Maritime VSAT Solution Sheet

Maritime VSAT Solution Sheet
Broadband at Sea: The New Imperative for Success

Across the maritime industry, the trend is growing toward IP-based
applications. Whether it’s more reliable ship-to-shore connectivity using On-board, high-speed
VoIP, VPN or video, to smoother vessel operation via real-time condition applications:
monitoring, or improved crew welfare by providing Internet access and
IP-enabled Bridge
email, the benefits are substantial.
♦♦ Real-time business applications
But for years, maritime networks have been restricted by narrowband, ♦♦ Common LAN infrastructure
pay-per-use services forcing expensive trade offs and less than adequate ♦♦ Corporate voice and
connectivity. videoconferencing
♦♦ Electronic Navigation/ECDIS
The industry first experienced high-speed VSAT services that were built
using SCPC technology which provided dedicated connectivity to each Vessel Operation
ship. But since SCPC connections were not tailored to the dynamic needs ♦♦ Condition monitoring
onboard the ship, they were often over-dimensioned, leading to a very ♦♦ IT remote diagnostics
expensive proposition for service providers and vessel owners alike. ♦♦ Vessel/Engine telemetry
Shipping companies with small to medium-sized fleets were never able ♦♦ Logistics and cargo data exchange
to afford dedicated connectivity and were forced to rely on costly pay-
Crew Communications
per-minute or pay-per-megabyte services as their only option.
♦♦ Cellular service and VoIP
♦♦ Email, web browsing
Shared, Affordable VSAT Services to the Rescue
♦♦ Streaming video
Fortunately, as technology has advanced, service providers now have
a better choice for delivering high-speed VSAT services. Networks built
using Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) allow for the intelligent
sharing of bandwidth to provide a more reliable, efficient and cost-
effective option.
Furthermore, the falling prices and reduced sizes of stabilized VSAT

antennas are expanding the market opportunity and propelling the
uptake of TDMA systems throughout the maritime industry.
According to the Comsys Maritime VSAT Report the number of vessels

enabled with VSAT technology will increase by more than 400 percent
through 2012 and as the market leader in maritime TDMA networks
iDirect is helping spur this growth.
Flexible Bandwidth Allocation and Service Scalable Network Expansion
Reliability iDirect’s universal hub technology enables service providers
iDirect’s unique IP-based approach to shared bandwidth, to meet any global or regional need in the most efficient
called deterministic TDMA, significantly reduces satellite way. The modular design of the hub enables a service
bandwidth by dynamically allocating bandwidth to provider to cost effectively launch a network with a few line
multiple vessels based on a bandwidth pool. cards and limited bandwidth, and then scale effectively by
adding new line cards as demand grows. Service providers
When coupled with iDirect’s award-winning Group can expand their network across regions on up to five
Quality of Service (GQoS) feature, service providers satellites in Ku- or C-Band from a single hub.
can segment bandwidth across multiple ships — even
across fleets — and prioritize allocation according to For large scale networks, service providers can
each ship’s dynamic requirements, all while protecting take advantage of even more efficient bandwidth
minimum CIR and QoS settings for high-priority technologies such as iDirect’s DVB-S2 with Adaptive
traffic. This enables service providers to develop Coding and Modulation.
flexible service packages with accurate Service
Level Agreements more cost effectively, without For service providers looking to launch a maritime service
compromising guaranteed quality and reliability. with minimal upfront investment in infrastructure, iDirect’s
popular Virtual Network Operator (VNO) model offers a
more scalable approach: service providers can lease hub
space from existing hub operators without compromising
full control over their own network.
Easy Network Management Seamless Global Coverage
With iDirect’s iVantage Network Management System (NMS) iDirect’s Automatic Beam Switching (ABS) entirely eliminates
service providers can easily monitor, configure and control the need for an onboard technician to manually handle the
their entire satellite network. connectivity transition from one satellite beam to the next.
A key component of iVantage is the Global NMS enabling service Through exact GPS positioning and constant data point
providers to manage and monitor each ship’s remote from a comparison with the hub, the iDirect router determines the
single system as it passes through separate networks around best satellite coverage at any time. When it is determined
the world. Global NMS enables every remote to have multiple that a vessel is reaching the beam edge, the router initiates
instances in the different hubs while being uniquely identified an automatic re-pointing of the antenna and transfer of the
by a fixed global IP address when travelling around the globe. connectivity to the new beam, enabling the continuous
delivery of communication services.
Another feature of iVantage is Geographic Mapping which
provides real-time information on the status and location
of each ship.
All of these features greatly facilitate the network management

of global fleets and help ensure a consistent end-user experience.
Supporting a Wide Range of Stabilized A Sea of New Opportunities
Antenna Models The maritime market is growing rapidly. Vessel operators
When designing a maritime network, service providers across all segments need always-on, high-speed
have a broad choice of stabilized antenna systems, ranging connectivity to help them retain skilled maritime talent;
from sub one meter Ku-Band antennas for small vessels to increase the interaction between operations at sea
2.4m C-band antennas for the world’s largest cargo ships. and management on-shore; and realize cost savings
Although smaller antenna systems are more prone to cause that come with tighter operations and faster information
adjacent satellite interference, iDirect’s efficient spread exchange.
spectrum helps overcome this issue, enabling reliable
connectivity on ultra-small antennas onboard yachts. For service providers, these emerging requirements
are creating demand for VSAT services and generating
iDirect’s platform is antenna agnostic supporting all major new business in an expanding market. With the iDirect
stabilized antenna manufacturers. Whether through iDirect’s intelligent platform and maritime feature set they can
continuous testing of new models or the implementation offer cost-effective, scalable solutions and always-on
of OpenAMIP, an open-source standard designed to work connectivity creating a sea of new opportunities.
seamlessly with the system’s antenna control unit, service
providers are always able to choose the models that best
suit their customer’s requirements.
iDirect
13865 Sunrise Valley Drive
Herndon, VA 20171
+1 703.648.8000
+1 866.345.0983
www.idirect.net
Advancing a Connected World

Maritime VSAT Solution Sheet

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How does iDirect's deterministic TDMA approach work?

What are some benefits of iDirect's Global NMS?

Maritime VSAT Solution Sheet

Broadband at Sea: The New Imperative for Success

Furthermore, the falling prices and reduced sizes of stabilized VSAT

According to the Comsys Maritime VSAT Report the number of vessels

All of these features greatly facilitate the network management

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