KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq:KVHI) recently shipped its 4,000th
TracPhone® terminal for the mini-VSAT Broadbandsm network, adding
more than 1,000 units in the past year, and extending the company's
market share lead in maritime VSAT service. KVH's mini-VSAT
Broadband service has steadily grown in both geographic coverage
and network capacity to become the world's largest Ku-band maritime
VSAT network. In 2013, the network delivered 370 terabytes of data
and 23 million voice minutes to an extensive array of vessels, such
as tankers and containerships traveling the world's major shipping
routes, fleets in remote fishing grounds, offshore supply vessels
in major oil and gas regions, Coast Guard cutters patrolling the
U.S. coastline, and luxury yachts on coastal and offshore voyages.
"KVH has a unique approach in the satellite communications
industry because we offer a true end-to-end solution," explains
Martin Kits van Heyningen, KVH's chief executive officer. "We not
only design and manufacture our own antenna hardware, we also
operate the satellite network, manage the airtime service, and
provide around-the-clock global support. Whether it is an IT
manager in charge of a major international fleet or a captain in
charge of a charter yacht, the single-source approach we offer is
invaluable when combined with the performance of our antenna
systems and the reliability of our network."
The mini-VSAT Broadband network's growth has been spurred in
part by the increasing demand for broadband on commercial vessels,
where more and more operational procedures require an Internet
connection—whether it is to comply with maritime regulations,
maintain communications with fleet headquarters, remotely monitor
vessel systems, or access weather and navigational information.
Crew members on commercial vessels and individuals on private
yachts also rely on Internet access and Voice over Internet
Protocol (VoIP) services to surf the web and stay in touch with
friends and family on land.
KVH more than doubled the capacity of the mini-VSAT Broadband
network last year by deploying Variable Coding, Spreading, and
Modulation (VCSM) technology provided by ViaSat, Inc.,
(Nasdaq:VSAT), which enables the network to handle transmissions
more efficiently and increases the amount of data that can be
carried over the network. The mini-VSAT Broadband network uses a
combination of 19 Ku-band transponders and 3 C-band beams to
provide total global coverage.
KVH's innovative approach to the antenna hardware designed for
the mini-VSAT Broadband network is another factor in the service's
growth, as customers have responded favorably to the small,
easy-to-install TracPhone onboard terminals that are as much as 85%
smaller than traditional VSAT systems. This compact design is made
possible by the mini-VSAT Broadband service's use of spread
spectrum technology, an advanced solution designed specifically for
mobile applications and one that enables small onboard terminals to
receive fast, affordable VSAT quality data connections. This ease
of installation made it possible for BW, a worldwide leader in
maritime energy transportation, to install KVH's global C/Ku-band
TracPhone V11-IP antenna system onboard 15 of its LNG and LPG
carriers within a three-month period.
The advanced TracPhone V-IP antenna systems, which are designed
and optimized by KVH for mini-VSAT Broadband service, include the
TracPhone V11-IP, a 1.1 meter diameter, dual-mode C/Ku-band antenna
for global VSAT connectivity; the TracPhone
V7-IP, a 60 cm diameter enterprise-grade antenna for Ku-band
service worldwide; and the TracPhone V3-IP, a 37 cm diameter
Ku-band antenna that is the world's most compact maritime VSAT
antenna. All three TracPhone V-IP systems include the Integrated
CommBoxTM Modem (ICM), a streamlined belowdecks unit that replaces
the need for a rack full of components and integrates all antenna
control, onboard network management, and modem functions in one
small box.
The recent enhancements to the mini-VSAT Broadband network
together with the onboard network management capabilities of the
TracPhone V-IP systems play a key role in KVH's recently announced
IP-MobileCastTM content delivery service. This service, which is
expected to be available later this year, is designed to deliver
news, entertainment, sports, and training content directly to
subscribing vessels over the top of the mini-VSAT Broadband
connection using a separate data stream and idle network bandwidth
such that the content delivery will not affect the customer's data
plan or onboard data speed. IP-MobileCast will also deliver
operational data such as electronic chart updates and weather
information.
The IP-MobileCast content will be provided by KVH Media Group,
which was formed after KVH's May 2013 acquisition of Headland
Media. KVH Media Group's brands include: NEWSlinkTM, which provides
digital newspapers for merchant vessels and cruise ships;
MOVIElinkTM and TVlinkTM, which provide new-release Hollywood
movies and television programs; SPORTSlinkTM, which provides sports
highlights and video clips from around the world; MUSIClinkTM,
which provides a variety of music channels onboard; and
TRAININGlinkTM, which provides an extensive array of maritime
safety films.
Note to Editors: High-resolution, press-ready images of KVH's
TracPhone V-IP series systems and mini-VSAT Broadband coverage maps
are available at www.kvh.com/Press-Room for download and editorial
use. Visit www.minivsat.com/vip for complete details about the
global mini-VSAT Broadband network, TracPhone V-IP series antennas,
and upcoming IP-MobileCast content delivery service.
About KVH Industries, Inc.
KVH Industries is a leading provider of in-motion satellite TV
and communications systems, having designed, manufactured, and sold
more than 175,000 mobile satellite antennas for applications on
vessels, vehicles, and aircraft. KVH is also a leading news, music,
and entertainment content provider to many industries including
maritime, retail, and leisure. KVH is based in Middletown, RI,
U.S.A., with facilities in Illinois, Denmark, Norway, the U.K.,
Singapore, the Philippines, Cyprus, and Japan.
This release contains forward-looking statements that involve
risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements include, for
example, statements regarding the timing and occurrence of new
service rollout plans, the functionality, characteristics, quality,
and performance of KVH's products and technology; anticipated
innovation and product development; and customer demand,
preferences, requirements, and expectations. The actual results
could differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking
statements. Factors that may cause such differences include, among
others, the successful launch and deployment of new satellites;
unanticipated technical or legal impediments related to new content
service offerings and/or strategic partnerships; access to
sufficient and uninterrupted satellite capacity to provide the
service; uncertainty about the scope of customer demand; the
potential inability to maintain licenses necessary for the network;
risks associated with the delivery or performance of critical
hardware; and changes in the costs and capabilities of competing
offerings. These and other risk factors are discussed in KVH's most
recent Form 10-Q filed with the SEC. KVH does not assume any
obligation to update its forward-looking statements to reflect new
information or developments.
KVH, TracPhone, CommBox, IP-MobileCast, NEWSlink, MOVIElink,
TVlink, MUSIClink, SPORTSlink, and TRAININGlink are trademarks of
KVH Industries, Inc. mini-VSAT Broadband is a service mark of KVH
Industries, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their
respective companies.
CONTACT: Jill Connors
Media & Communications Manager
KVH Industries, Inc.
401-851-3824
jconnors@kvh.com
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