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Satnews Daily
April 25th, 2012

Boatracs + KVH Industries... Fishing For More Connectivity (SATCOM)



KVH Industries' TracPhone V3
[SatNews] Boatracs Inc. and KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq: KVHI are collaborating to deliver...

...an end-to-end mini-VSAT Broadband℠ solution for small to medium sized businesses in the commercial workboat and fishing markets. Sold through Boatracs, the Boatracs mini-VSAT Fleet Management Solution includes a TracPhone® V3 (to be called the Boatracs mini-VSAT V3), for global broadband connectivity as well as Boatracs’ web-based fleet management platform, Boatracs BTConnect®. Boatracs’ other maritime software products will also be available including BTForms™, an electronic forms solution that automates and simplifies vessel data collection for operations, reporting and compliance record keeping. This new solution will be made available and supported through KVH and Boatracs’ loyal certified dealer network.

The TracPhone V3 is the world’s smallest maritime VSAT antenna, designed for vessels as small as 30 feet. With airtime rates 1/10th the cost of L-band systems, the mini-VSAT network offers downloads as fast as 2Mbps at $0.99 per MB and phone calls worldwide at only $0.49 per minute. The benefits of the product have changed the game for satellite communications since being introduced by KVH in February 2011 due to its small size, fast data rates and affordable service. Powered by the largest VSAT network in the world, Boatracs’ unique offering will enable commercial maritime owners and operators to justify the need for reliable satellite communications on board their fleets of vessels.

Boatracs BTConnect® is a web-based solution that integrates message and mapping functionality, providing access to fleet-wide data from anywhere on any device. With features such as route planning, custom landmarks and global map layers, BTConnect ties together the critical functions of visually managing a fleet with two-way messaging to improve dispatching, accelerate invoicing and streamline shore side operations.