H2OLiteSpeed extends European coverage for Superfast Maritime VSAT

By: SMM

Successful ASTRA 3B launch brings maritime broadband to the Mid-Mediterranean

Maritime VSAT users in Europe will be amongst those benefitting from the recent successful launch of the Astra 3B satellite. Based on SES ASTRA’s successful broadband technology ASTRA2Connect, the superfast H2OLiteSpeed VSAT solution which launched with great success last September will now see its European footprint widen to include the Mid-Mediterranean from Almeria, Spain in the West to Kusadasi, Turkey in the East, allowing more short sea and leisure vessels to cut their communications costs.

“H2OLiteSpeed caused a flurry of interest and orders at launch, so we all knew that extending the footprint would allow us to gain more traction and customers; the launch of the ASTRA 3B satellite now allows us to do that,” explained Robert Kenworthy whose H2OSatellite is, together with SES ASTRA, part of the consortium behind the dedicated maritime solution. “We showcased the broader solution at Posidonia where it generated a lot of interest.”

With download speeds of up to 2MBit/s and antennae as small as 60cm in diameter, bundled with support and installation for a low, fixed monthly fee, H2OLiteSpeed is the fastest, most compact and most cost effective maritime VSAT solution for short sea commercial and leisure vessels in Europe. The extension of coverage into the southern Mediterranean allows it to penetrate that market more effectively. The system has already proved popular with ferry companies including LD Lines where the combination of fixed monthly billing and the flexibility to offer reliable, cheap communications for both passengers and crew make it an ideal package.

ASTRA 3B is located at 23.5 degrees East, SES ASTRA's fastest growing orbital position for Direct-to-Home (DTH) broadcast services mainly to the Benelux and Eastern Europe as well as bi-directional broadband services across Europe and the Middle East. ASTRA 3B will allow SES ASTRA to extend its geographical coverage and its service and offer DTH TV reception from Spain to the Black Sea. It will also help SES ASTRA to further optimize the spectrum use at 23.5 degrees East.

About H2OLiteSpeed

H₂OLiteSpeed is a high speed broadband VSAT solution developed specifically for the maritime market by a consortium consisting of Europe’s leading satellite provider SES ASTRA, leading maritime satellite communications partner H₂OSatellite and antennae manufacturer KNS. The solution delivers up to 2Mbit/s high speed internet access, VOIP and data using stabilized tracking antenna with dishes from 60cm in diameter and powered by ASTRA2Connect, Europe’s most successful broadband solution. Customers can choose from a range of tailored, fixed rate packages which include hardware, software, installation and support starting from under EUR200/month. The system is suitable for short-sea commercial vessels including ferries, fishing vessels, cargo carriers operating at sea and on in-land waterways, yachts and other leisure craft and allows crews, passengers or friends on-board the benefit of reliable, always-on broadband. Currently offering coverage throughout Northern European waters the H₂OLiteSpeed footprint recently expanded with the launch of the ASTRA 3B satellite to include the Mediterranean Sea allowing more customers to make major savings over alternative conventional maritime solutions.

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