Stratos Introduces Inmarsat XpressLink Managed Broadband Service for Commercial Shipping Companies
--New service provides upgrade pathway to Inmarsat's Global Xpress--
BETHESDA, MD, July 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ - Stratos Global, the leading global provider of advanced mobile and fixed-site remote communications solutions, today announced the commercial availability of Inmarsat XpressLink from Stratos, its newest managed global broadband service for the maritime industry.
Inmarsat XpressLink is the latest addition to Stratos' maritime broadband portfolio. Inmarsat XpressLink from Stratos offers enhanced Ku-band coverage and bandwidth and leverages the global capabilities of FleetBroadband. Inmarsat XpressLink offers the only guaranteed upgrade path to Inmarsat's Global Xpress Ka-band service. Global Xpress, which is expected to be commercially available in 2013, will deliver speeds of up to 50Mbps.
The new Inmarsat XpressLink service includes a guaranteed free hardware upgrade to Global Xpress. The turnkey managed service offers customers fixed cost and high data capability. This makes Inmarsat XpressLink ideally suited for global shipping companies that are customizing their own network environment and require greater throughputs and bandwidth.
With a suggested retail price of US$2,999 per month over 60 months, Inmarsat XpressLink from Stratos offers:
- The Stratos Advantage value-added services that ensure customers attain the highest possible broadband performance, security and cost control;
- Ku-band hardware, upgradeable to Ka-band;
- FleetBroadband (FB500) hardware;
- Ku bandwidth at 512kbps/512kbps;
- A committed information rate (CIR) of 128kbps;
- Inclusive FleetBroadband airtime where the VSAT service is not available, and;
- Guaranteed double bandwidth upgrade on Global Xpress (1Mbps/1Mbps and 256kbps CIR).
As with other Stratos managed services, Inmarsat XpressLink from Stratos delivers a managed MPLS extension network over separate L-band and Ku-band networks, delivering resilient and redundant paths. The MPLS network separates and logically manages business, crew and non-essential traffic - while delivering high-quality voice communications via the highly efficient Inmarsat circuit-switched network.
"The world's leading shipping companies need higher volumes of data to support critical applications and increased demand for crew communications. They demand expert consulting and ongoing support to adapt the latest broadband programs to their specific requirements," said Stratos President and CEO Jim Parm. "We are meeting those demands by bringing Inmarsat XpressLink managed IP services into our maritime broadband portfolio, which also includes FBBPlus and FleetBroadband Flat Fee plans."
Parm concluded, "Our wide range of broadband solutions proves that we are ideally suited to help expand our customers' communications capabilities, as we prepare for the availability of Inmarsat's Global Xpress services."
Growing Maritime Broadband Portfolio
Stratos continues to grow its maritime broadband portfolio to meet the increasing bandwidth demands of its customers. Inmarsat XpressLink is the latest addition. In February, Stratos introduced its FBBPlus service and began deploying it on approximately 40 vessels for Hapag-Lloyd, under a five-year contract. Stratos also has deployed FBBPlus for MISC Berhad, one of Malaysia's largest international shipping lines.
In addition to Inmarsat XpressLink and FBBPlus, Stratos also offers FleetBroadband Flat Fee service packages. FleetBroadband Flat Fee packages include 10GB and 15GB data connectivity plans, in addition to highly competitive rates for voice calls. FleetBroadband Flat Fee packages offer the high performance, global coverage, simplicity and reliability of Inmarsat FleetBroadband - in addition to The Stratos Advantage value-added services - for a single, affordable monthly rate. FleetBroadband Flat Fee packages already have been deployed by Stratos Channel Partner Navarino Telecom for ship-management companies Grieg Shipping Group, OSM Ship Management and Ugland Marine Services.
Maritime customers can secure more information on Inmarsat XpressLink, FBBPlus and FleetBroadband Flat Fee solutions from Stratos by contacting their Stratos account manager or via [email protected].
About Inmarsat XpressLink from Stratos
XpressLink offers shipping companies a highly flexible migration path toward Inmarsat's Global Xpress services, which are expected to be commercially available in 2013. XpressLink offers enhanced Ku-band coverage and bandwidth and leverages the global capabilities of FleetBroadband. For a flat monthly fee, XpressLink offers a managed data communications capability of up to 512Kbps, with 128Kbps CIR.
Stratos offers a wide range of value-added services to provide ship managers with optimal communications performance, management control and cost efficiency. Stratos is the largest supplier of mobile satellite services to the maritime industry, with communications to more than 40,000 maritime terminals worldwide. Stratos' industry-leading portfolio of maritime broadband satellite services also includes FleetBroadband, FBBPlus, Iridium OpenPort and the VSAT solutions OceanVSAT and StratosITek.
Inmarsat XpressLink Features The Stratos Advantage
With the benefit of The Stratos Advantage, XpressLink is elevated far above baseline services. The value-added services comprising The Stratos Advantage, including Stratos Dashboard, provide users with cost and traffic control, high-usage metering, firewall management, data optimization, real-time traffic overviews, instant remote provisioning, high security options, easy VPN access, messaging services and a full range of IP options.
In addition to offering The Stratos Advantage, Stratos works with application partners to deliver broadband business solutions in key maritime business areas. These solutions include voyage management, remote management, IT management and cargo management, which help reduce fuel and operations costs and improve crew and customer satisfaction.
About Stratos
Stratos is the world's trusted leader for vital communications. Stratos offers the most powerful and extensive portfolio of remote communications solutions including mobile and fixed satellite and microwave services. More than 20,000 customers use Stratos products and industry-leading value-added services to optimize communications performance. Stratos serves U.S. and international government, military, first responder, NGO, oil and gas, industrial, maritime, aeronautical, enterprise, and media users on seven continents and across the world's oceans. Stratos is a wholly owned subsidiary of Inmarsat plc. For more information, visit www.stratosglobal.com.
SOURCE Stratos Global Corporation
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