KVH said the TracPhone V11 is 85 percent smaller than those of older global C-band VSAT systems and helps users avoid limitations imposed by regulations restricting the use of C-band maritime terminals near coastal nations due to its ability to automatically switch to mini-VSAT Ku-band service.

   The terminal launch follows KVH’s rollout earlier this summer of its mini-VSAT broadband service, which uses three global C-band satellite transponders to overlay Ku-band coverage.

   “Our dual-mode TracPhone V11 will access our global network, seamlessly switching between C- and Ku-band service, to deliver fast, affordable maritime VSAT connectivity almost anywhere on Earth,” KVH CEO Martin Kits van Heyningen said in a statement. “Our unified solution matches the coverage of legacy L-band services such as Inmarsat FleetBroadband while offering data speeds that are up to 10 times faster at about a tenth of the price.”

   In July, the TracPhone V11 was granted full U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approval, as well as a special provision allowing the dual-band system to be used on vessels smaller than 300 gross tons.