[Satnews] Phasor, Inc. has partnered with satellite and remote communications services provider Harris CapRock Communications to develop an electronically-steerable antenna (ESA) terminal.

Phasor’s ESAs are based on patented innovations in dynamic beam-forming technologies and system architecture. The companies will co-develop a maritime terminal based on Phasor’s ESA technology that will support high throughput (HTS) Ku-band satellite communications to be included as part of Harris CapRock’s managed services offering. This terminal will be ideal for high mobility and higher bandwidth applications, such as those found in the cruise market. Harris CapRock holds special distribution rights for the terminal in the cruise market.
 
The cruise-sector communications market is experiencing rapid growth and the ships of today have very unique connectivity requirements. They combine multiple services such as passenger broadband-access, retail, banking and hospitality and this places big demands on their communications infrastructure. The ability to offer a very high standard of connectivity to passengers on board is differentiating factor. Therefore, reliable and expandable broadband connectivity on board a vessel is imperative.

Phasor’s very low profile antenna provides high-bandwidth service in a more reliable, robust and failure-tolerant way. The antenna is solid-state, with no moving parts, so satellite signals are tracked electronically. Its sleek look is ideal for cruise lines, eliminating the need for visually unappealing radomes spread around the vessel. The terminal can match the performance of a 2.4m antenna dish, making it the ideal solution to meet the demanding communications requirements of cruise lines, while the antenna’s modular architecture allows the system to be scaled to any environment. 
 
Tracey Haslam, president, Harris CapRock, said, "Phasor makes a smart partner for driving our momentum forward by developing and bringing the world’s first flat panel, phased array antenna communications solution for the cruise market.”
 
David Helfgott, CEO of Phasor, said, “Phasor’s game-changing, electronically steerable antenna (ESA) technology provides greater capability, flexibility and performance than existing systems today. Together we will leverage our strengths to provide a maritime terminal to ensure the delivery of reliable broadband communications to the cruise market.”