Satellite News

VT iDirect, Inc. (iDirect), a company of VT Systems Inc. (VT Systems), announced on 29 th June 2010 that Hong Kong-based SpeedCast Limited and Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) have expanded the reach and capabilities of their global maritime broadband service to address a broader market of end customers. The service now extends across more than 20 Ku-band beams covering nearly all major shipping lanes and offshore markets. SpeedCast and Eutelsat have also introduced a regional service using a 60 cm Ku-band marine antenna for smaller coastal and regional vessels. In addition, customers can now choose from an extensive lineup of lower cost service plans to meet an increasingly diverse range of applications and budgetary needs. iDirect is a world leader in satellite-based IP communications technology.

Broader market reach and service flexibility

The global maritime broadband service, delivered by SpeedCast and Eutelsat, is one of the most widely deployed VSAT offerings in the world. It is relied on by a diverse group of maritime customers, including commercial shipping, tankers, oil and gas offshore platforms, offshore supply vessels, research and survey vessels, navies, cruise liners, yachts, and fishing vessels, for their communication and data needs.

With the smaller form-factor 60 cm marine antenna, the maritime service can now address small-to-mid-size vessels that operate along coastlines and in regional waters, such as yachts, fishing boats, smaller coastal vessels and river vessels. Today, 60 cm Ku-band antenna systems have lower purchase and installation costs compared to larger 1 m Ku-band and 2.4 m C-band systems. SpeedCast has expanded the service coverage by recently launching a 60 cm regional service in the Caribbean, and Eutelsat is set to introduce an additional 60 cm service in the Mediterranean.

SpeedCast and Eutelsat have also expanded their service plan options, introducing lower airtime rates and customized service plans. Customers can tailor a service plan to better match their bandwidth requirements for specific applications and budgets. These plans can be as low as 64 kbps to over 2 Mbps, and are offered as either a shared or dedicated service. The shared service includes dedicated bandwidth options which guarantee a customer’s throughput for enterprise-grade applications, enabling vessels to share bandwidth reliably across a wide range of applications from email and Internet access to real-time ship management software.

The global network is built on the iDirect platform and leverages advanced technologies such as Automatic Beam Switching (ABS) for seamless connectivity across multiple satellite footprints, DVB-S2 encoding for bandwidth optimization, and Adaptive Coding and Modulation (ACM) for optimized power utilization and reliable performance in all weather conditions. These advanced technologies are strengthened by several key capabilities and network management features developed by SpeedCast and Eutelsat:

Seamless global coverage. SpeedCast and Eutelsat have linked more than 20 Ku-band satellite beams into an integrated, global coverage network. Vessels can travel across satellite footprints while maintaining seamless connectivity.

Wide range of antenna sizes and manufacturers. The service operates over a broad selection of Ku-band antenna sizes, from 60 cm to 1 m, and manufacturers, including SeaTel, Orbit, Intellian, KNS and Mitsubishi. SpeedCast and Eutelsat also support C-band antennas and offer L-band services for back-up connectivity.
Advanced monitoring and asset tracking solution. Vessel tracking, network management, service level performance monitoring and more can be accessed via the Web using a value added service called “SMART” (SpeedCast’s Monitoring And Reporting Tools). Customers can access this secure Web-based network management portal, running on iDirect’s SatManage software, for greater visibility and control of their fleet and their business.

Broad range of services for critical communication needs. SpeedCast and Eutelsat also offer a wealth of value added services to meet the needs of maritime customers and ensure optimal network performance and bandwidth utilization for mission-critical applications. These include SpeedTalk for optimized VoIP service, SpeedCam for remote secure video surveillance and SpeedStar for network traffic optimization.
Network installation and management. Customers can also choose a variety of service extras such as customized systems and network design, remote site surveys, installation, commissioning, remote monitoring, maintenance services, network integration and 24/7 customer support.

VT iDirect, Inc. (iDirect), a company of VT Systems Inc. (VT Systems), announced that its share of the maritime VSAT market has grown significantly in the past two years, according to the newly released 2nd edition of The COMSYS Maritime VSAT Report. The report, which details the growth of maritime VSAT services, finds that the iDirect satellite communications platform is the system of choice for both service providers and end users. iDirect is a world leader in satellite-based IP communications technology.

According to the 2nd edition of the COMSYS Maritime VSAT report, iDirect expanded its role as the top manufacturer of VSAT broadband communications technology.

Twelve of the top 15 maritime service providers, or 80 percent, now leverage iDirect technology. In addition, 10 of the top 15 rely on iDirect as their primary platform, including the leaders in nearly every major market segment.
Forty-seven percent of all VSAT routers installed on vessels today are made by iDirect. Further, COMSYS reported that iDirect doubled its onboard presence in the past two years and accounted for 60 percent of all new installations in 2009.

The COMSYS study also found that many service providers have shifted from SCPC systems to TDMA systems like the iDirect platform to drive down operating and service costs and gain a more effective network model to support large-scale adoption across the industry’s multiple market segments. In addition, COMSYS noted that iDirect’s broadband data rates, bandwidth efficiency, granular Quality of Service, Automatic Beam Switching, Global Network Management and lower cost equipment have combined to make the iDirect platform the de facto standard in the industry.

Examining the broader industry, COMSYS reported strong growth for VSAT service as the total number of vessels in service rose by 55 percent between 2007 and 2009, despite the economic slowdown. VSAT revenues reached $550 million in 2009, recording significantly higher results than the L-band segment of the market. COMSYS forecasts that the number of vessels with VSAT onboard will more than double to almost 20,000 over the next five years, with VSAT service providers well poised to penetrate the mainstream commercial shipping segment, which is estimated to include more than 100,000 vessels.

VT iDirect, Inc. (iDirect), a company of VT Systems Inc (VT Systems), today announced that it has acquired UK-based Parallel Limited, the developer of the award-winning SatManage network management software suite. Through a cash transaction, iDirect purchased 100 percent of Parallel’s equity shares as well as full ownership of SatManage. Parallel’s chief technology officer and entire development team will join iDirect’s engineering group. iDirect is a world leader in satellite-based IP communications technology.

SatManage integrates and automates nearly every element of a Network Operations Center to improve network performance. A rich set of monitoring features provides total visibility to every aspect of a network, along with predictive response capabilities and powerful tools to resolve network issues in real time. SatManage also delivers a high-capacity database which enables service providers to track and analyze network performance statistics and leverage this data to optimize customer implementations. Further, service providers can share network management tools and reports with customers through a Web-based portal.