Connexion by Boeing is expanding its service to the
maritime industry.
Boeing, which offers airline passengers a broadband internet
connection via satellite, has successfully tested real-time data
communication and live, high-quality video teleconferencing from a
private vessel in Seattle's Lake Union to the company's Seattle
campus.
The service, which is already being installed on planes owned by
several international airlines, is expected to be approximately 10
times faster than most commonly deployed communications systems
available in the maritime industry today - and less expensive to
use.
Details about the system and service pricing will be announced
closer to launch.
"We're engaged in discussions with several of the leading
maritime operators, as well as potential distributors, and have
received a tremendously positive response to our service and the
speeds at which we can move data," said Connexion by Boeing
president Scott Carson.
The maritime offering uses the existing satellite and
ground-based network already set up by Connexion by Boeing and will
bring the same capabilities for robust, high-speed connectivity to
the maritime industry.
Existing networks will provide coverage in the North Atlantic,
and an offering for Pacific Ocean coverage will be announced
soon.
Vessel operators and passengers will be able to use the
Connexion service to access the internet and firewall-protected
corporate intranets; send e-mails or open large attachments from
incoming e-mails; get news, weather or destination information; and
view satellite television programming.
In addition, the service will enhance ship-to-shore
communications for ship captains and crew and enable a crew
to monitor ships' systems and cargo remotely to improve the
efficiency and safety of the vessels.
"This is a very natural expansion of Connexion by Boeing's
service," said Craig Mathias, an analyst at Farpoint Group.
"Internet access on ships has been mostly low-speed. This is
broadband, so it will give them high-speed access."
"Business people are used to getting their daily dose of the
internet - ships do often have internet cafes where you are able to
connect to the internet, though the rates are typically expensive
per minute. So, if Boeing is able to offer a less-expensive
alternative with good enough data rates, it actually might be a
good seller," said Alan Reiter, an analyst at Wireless Internet
& Mobile Computing.
"But Connexion might be able to expand into ships that are less
consumer-oriented, such as freighters, where checking the internet
would be useful for everything from ship-related information to
enabling the crew to communicate with their friends and
relatives."
Linda Rosencrance writes for Computerworld