Passenger ship operators can provide their guests with more advanced communications, once demand has picked up, after a deal between a satellite owner and sector supplier
Under this agreement, Eutelsat Communications will provide Telenor Maritime with widespread Ku-band coverage from some of its fleet of satellites. This agreement covers ships operating in Europe, the Caribbean and southeast Asia, and during trans-Atlantic crossings.
Ferries and cruise ships using Telenor Maritime’s VSAT can then offer passengers Ku-band connectivity on their own devices for high-speed internet access. This extends global mobile phone (GSM) services to passengers over ship wifi networks.
Eutelsat will deliver targeted capacity with guaranteed levels of throughput to specific sailing areas under a managed services agreement.
Telenor Maritime will progressively transfer vessels onto this Ku-band network. In the longer term, some of these ships could be linked to Ka-band connectivity.
Eutelsat chief executive Rodolphe Belmer expects the company’s new satellite Konnect VHTS will provide Ka-band communications after it is launched, scheduled for 2021.
Telenor Maritime said it would migrate vessels onto Eutelsat’s Konnect VHTS coverage in Europe when it is available.
This contract is the first reference customer from the maritime industry for this new satellite.
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