^Sponsors

Vroon Extends 140-plus Vessel Contract for KVH mini-VSAT Broadband Solution

December 14, 2016

KVH Industries, Inc., has announced that Netherlands-based Vroon has extended its contract for KVH’s maritime satellite communications solution, choosing the mini-VSAT Broadband network for connectivity services onboard more than 140 Vroon vessels.

“In working with KVH during the past five years, we realized that having a reliable communications partner is essential to the smooth operation of our vessels and welfare of our crews,” says Rob Frenks, Vroon’s group ICT manager. “We also witnessed firsthand the advantage of the IP-MobileCast entertainment packages in enhancing crew welfare. KVH offers us a total and affordable managed service that brings together proven hardware and a fully integrated global network management system that will support our business for years to come.”

The multi-year contract also includes KVH’s IP-MobileCast service for news, sports, movie, and TV delivery, and preventive maintenance checks to ensure peak performance on all fielded systems as part of the KVH OneCare program.

“We are extremely pleased that Vroon has chosen to extend its contract with KVH, as it demonstrates the importance they place on affordable and reliable broadband connectivity for their vessels, as well as their high regard for improving crew welfare,” says David Tropp Hag, KVH’s director of sales for the EMEA region. “The contract extension also includes support for all TracPhone systems through eight years of operation, a testament to KVH’s outstanding design and rugged construction which, in this challenging business environment, is something that Vroon continues to value highly.”

The first installations of KVH’s 60 cm diameter TracPhone V7 systems onboard Vroon vessels took place in early 2011, after Vroon conducted a stringent selection process involving 22 different satellite communications providers. Today, more than 140 Vroon vessels employ the KVH mini-VSAT Broadband system onboard. In addition, Vroon was one of the first subscribers to KVH’s IP-MobileCast entertainment packages, providing crew members onboard tankers and livestock carriers daily updates of news and sports content, as well as new selections of popular movies and TV episodes.

The Vroon vessels covered by the contract are also equipped with the KVH CommBox Ship/Shore Network Manager. CommBox provides a suite of network management tools including web compression and acceleration, least-cost routing among multiple communications services, prepaid Internet access, and remote access for Vroon’s shore-based IT personnel.

“Our mini-VSAT Broadband service provides the most complete end-to-end solution for the maritime market’s rapidly expanding communications needs,” says Martin Kits van Heyningen, KVH’s CEO. “We design and manufacture the hardware, provide the global connectivity and network management solution, offer a flexible variety of customer support options, and license and deliver a wide variety of onboard content, all in an affordable way. Vroon clearly sees the value of this comprehensive solution, and we look forward to continuing to work with them as one of our key customers.”