[SatNews] KVH Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq:KVHI) now offers a service designed especially for customers aboard commercial vessels — the GlobalCare Premium Support Program for TracPhone(r) V7.

Now, owners of the TracPhone V7 satellite communications system can subscribe to this extended and expanded service plan that includes up to 5 years of warranty coverage as well as priority response, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, and 365 days per year. The service is accessed via a dedicated hotline and includes KVH-coordinated on-vessel service from qualified marine electronics professionals in thousands of ports around the world. GlobalCare offers a wide range of benefits for TracPhone V7 users via a dedicated technical support telephone hotline and e-mail address. GlobalCare subscribers will enjoy benefits like parts and labor warranty coverage for up to five years, enhanced support including KVH-initiated coordination of onboard service calls, remote diagnostics, onboard hardware repair (including replacement when necessary), rapid resolution of airtime service and network connectivity issues, and translation assistance when needed. GlobalCare is included with all existing and new TracPhone V7 lease packages and is available as an option for customers purchasing the TracPhone V7.

The mini-VSAT Broadband network was designed from the ground up to be the first nexgen maritime satellite communications solution. Offering service and performance superior to traditional maritime VSAT services through a global spread spectrum satellite network, it also includes the rugged KVH TracPhone V7, the first FCC-approved 24-inch (60 cm) VSAT antenna. The seamless worldwide network is delivered by 11 satellite transponders and eight secure earth stations and offers voice service and Internet access as fast as 512 Kbps (upload) and 2 Mbps (download) with significant cost savings compared to competing services.