Page 62: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (May 2015)

SATCOM PRODUCTS

Intelsat’s EpicNG is on the WaysIntelsat’s EpicNG is on the Ways

KVH Industries

New KVH Maritime Sat TV

Antenna System

KVH Industries, Inc. introduced the

While the true uptake of broadband across the maritime sector has been While the true uptake of broadband across the maritime sector has been

TracVision TV8 maritime satellite TV antenna system. TracVision TV8 is de- slow to develop, a number of market conditions are conspiring to drive slow to develop, a number of market conditions are conspiring to drive signed to provide the tracking, reception the service mainstream. Intelsat’s Kurt Riegelman discusses the matter the service mainstream. Intelsat’s Kurt Riegelman discusses the matter and extended coverage area needed for yachts and merchant vessels calling on with Maritime Reporter & Engineering News.with Maritime Reporter & Engineering News.

ports around the world. It is compatible with nearly all Ku-band services around

While the advent of full broadband Just as land-based network opera- performance and high throughput with the globe, and it also supports such ser- in the maritime sector is the excep- tors face tough decisions premised on an open architecture.

vices as DIRECTV, DISH Network and tion rather than the norm, the tides are many offerings purporting to provide

DISH HD, and Bell TV in North Ameri- changing as companies increasingly similar capability, at-sea communica- Intelsat EpicNG ca, and TrueVisions, Astro, and Sky TV deploy fast, modern ‘land-like’ com- tion network managers face similarly “EpicNG is fully integrated with the in the Asia-Paci? c region. ms in an effort to achieve everything dif? cult decisions, seeking to maxi- existing Intelsat ? eet, supporting glob-

The 81 cm (32 in.) diameter TracVi- from attracting and retaining crew, to mize hardware investment for as long al coverage from the start of its deploy- sion TV8 enables yacht owners to enjoy streamlining business operations at sea as possible while trying to evaluate the ment,” said Riegelman.

satellite TV programming while on the and enhancing safety. needs of today and in the future. The ? rst of six EpicNG satellites, water; the system also makes it possible “Shipping companies are increas- Intelsat 29e, is scheduled for launch in for commercial maritime operators to ingly relying on true broadband access The Intelsat Maritime Solutions Q1 2016, providing services over the ensure their crew has access to the rec- to improve day-to-day operations and “Maritime customers have come to Americas and the North Atlantic. In- reational entertainment services that pro? tability,” said Kurt Riegelman, rely increasingly on Intelsat’s C- and telsat 33e, which will bring capacity to are now recommended by international

Sr. Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Ku-band satellite services to provide Africa, Asia and Europe, is scheduled regulations such as the Maritime Labor

Intelsat. “Broadband connectivity al- connectivity for the shipping, offshore to be launched in the second half of

Convention (MLC) 2006.

lows ship managers to quickly request and cruise sectors worldwide,” said 2016. Finally, four additional EpicNG

Features of the new system include and receive support from onshore staff Riegelman. “Intelsat’s Global Broad- satellites are designed to provide resil- the streamlined IP-enabled TV-Hub de- for important business and operational band Mobility Network, the world’s ience and connectivity for the busiest livering easy setup and operation. For tasks as well as offer value-added ser- only global Ku-band mobility offering, global routes. advanced functionality and performance, vices, such as environmental tracking was built speci? cally to deliver broad- Technical highlights of the EpicNG the TracVision TV8 includes single co- and cargo status to customers. Im- band infrastructure to the aeronautical system are spot beams and frequency axial cable for power, data and video for proved connectivity also enhances and maritime sectors. The network of reuse technologies, which help in con- easy installations and retro? ts; high-per- crew safety and wellness.” 13 customized beams on 10 satellites is centrating the power of the individual formance tracking for crystal-clear tele-

The evolution of maritime communi- fully integrated with Intelsat’s existing transponders over a smaller area, al- vision picture in heavy seas; IP-enabled cation networks at sea is in many ways satellite ? eet and the IntelsatOne ter- lowing for higher modulation schemes antenna control unit with Ethernet con- analogous to the maturity of software restrial infrastructure. This global hy- that dramatically increase the number nection and built-in Wi-Fi interface for solutions at sea: initially a piecemeal brid network provides end users with of bits delivered per MHz, ultimately access to system information from any approach to address emerging needs always-on, true broadband access with designed to result in lower cost per bit

Wi-Fi device; advanced inertial-based rather than a holistic ‘big picture’ ap- data rates up to 50 Mbps.” for the service provider. stabilized search for fast satellite ac- proach, premised partly by the fact that According to Riegelman, Intelsat en- The Intelsat EpicNG platform is quisition; exclusive RingFire antenna technology and capability has emerged ables network operators to adjust their designed to enable throughput in the technology for stronger signals, wider rapidly. services to provide customers band- range of 25-60 Gbps per satellite, and geographic coverage and better recep- “Network providers also face un- width when and where it is needed. for the maritime sector, each EpicNG tion; DVB-S2 technology for compat- predictable market demand, as com- Bandwidth portability allows network spot beam will be designed to deliver ibility with current and future Ku-band mercial maritime trading patterns operators to shift capacity in response total throughput of 290 Mbps to ves- satellites; and IP AutoSwitch option for continually shift,” said Riegelman. to customer needs, while operator sels.

multiple receiver installations enabling “Communications providers need to roaming allows end users to transfer “Leading maritime service providers, simple automatic satellite switching on ensure they have the right capacity to onto Intelsat’s network in real time. including Harris CapRock, MTN and

DISH Pro and DiSEqC compatible ser- serve the future demand distribution Its services will be further enhanced Airbus Defence and Space, have al- vices.

across the existing network, especially by launch of the Intelsat EpicNG plat- ready committed to Intelsat EpicNG,” www.kvh.com in high traf? c areas.” form, which is designed to deliver high said Riegelman. 62 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • MAY 2015

MR #5 (58-65).indd 62 MR #5 (58-65).indd 62 5/8/2015 9:08:46 AM5/8/2015 9:08:46 AM