MIDDLETOWN, RI – KVH Industries, Inc., today announced that its mini-VSAT Broadband sm satellite communications service has received operating authority that enables coverage of the Indian Ocean region. This is the latest step in the joint effort by KVH and ViaSat to offer seamless global broadband connectivity for vessels and aircraft, and the service in the Indian Ocean region is expected to be available in April 2010 via the JSCAT-85 satellite. The network will bring broadband Internet and voice service to commercial and leisure boaters in and around the Indian Ocean, as well as provide network coverage to the ViaSat Yonder® in-flight broadband network for business and commercial aircraft.
“We are very gratified to have license authority to provide broadband communications and voice service to mobile subscribers in the Indian Ocean region,†remarked Brent C. Bruun, KVH’s vice president of satellite sales and business development. “The activation of our Ku-band VSAT service in this region in April will be a major milestone for mini-VSAT Broadband. This versatile network will then truly span the globe, enabling mariners to circumnavigate without ever leaving the mini-VSAT Broadband coverage area. No other Ku-band VSAT service provider can match this combination of seamless service, spread spectrum-based efficiency and affordability, and our fully integrated hardware solution.â€
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. Together, KVH and ViaSat are providing two-way mobile broadcast services from eight secure teleports around the globe utilizing eight beams on seven of the world’s most powerful communications satellites. The resulting seamless network offers voice service and Internet access as fast as 512 Kbps (upload) and 2 Mbps (download) at fixed monthly rates.
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.
