June 24, 2014

UK-based independent teleport operator Cobbett Hill Earth Station is upgrading the network of its maritime services unit, ION (International Ocean Services) to the iDirect Evolution 3.2 Platform. The acquisition of maritime satellite communications provider ION in 2013 marked Cobbett Hill Earth Station’s expansion into the commercial maritime market, which according to NSR will hold close to 1 million in-service units by 2023. This will be the first in a series of technology investments that Cobbett Hill Earth Station has planned for ION. iDirect is a world leader in satellite-based IP communications technology.

Once all ION networks are upgraded, customers will now experience improved performance on both the outbound channel through ACM and the inbound channel through Adaptive TDMA. Overall, increased bandwidth optimization will boost the power of its maritime broadband services. Once the upgrade is complete across all ION networks, the company plans to implement the iDirect X7 Satellite Router.

“Cobbett Hill Earth Station is committed to providing our customers across the globe with the network performance and reliability necessary to operate in a highly efficient manner. We believe the upgrade to iDirect Evolution 3.2 underscores this commitment and look forward to the enhanced capabilities we will be able to deliver to maritime customers as a result.” Paul O’BRIEN, Founder and Managing Director, Cobbett Hill Earth Station