Telenor Satellite Services, a subsidiary of Telenor of Norway
(Oslo Stock Exchange: TEL and NASDAQ: TELN), announced today that it
is developing a new broadband communications line of services for the
maritime industry enabling seamless global roaming for data and voice
communications at sea.
OceanRoam(TM) will provide vessels worldwide Internet and
telephone connectivity around-the-clock using the ships' assigned IP
addresses and telephone numbers regardless of location.
Telenor's OceanRoam will offer "always-on" Internet access and
IP-based service at a fixed monthly price. The service will enable
voice services and unlimited data transfer for ship's business and
crew communications and will feature a variety of committed
information rate (CIR) service levels up to 128 kbps. Additionally,
OceanRoam will meet vessels' communications requirements for bandwidth
intensive applications, such as video conferencing and large data
transfers, by providing a series of optional bandwidth on demand
information rates of up to 1024 kbps.
OceanRoam incorporates technology developed by Comtech EF Data of
Tempe, Arizona, including the bandwidth and capacity management
system, Vipersat Products. The solution is based on dynamically
managed Single Channel Per Carrier (dSCPC) and automatic application
switching technologies, which enable increased satellite resource
efficiencies and significantly reduced recurring operating expenses.
Bandwidth on-demand is facilitated and all aspects of the satellite
network can be configured, controlled, and monitored via Comtech's
products.
"OceanRoam will become a powerful 'at sea' communications business
tool and is designed to promote ship operations efficiency, expand on
board business application to more closely reflect the home office,
and to boost crew morale by offering members an easy way to stay in
touch with loved ones at home," said Tore Morten Olsen, executive vice
president of Telenor Satellite Services. "The combination of 'always
available' committed information rates and demand-assigned bandwidth,
will give vessels the seamless, dynamic communications flexibility
regardless of location."
Commercial availability is planned for the 4th quarter of 2007.