investment, fund management and advisory firm, has led an equity financing round totaling more than $110 million for ORBCOMM, a Dulles, Va.-based provider of global satellite telecommunications services. Pacific Corporate Group has committed to purchase $60 million in preferred equity of ORBCOMM for a minority stake in the company. Other investors participating in the financing round include MH Equity Investors, Northwood Ventures, OHB Technology AG, Ridgewood Capital, Torch Hill Capital, and members of ORBCOMM senior management. “Our investment in ORBCOMM reflects our strategy of investing in well-managed, established companies that have significant growth potential,” said Tim Kelleher, a Managing Director of Pacific Corporate Group.