What Do Yacht Passengers Value Most? It’s not what you think.
Yachting provides the ultimate experience of life at sea, with luxuries that make every voyage memorable. Waterskis and kayaks, jet packs and seabobs for the adventurous. Swimming pools, jacuzzies and spas for relaxation. Private theatres and game rooms for entertainment. The most popular feature aboard, however, is invisible. It is less an amenity than a necessity. And it is one of the most difficult to provide in a flawless manner that yacht owners and charterers expect. What is it? Internet connectivity. The high-speed connections so readily available on land now follow owners and guests aboard. But delivering a high-quality online experience from port to midocean is something very few companies can do. The world’s leader is Speedcast. In this white paper, we take you inside the technology and operations that make the internet at sea a reality and provide the connections, information, news and entertainment that add so much to life aboard.
Next Generation Services for Superior Passenger Experience
Speedcast has developed a suite of next-generation services that deliver the highest quality user experience available anywhere. It combines multiple technologies to overcome the barriers of distance and mobility that can restrict life aboard.
Unified Global Platform and Next-Gen Antennas
Connecting all the devices a passenger brings aboard takes a high-quality wired and wireless network. It must provide full coverage of the vessel’s interior and exterior deck space, and be ruggedized for reliability in all the conditions found at sea. But it is the terminal and modem connecting this network to the outside world that contributes to flawless connectivity. Yachts cross through many different networks on their journey. In port and near shore, they can connect with 4G LTE wireless. Beyond that range, they need access to broadband satellite service to provide the full capacity passengers need For reliability, however, they must be able to switch over to L-band satellite service on demand. It offers lower capacity but with reliability so high it is a maritime safety requirement. The best-of-breed technology from Speedcast is our Unified Global Platform, a technology that interconnects an advanced onboard modem and our global network to deliver 400/200 Mbps per modem, with higher availability from increased adaptivity and rain-fade mitigation. A combination of next-gen antennas, virtualized onboard equipment and a multi-path design adapt continuously to the available connectivity options. They automatically detect the presence of 4G LTE and subscribe to the network from our library of virtual SIM cards. To meet bandwidth demand, they can bundle multiple wireless connections together to create a single virtual high-capacity circuit.
The same automation system detects loss-of-signal from ground-based wireless and switches service to broadband satellite. That involves aligning the next-gen antenna to the right satellite, connecting and authenticating itself to the network – a complex process that happens automatically. And in the unlikely event the system loses broadband satellite access, it automatically switches to L-band service from loworbiting satellites to maintain connectivity, both for passenger use and safety at sea.
Advanced Network Technologies
That sophisticated onboard technology, however, is only a part of the story. Speedcast operates the largest maritime network in the world. It is made up of technology we own and operate and the technology of global wireless, wired and satellite communications companies with whom we partner. The same network that serves container vessels, tankers, bulk carriers and oil platforms responsible for billions in commerce also serves the community of yacht owners and managers. We maintain roaming agreements with hundreds of mobile network operators, and capacity contracts with the major providers of Ku-band and L-band satellite networks. But communications capacity is not enough. It is the advanced technology running in our global array of network operations centers (NOCs) that delivers the high-quality experience the yachting life demands – all running behind the scenes to keep yachts connected.
TrueBeam
2.0 Speedcast’s software-driven platform automatically performs “smart” beam-switching and traffic steering based on vessel location, available capacity, footprint contours, committed information rates and itineraries. Working behind the scenes, it ensures that Speedcast’s global network always delivers the best experience to our customers.
SD-WAN
Speedcast’s software-defined network technology seamlessly blends multiple transmission paths into a single, optimized, secure WAN that delivers the highest-quality uptime. It substantially improves performance while reducing total bandwidth requirements, provides end-to-end encryption and increases visibility and control over the network.
Cybersecurity as a Service
A comprehensive service, CaaS provides next-gen firewalls, endpoint security, secured remote access, anti-virus, threat management, intrusion protection and other essential security protection.
Service and Support
“Flawless” is not a promise that systems never fail. It is a promise to resolve issues at flank speed – if possible, before they become problems. Our automated monitoring platform typically identifies and resolves issues before they can affect the user experience. If service issues do arise, our Compass Portal provides visibility of services and a streamlined case management system for trouble-ticketing, interaction with support staff and notification of action. It puts you in touch with regional operations centers in the Americas, Asia, Australia and Europe that provide support in multiple language. These in-house teams are backed by more than 250 field engineers and technicians in 40+ nations, who can be dispatched to the nearest port on demand.
Connectivity without complications
These systems, the network technology and the customer care are behind every moment that yacht owners and passengers spend online. Whether they are streaming movies, sharing their experiences on social media, shopping or working remotely, Speedcast delivers the speed, capacity and quality of service they deserve.
The Speedcast Advantage
Speedcast is a leading communications and IT services provider, delivering critical communications services to the Maritime, Energy, Mining, Media, Telecom, Cruise, NGO, Government, and Enterprise sectors. The company leverages its global network platform to provide fully connected systems that harness technologies and applications to transform what remote operations can achieve. With the world’s most comprehensive network, Speedcast enables faster, seamless pole-to-pole coverage from a global hybrid satellite, fiber, cellular, microwave, MPLS, and IP transport network with direct access to public cloud platforms. The company integrates differentiated technology offerings that provide smarter ways to communicate and distribute content, manage network, and remote operations, protect and secure investments, and improve the crew and guest experience. With a passionate customer focus and a strong safety culture, Speedcast serves more than 3,200 customers in over 140 countries.
The article above is a White Paper by Speedcast. For more details contact info@speedcast.com
