By
Rebecca Gibson |
Whether they are on a business trip, enjoying a beach break in the Mediterranean, or on a cruise, travellers expect to be able to access wifi and communications services as easily as they do at home.
“Just as guests expect land-based hotels to provide a reliable wifi network that will enable them to access work e-mail, browse websites and contact family, cruise passengers expect to stay connected while at sea,” says Simonian.
As shipboard crew also need to transfer operational data between the ship and onshore offices, Simonian predicts that the demand to stay connected will lead to an annual 20% rise in the volume of bandwidth needed onboard ships.
“From the engines, to the laundry rooms, to the officers’ computers, every device onboard passenger ships will need to send data over at least one network,” explains Simonian. “Operators want service providers that can guarantee a reliable, high-bandwidth connection that will enable them to provide onboard communication services wherever their ships sail.”
Satellite and terrestrial communications provider Harris CapRock Communications can do just that. “We supply the antenna and the below-deck equipment; the network infrastructure for voice, data and video services; crew-calling platforms; and even live broadcasting services,” says Simonian. “We own five customer support centres, teleports on six continents and currently provide 24/7 connectivity to more than 35% of the global cruise ship fleet.”
Harris CapRock’s 1,200-strong global team of engineers, technicians and support personnel monitor and maintain the clients’ networks and services, ensuring that it can respond to service issues and carry out preventative maintenance. “We also invest more than US$250,000,000 per year to ensure our customers remain at the forefront of innovation,” Simonian says.
In 2015, the company will expand its portfolio of communications solutions and high-throughput satellites, develop more responsive networks with higher bandwidth availability and extend its service coverage to more regions around the world. It will also enable customers to provision additional bandwidth for one-off events.
“Most passenger ships sail to a new destination every day, sometimes in remote regions without a supporting land-based infrastructure, so we need to deliver bandwidth via both satellite connections and means such as shoreside wireless networks,” says Simonian. “This year, we will introduce new technology that will enable ships to intelligently connect to the best available communications links.”
Harris CapRock will also expand its partnerships with Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Carnival Corporation & plc.
Over the past few months, Harris CapRock has provided additional bandwidth to Carnival Cruise Line to enable it to trial the Carnival Hub mobile app. The app allows guests to access various onboard and itinerary information and ‘chat’ to other passengers via mobile devices.
“The additional bandwidth also enabled Carnival to trial different internet and social media plans for guests,” says Simonian. “We will also help expand coverage for the O3b Maritime networks onboard Royal Caribbean’s ships to provide unprecedented levels of bandwidth.”
This February, Harris CapRock also launched the industry’s first tri-band antenna, which is capable of remotely and automatically switching between C-, Ka- and Ku-band frequencies. The antenna, along with a geographically aware Intelligent Communications Director, is part of a larger service offering called Harris CapRock One, which has been designed specifically for passenger vessels and will be trialled in April.
“Designed to support multiple communications transports while reducing needed deck space, Harris CapRock One is a breakthrough product for the industry and will help to improve the availability and resiliency of communications services,” explains Simonian.
Testament to its ability to provide reliable communications services across the globe, Harris CapRock was recently ranked number one on The Independent Top Twenty listing by the World Teleport Association (WTA).
“Delivering such high bandwidth capacity across the globe demands skill and expertise and the WTA award recognises our ability to consistently deliver innovation to our customers,” says Simonian.