Under the terms of this arrangement, KVH’s TracPhone V7 system and the mini-VSAT Broadband service will become Thrane & Thrane’s solution for maritime VSAT communications. The TracPhone V7 system will be offered to the maritime community worldwide as a private labeled system under Thrane & Thrane’s SAILOR® brand and the company may also consider developing new SAILOR products compatible with KVH’s mini-VSAT Broadband network. In addition, Thrane & Thrane will employ the strength of its extensive global sales, distribution, and support network to market the service under the mini-VSAT Broadband global brand established by KVH.
The TracPhone V7, a rugged, 24-inch (60 cm) antenna, delivers mini-VSAT Broadband service with data rates as fast as 2 Mbps shore-to-ship and 512 Kbps ship-to-shore. A fraction of the size of standard 1-meter VSAT systems, the TracPhone V7 (and its fully integrated below-decks modem and control unit) offers easy connections to shipboard networks, fully stabilized tracking, and a significant reduction in hardware and installation costs, without compromising performance. Mariners currently enjoy access to uninterrupted Ku-band Internet and voice services via mini-VSAT Broadband from the Asian coast eastward throughout North America and the Caribbean, across the North Atlantic, and all the way through Mediterranean waters. Additional coverage around the globe is expected to roll out in the coming year under the auspices of a joint effort by KVH and communications leader ViaSat.