KVH Industries, a provider of mobile satellite TV and communication systems, announced a new revenue sharing agreement with ViaSat (News - Alert). The new agreement is aimed at enabling the popular Ku-band mini-VSAT Broadband satellite communications service to leisure, commercial, and government vessels globally, and implementing future enhancements over a course of ten years.

 

"Expanding our mini-VSAT Broadband service to provide seamless global coverage of maritime broadband communications is one of our top strategic priorities," said Martin Kits van Heyningen, KVH's chief executive officer.

 

The Ku band is mainly used for satellite communications. ViaSat produces innovative satellite and other digital communication products that enable fast, secure, and efficient communications to any location.

 

Together with the compact 24-inch KVH TracPhone V7 antenna, the mini-VSAT Broadband service is already offering regional Voice over IP telephone service and Internet access as fast as 512 Kbps (upload) and 2 Mbps (download) at fixed monthly rates to mariners throughout North America, the Caribbean, the North Atlantic, and Europe.

 

The TracPhone V7 hardware and the mini-VSAT Broadband service represent the first end-to-end VSAT hardware, service, and support package available for maritime communications, says Ian Palmer, KVH's executive vice president of satellite sales.

 

As part of the coverage expansion, KVH has agreed to acquire satellite capacity from Ku-band satellite operators as well as purchase three new regional satellite hubs from ViaSat. These hubs will use ViaSat's ArcLight spread spectrum mobile broadband technology and be operated by ViaSat. As the rollout continues, either KVH or ViaSat will work to establish additional regional hubs and satellite capacity.

 

According to Heyningen, the new service will offer the customers predictable fixed airtime rates that are significantly less expensive and much faster than alternative maritime communications solutions.

 

"Enabled by our powerful ArcLight spread spectrum satellite networking technology, the mini-VSAT Broadband service extends the capabilities and availability of mobile broadband connections via Ku-band satellites," said Brandon Nixon, ViaSat's senior vice president.

 

Nixon added that the success of the mini-VSAT Broadband service and TracPhone V7 to date clearly reflects the demand for affordable mobile Internet connections at sea.