DSD Shipping AS of Stavanger, Norway, is the latest commercial maritime operation to take advantage of the broadband access and affordable service offered by KVH Industries, Inc. via its compact TracPhone V7 satellite communications system and the mini-VSAT Broadband(SM) service. DSD Shipping recently completed a successful trial on the Stavanger Viking and is now moving ahead with the installation of KVH's 24-inch (60 cm) TracPhone V7 antenna on its nine remaining vessels. Once all the installations are complete, DSD Shipping crew members will have multiple voice lines along with broadband Internet, e-mail, and data access onboard as they travel throughout the mini-VSAT Broadband network's expanding global coverage area.
Due to its full compatibility with Dualog software, the TracPhone V7 solution also allows DSD Shipping to continue to benefit from their existing Inmarsat systems and service. This solution makes it easy for crew members to utilize a wide variety of applications in a cost effective manner by balancing the best features of the mini-VSAT Broadband and Inmarsat services. By using mini-VSAT Broadband throughout the expanding global coverage area, DSD Shipping saves enough in service charges each month to completely cover the cost of their TracPhone V7 hardware lease.
To ensure that installation expenses also remained as low as possible, DSD Shipping arranged to have the TracPhone V7 installed by Can Traders, one of KVH's certified partners in Singapore, while the Stavanger Viking was there, and Norwegian distributor Polaris Norway and a local Norwegian dealer, IKM Instrutek, managed the project and the sales process. As a result, DSD saved a significant amount on travel costs because they didn't have to redirect the vessel or fly technicians to Singapore to perform the installation.
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