KVH (News - Alert) Industries, Inc has recently released a first-of-a-kind, unified dual-band maritime satellite communications network that offers multi-megabit service covering 95 percent of the Earth's surface, including all of the world's major shipping routes, offshore oil fields, and commercial fishing grounds.

According to the company, this will be the first next-generation global VSAT network using a single, relatively small antenna to provide offshore connectivity to vessels almost anywhere they travel.

In addition to this, the company has even launched the revolutionary new onboard terminal called, TracPhone V11 satellite communications system.

This innovative system offers the same high-quality connectivity, including both voice and broadband data, using a single, stabilized antenna with a unique dual-band transmit. It can even switch between the mini-VSAT Broadband network's global C- and Ku-band satellite coverage and works regardless of the type of satellite connection.

Martin Kits van Heyningen, KVH's CEO said that their mini-VSAT Broadband network's new, global C-band overlay coverage offers their maritime customers the type of next-generation service they've needed to replace expensive legacy services and still provide the global coverage that they have not been able to get from stand-alone Ku-band maritime VSAT services.

“The 1-meter TracPhone V11 antenna is smaller and lighter than most stand-alone Ku-band antennas, and more than 85 percent smaller and lighter than the gigantic 1,500 pound, 3.3 meter C-band domes used with older VSAT technology and the best part is that it's one system, not two different antennas like competing products. Further, the same below-decks modem is used for both the C- and Ku-band for a truly seamless and unified solution for the customer,” Heyningen added.

The new TracPhone V11 and the enhanced mini-VSAT Broadband service offers vessels travelling between 75ºN and 70ºS latitude with broadband data connections for accessing the Internet or shore-side business networks or for making low-cost, high-quality voice calls.

In addition, the TracPhone V11 automatically switches over to powerful C-band global beams in case of outside of Ku-band coverage for users.

Company officials confirmed that they will ship sample TracPhone V11 units during Q2 and full service is expected to be available for commercial use at the end of June, 2012.

In other news, Iridium (News - Alert) Communications Inc., a source of innovative and rich solutions for markets that require global communication, and KVH Industries recently signed an agreement to offer the first-ever, fully global, seamless broadband satellite communications service for the maritime market.

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