KVH Doubles Capacity of Global C-band Beams for Maritime VSAT Network

January 15, 2014

KVH Industries, Inc.,  is doubling the capacity for two of the three global C-band beams of its mini-VSAT Broadband network, further enhancing the world’s most extensive C/Ku-band maritime VSAT network. The increased C-band capacity, which will take effect next month, enhances the mini-VSAT Broadband  network’s multimegabit service covering all major shipping routes, offshore oil fields, and commercial fishing grounds and serving marine operations and vessels around the globe. KVH plans to continue to grow the C-band capacity as needed to meet demand from its growing customer base and maritime operations applications that are increasingly reliant on broadband connectivity.

KVH first introduced C-band overlay coverage to its existing Ku-band network less than two years ago, and has seen installations of its unique dual-mode TracPhone V11-IP satellite communications system steadily increase. This onboard terminal uses a single, 1-meter diameter stabilized antenna with dual-band transmit and receive capability to seamlessly switch between the mini-VSAT Broadband network’s global C- and Ku-band satellite coverage, providing reliable onboard network management and crucial continuity for onboard systems that rely on satellite Internet service.

“Vessels using the TracPhone V11-IP typically need C-band coverage only a small percentage of the time they are at sea, because of the extensive Ku-band capacity of the mini-VSAT Broadband network, which itself has more than doubled worldwide in the past year,” explains Marc Edwards, KVH’s network operations director. “This unique network architecture allows us to provide the power and speed of a modern maritime VSAT service with the global coverage typical of global L-band services like Inmarsat FleetBroadband.”

The C/Ku-band mini-VSAT Broadband service provides vessels travelling between 75°N and 70°S latitude with broadband data connections for accessing the Internet or shore-side business networks or for making low-cost, high-quality voice calls. In most areas, the mini-VSAT Broadband service uses powerful Ku-band transponders to provide the TracPhone V11-IP with high-speed downloads at rates up to 4 Mbps.

In addition to providing the widest coverage of any Ku-band maritime VSAT service, KVH’s mini-VSAT Broadband network also has wide regulatory approval that ordinary C-band maritime VSAT services are unable to provide due to regulatory restrictions that generally limit their use to 200 km offshore. For coastal and in-port use, KVH’s mini-VSAT Broadband network relies on Ku-band coverage, which is generally permitted. In areas outside of its Ku-band coverage and for redundant backup service, the TracPhone V11-IP automatically switches over to powerful C-band global beams. The C-band service also has a much longer wavelength than Ka-band services, providing improved resilience to rain and other adverse weather conditions.