KVH and On-Waves Collaborate to Offer Maritime Cell Phone Service via the mini-VSAT Broadband Network
October 07 2009 - 6:45AM
PR Newswire (US)
Leisure and commercial mariners will have access to affordable cell
phone service offshore and around the globe MIDDLETOWN, R.I., Oct.
7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- As part of an effort to bring
convenient communications to mariners worldwide, KVH Industries,
Inc., (NASDAQ:KVHI) and On-Waves Ehf are partnering to make cell
phone service at sea a reality for crew and passengers on vessels
around the globe. Using KVH's mini-VSAT Broadband(SM) network and
TracPhone® V7 satellite communications system along with the
On-Waves maritime cell phone service, crew members, passengers, and
onboard contractors can easily and affordably use their own cell
phones to make and receive calls to and from anywhere in the world.
Cell phones alone usually lose reception about 15 miles offshore,
when vessels travel outside the range of land-based cell towers.
"We are very excited to offer the On-Waves solution to our
TracPhone V7 and mini-VSAT Broadband users," says Martin Kits van
Heyningen, chief executive officer of KVH Industries. "By pairing
On-Waves' picocell technology with the TracPhone V7 and our global
mini-VSAT Broadband network, we are essentially turning leisure and
commercial vessels into secure maritime cell towers. The addition
of GSM and CDMA cell phone service will expand the versatility of
our TracPhone V7 and the mini-VSAT Broadband network and increase
their value to ship owners and operators who need to stay connected
at sea. This is a huge improvement in the convenience of maritime
communications, and we're happy to work with On-Waves to bring it
to our customers." "KVH is a leader in our market and we are very
proud to work with them to offer our maritime GSM and CDMA services
to mini-VSAT Broadband customers," explains Constantin Simeonidis,
chief executive officer of On-Waves. "Most people take high speed
connections and mobile phones for granted on land, but the maritime
industry has been without these conveniences for far too long. By
joining our efforts, On-Waves and KVH can now bridge this gap and
bring the very best satellite communications to crew, staff and
guests. The trust of a global leader like KVH Industries is a great
endorsement of the reliability of our maritime services and we are
highly honored." On-Waves' maritime GSM service works by allowing
any crew member, passenger, or contractor to purchase a dedicated
SIM card, pop it into their cell phone, and use that phone on a
moving ship, anywhere in the world, just as they would at home. For
one low, fixed price per minute, they can call anywhere they like
without paying additional long distance charges. For customers
preferring to use their own cellular service companies, On-Waves
has maritime roaming agreements with over 450 GSM and CDMA service
providers around the globe - these technologies provide service for
over 85% of the world's 3.3 billion cell phone users. In addition
to offering convenient, easy to use service, the On-Waves equipment
is also unobtrusive and easy to install. It includes a picocell, a
small piece of hardware mounted on the exterior of the ship, and
compact belowdecks hardware used to transmit calls over the
mini-VSAT Broadband network. The mini-VSAT Broadband service, along
with the KVH TracPhone V7 antenna, comprise the first end-to-end
24-inch VSAT antenna, service, and support package available for
maritime communications. Seven secure earth stations around the
globe, together with seven of the world's most powerful
communications satellites, bring affordable, high-speed Internet
connections and crystal clear voice service to maritime customers
through the KVH mini-VSAT Broadband network. Note to Editors:
high-resolution, press-ready images of KVH's TracPhone systems are
available at http://press.kvh.com/ for download and editorial use.
About KVH Industries, Inc. Middletown, RI-based KVH Industries,
Inc., and its wholly owned subsidiary, KVH Europe A/S, are leading
providers of in-motion satellite TV and communications systems,
having designed, manufactured, and sold more than 150,000 mobile
satellite antennas for applications on vessels, vehicles, and
aircraft. KVH's mission is to connect mobile customers around the
globe with the same digital television entertainment,
communications, and Internet services that they enjoy in their
homes and offices. About On-Waves Ehf On-Waves is a subsidiary of
SIMINN, formerly known as Iceland Telecom, a company with 1,600
employees, a market value in excess of $1.2B and over 500 GSM
roaming agreements. Headquartered in Reykjavik, SIMINN has been
providing roaming services to the maritime market since early 2003.
On-Waves is the maritime GSM service provider for SIMINN. In order
to provide maritime GSM services, On-Waves has undertaken major
investments, developed a dedicated hardware solution to fit
commercial shipping needs and secured hundreds of maritime roaming
agreements, along with sophisticated pre-paid platforms. On-Waves
currently provides service to 65 vessels, both cruise ships and
large ferries, operating in Europe, the Caribbean and the southern
hemisphere and has a significant backlog for additional vessels, in
cruise, ferry, and commercial shipping. This release may contain
certain forward-looking statements that involve risks and
uncertainties. Forward-looking statements include, for example, the
functionality, characteristics, quality and performance of KVH's
products and technology; anticipated innovation and product
development; and customer preferences, requirements and
expectations. The actual results could differ materially. Factors
that may cause such differences include, among others, those
discussed in KVH's most recent Form 10-Q filed with the SEC. KVH
does not assume any obligation to update its forward-looking
statements to reflect new information or developments. KVH and
TracPhone are registered trademarks of KVH Industries, Inc. All
other trademarks are the property of their respective companies.
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DATASOURCE: KVH Industries, Inc. CONTACT: Chris Watson of KVH
Industries, +1-401-845-8138, ; or Fanny Peltier of On-Waves Ehf,
+33-659-869-652, Web Site: http://www.kvh.com/
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