Inmarsat and Ericsson have signed a strategic agreement that will see them partner their services to transform the future of the connected ship
The two heavyweights are set to drive industry standards for satellite connectivity and application integration in the maritime industry.
As a first step, Ericsson has signed a distribution contract to offer XpressLink, Inmarsat’s combined L-band and Ku-band VSAT network for the maritime market. XpressLink offers an easy upgrade path to Inmarsat’s Fleet Xpress service, powered by the new Global Xpress constellation, when it becomes available in the coming months.
The new strategic relationship will also pave the way for integration between Ericsson’s Maritime ICT Cloud and global connectivity delivered over Inmarsat’s satellite communications network, including both Ka and L-band.
What Do Inmarsat Say?
Ronald Spithout, President Inmarsat Maritime, said: “With Fleet Xpress, the world’s first mobile hybrid Ka/L-band high-speed broadband service, embedded in and enabling world-class solutions from Ericsson, we are re-defining maritime connectivity. This transformational agreement will open up opportunities for vessel operators and managers to capture intelligent data immediately.”
“We are happy that the reliability of the Inmarsat constellation of satellites and operational standards are recognised as the best fit in the Ericsson roadmap of integrated services.”
What Do Ericsson Say?
John Taxgaard, Head of Maritime at Ericsson, said: “Ericsson believes that the Internet of Things has the potential to generate tremendous value for the maritime industry. Partnering with the leading provider of global mobile satellite communications services is the best means of helping the maritime industry to realise this value.”
