Compact satphones for all market sectors
With a diameter of 10.5in (267mm), the TracPhone FB150 antenna is KVH’s most compact TracPhone system to date and has been specifically designed to provide vessels with a cost-effective FleetBroadband solution. The fully stabilised FB150 antenna provides IP data connections of up to 150 Kbps as well as simultaneous voice and SMS services, using the Inmarsat I-4 satellite constellation.
KVH claims that its mini-VSAT Broadband is the fastest growing maritime VSAT service, and is becoming even more affordable for vessels seeking to remain connected at sea via broadband Internet and voice service. A number of new packages have been introduced, such as a TracPhone V7 hardware and airtime bundle. In contrast to KVH’s existing fixed-rate, speed-based plans, this new metered rate options provide a service plan based on how much data they expect to use per month while getting the benefit of the fastest available network speeds. The new metered pricing options include a limited-time lease and airtime bundle that makes the TracPhone V7 hardware, mini-VSAT Broadband service, GlobalCare premium support programme, and 100 MB of monthly data available for $995 per month.
The company says the service is aimed at, among others, those upgrading from older, more expensive, and less capable services like Inmarsat B and Fleet, giving crew and passengers access to data rates up to four times faster than FleetBroadband as well as more than five times the monthly data capacity available from comparable Inmarsat bundles.
The recently-introduced GlobalCare support package for the TracPhone V7 provides an extended service plan that includes up to 5 years of warranty coverage as well as priority response, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, and 365 days per year. The service is accessed via a dedicated hotline and includes remote diagnostics and KVH-coordinated on-vessel service from qualified marine electronics professionals in major ports. GlobalCare is included with all existing and new TracPhone V7 lease packages and is available as an option for customers purchasing the TracPhone V7.
The mini-VSAT Broadband network is claimed to offer cost savings, plus service and performance superior to traditional maritime VSAT services. It uses an FCC-approved 24in (60cm) VSAT antenna. The network is delivered by 11 satellite transponders and eight secure earth stations and offers voice and Internet access up to 512 Kbps (upload) and 2 Mbps (download).
One significant gap in the mini-VSAT Broadband network has now been filled following an agreement between KVH Industries and Star One. The deal will support mini-VSAT Broadband coverage inBrazil and its offshore waters, via the Star One C-1 satellite. This will provide the service to Brazilian waters including the expanding Brazilian offshore oil and gas fields.
Meanwhile, the TracPhone V7 and mini-VSAT Broadband service have been chosen by the US Coast Guard to form the core of the USCG’s ‘small cutter connectivity (SCC) Ku Band system and air time support services solution’.
USCG’s telecommunications and information systems command (TISCOM) will deploy it over a three- to five-year period onboard up to 216 cutters representing 16 different cutter classes. The contract, encompassing the shipboard hardware, airtime services, and support, is a 10-year contract valued at about $42 million, and implementation has begun immediately. Supporting KVH will be network partner ViaSat and logistics partner Mackay Communications.
The SCC programme is part of the USCG’s initiative to upgrade the legacy cutter fleet’s commercial satellite systems from Inmarsat to Ku-band in order to provide improved military communication capabilities for voice and data transmission and reception, as well as improving interoperability with partner security and defence organisations.
