Meeting the Faster Connectivity Demand of Cruise Passengers with Maritime VSAT

Cruise passengers may remain off the grid during their vacation, but they don’t want to remain out of touch. From laptop to smartphones, they like to bring their mobile devices on board cruise ship to stay in touch with friends, family or colleagues through cell phone, Internet, phone or mail.

They demand super-fast high-bandwidth Wi-Fi services on board while at sea. The satellite internet is the solution that is helping cruise ship management companies to meet the demand for growing demand for higher connectivity among passengers.

Maritime VSAT leading the way…

VSAT satellite connectivity delivers real-time, broadband Internet connectivity at sea with worldwide coverage. VSAT satellite communication service providers have numerous satellites strategically located across the globe, with secured network infrastructure that enables cruise businesses to meet communications requirements of their customers.

No matter what the weather condition or location of the vessel is, maritime satellite internet communication provides Ku-band services for better meeting the needs of passengers for using music & video streaming, watch news, post on social media, shop online, participate in conference calls and more.

 VSAT is evolving with HTS technology

The increase in demand for maritime Internet services has resulted in the development of high throughput satellite (HTS) technology. HTS offers high-level frequency re-use and spot beam technology to enable faster, better and cost-effective communication services on board cruise ships.

• With maritime VSAT and HTS, cruise ship companies get real-time, always-on, broadband connectivity, ranging from Ku-band to C-band.
• 24 x 7 x 365 communication network, covering most of the ports, remote areas and offshore regions.
• Both Ku and C-band maritime internet services offer high broadband speed to suit all customers’ requirements.

The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has released a report according to which number of cruise passengers is increasing at about 4% per year. The world’s major cruise lines will add 92 new ships to their fleets from 2016-2022.

So, the broadband requirements at sea will become more demanding than ever before. The cruise ship communication does not follow one-size-fits all strategy, that’s why, the maritime internet communication demands can only be met by maritime VSAT satellite services. So, what you are using for your cruise lines? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

3 Reasons Marine Market Needs Mobile Satellite Communication Services

After the years of flags and semaphores, marine satellite communication systems have brought about innovative and a drastic change in the communication process used by vessels at sea. From yacht owners, commercial fishing companies to marine transport industries, everyone needs reliable communications on their vessels on the water.

In fact today, communication forms the backbone of operational efficiency in the marine market. Mobile satellite communications provide the coverage that marine vessels need at sea. From voice calling, data services, Internet Access, oceanographic data access for navigation to broadband Internet, marine satellite communication services ensure full connectivity in heavy rain, rolling seas, blazing winds, and even snow. Therefore, coastal, offshore, and high-seas marine organizations need satellite services because:

#1 Global, High-Speed Network
Mobile satellite systems utilize true IP technology to provide global, high-speed data services. Mobile satellite services are a cost-effective means of open sea communications. Today’s portable, lightweight satellite antennae are engineered to support data and phone high-volume usage, even in rough weather conditions.

#2 Less Expensive & Cost-Effective
Reliable mobile broadband satellite services such as Iridium Openport maritime service provide flexible and attractive pricing packages to meet your specific requirements. Marine organizations can purchase the most cost-effective equipment and airtime package that fulfills their specific marine communication applications.

#3 A Solid Return on Investment
Users of mobile satellite services can reap maximum benefits from their investment. With multiple phone connectivity, their captain and crew can easily communicate; Internet surfing, email and data files can be easily transmitted; and everyone can enjoy global coverage and peace of mind, anywhere around the world at sea.

Conclusion
In summary, mobile satellite & broadband services is essential for the marine market as they ensure that crew & passengers are well connected with each other & globally as well as crucial communication links are always maintained. However do take care while selecting services and equipment to get the best pricing and services.

Internet At Sea - Things you need to Know

With internet access growing its reach globally it has now found its ways to the seas. Now the maritime world is more connected than any other with shipping companies equipping their fleet of ships with fleet broadband. Also the industrial internet of things has found its way to the ship too with connected sensors that improves visibility and collect data. Data that can now be viewed in real time and can be optimized. With the IIoT the sensors monitor everything from the ships speed to the temperature of its cargo creating a much optimized shopping ecosystem.

Instances where IIoT can impact maritime operations can have a significant impact on route optimization, maintenance costs and asset tracking. Here is a closer look;

Route optimization - With internet now seamen and ships no longer need to communicate through high frequency radios to know efficient routes and avoid collision.  With the IIoT now, a ship’s position can be tracked live and the information about its location can be sent to other ships on the same network instantly.

Asset Tracking - Sensors on board ships can help locate its current position and the concerned party can track the temperature of the cargo containers too. Apart from this it can also provide stakeholders the ability to obtain and analyze real-time data from production warehouse to final recipients.

Equipment monitoring - The IIoT Platform is designed to monitor expensive equipment and help fix problems before they get out of hand. With this now one can reduce inefficiencies, risks and overall cost. Additionally it will also provide crew member with a means to contact land based operators.

Shipping companies now have realized how important internet is to improve the quality of life on board and the availability of internet on board ships also adds new dimension to the meaning of life at sea. Which is also one of the way of motivating the officers and crew to stay at the company for longer. Internet on ships also means that the shipping company now can care for their ships efficiently and run maintenance in advance to tackle unforeseen breakdowns. It also has the effect on retaining the pool of highly qualified, trained and reliable Merchant Marine Officers, Engineers and Crew in the fleet.