Iridium (News - Alert) Communications and KVH Industries have joined hands to offer a fully global, seamless broadband satellite communications service for the maritime market.

The mini-VSAT Broadband service from KVH will be combined with the Iridium OpenPort broadband service for this project delivering the maritime industry the first seamless, truly global, broadband connectivity.

KVH (News - Alert) will offer this integrated service package that is touted to help mariners connect in ways never before thought possible.

Iridium's next-generation satellite constellation will provide complete support to the integrated maritime service. This constellation is scheduled to be deployed starting in early 2015.

“We are enthusiastic that KVH is our first distribution partner to launch Iridium's new VSAT companion service offering,” said Greg Ewert (News - Alert), executive vice president, global distribution channels, Iridium. “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.”

“KVH already has the largest Ku band VSAT global coverage offering, and the addition of Iridium now adds even remote regions such as the polar areas,” said Brent Bruun, KVH senior vice president of global sales and business development. “The integrated system offers our customers an unbeatable combination of reliable, affordable broadband shipboard communications and seamless global connectivity. The lightweight, compact antenna units bring the benefits of low-cost broadband communications to both private yachts and fishing vessels as small as 30 ft (9 m) as well as large, ocean-going merchant ships.”

Read a related article at TMCnet “GEOS Emergency Response Service Now Available to Iridium Satellite (News - Alert) Phone Customers on the Iridium Extreme.”

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