Iridium, KVH Partner to Develop Integrated Maritime Service
By Jeffrey Hill | January 12, 2012
[Satellite TODAY 01-12-12] Iridium Communications has entered into a partnership agreement with KVH Industries to offer fully global, seamless broadband satellite communications service for the maritime market, the companies announced Jan. 11.
KVH will offer an integrated service package that combines its mini-VSAT broadband service and the Iridium OpenPort high-speed service. The partners said the integrated shipboard system for the service would use common below-deck user interface equipment for voice and data connections, combining the Iridium OpenPort and KVH TracPhone V3 or V7 terminals.
“We have optimized the Iridium OpenPort system to seamlessly integrate with a vessel’s VSAT platform. The VSAT/Iridium solution eliminates the coverage gaps, data-rate limitations and comparatively high prices of other L-band mobile satellite service providers,” Iridium Executive Vice President Greg Ewert said in a statement. “The integrated maritime service will be fully supported by Iridium’s next-generation satellite constellation, Iridium Next, which is scheduled to be deployed starting in early 2015.