Recently, the mini-VSAT Broadbandsm marine satellite communications network operated by KVH (News - Alert) Industries, Inc., was able to receive a major improvement in capacity for mariners in the waters of North America, the Gulf of Mexico, and Central America. By adding a supplementary full satellite transponder and introducing a powerful new spread spectrum waveform, KVH and its partner ViaSat (News - Alert) got the ability to expand the mini-VSAT Broadband network’s capacity in the region by more than 500 percent. This led to further strengthening of its network capabilities to support present and future subscribers.

In a release, Brent C. Bruun, vice president of Satellite Sales and Business Development said, “The mini-VSAT Broadband network was designed from the ground up to offer service and performance superior to traditional maritime VSAT services. Thanks to its flexible and robust architecture, the network is capable of rapid, easy expansion to meet the growing demand for affordable broadband service and voice communications at sea.

The mini-VSAT Broadband network and the KVH TracPhone V7 antenna claim to own the first next-generation maritime satellite communications solution. This solution consists of the first FCC (News - Alert)-approved 24-inch VSAT antenna in conjunction with a fully incorporated global service. Eleven satellite transponders and eight safe earth stations guarantee the delivery of flawless global network. Now, with the help of these powerful facilities, this global network can provide voice service and Internet access with a speed of up to 512 Kbps for upload and 2 Mbps for download. These services are highly cost-effective when compared to other competitors.

“Advancements in ViaSat’s ArcLight spread spectrum waveform combined with additional satellite capacity allow us to provide more than six times the bandwidth previously available in this region. The additional capacity is especially critical in the Gulf of Mexico, where many mini-VSAT Broadband-equipped vessels are participating in oil spill recovery efforts. For mariners looking ahead to their future communication needs, the mini-VSAT Broadband solution offers today what other providers are planning to offer three or four years from now. mini-VSAT Broadband is already the fastest growing global VSAT network for the maritime industry as we expect to ship our 1000th system very soon, less than three years after the launch of the service,” added Brent.