The mini-VSAT Broadband maritime satellite communications network operated by KVH Industries received a major boost in capacity for mariners in the waters of North America, the Gulf of Mexico, and Central America.

With the addition of an additional full satellite transponder as well as the rollout of a powerful new spread spectrum waveform, KVH and its partner, ViaSat, expanded the mini-VSAT Broadband network's capacity in the region by more than 500% and further strengthened the ability of the network to support existing and future subscribers.

"The mini-VSAT Broadband network was designed from the ground up to offer service and performance superior to traditional maritime VSAT services. Thanks to its flexible and robust architecture, the network is capable of rapid, easy expansion to meet the growing demand for affordable broadband service and voice communications at sea," explains Brent C. Bruun, KVH's vice president of satellite sales and business development.

"Advancements in ViaSat's ArcLight spread spectrum waveform combined with additional satellite capacity allow us to provide more than six times the bandwidth previously available in this region. The additional capacity is especially critical in the Gulf of Mexico, where many mini-VSAT Broadband-equipped vessels are participating in oil spill recovery efforts."

The mini-VSAT Broadband network and the KVH TracPhone V7 antenna comprise the first next-generation maritime satellite communications solution, which includes the first FCC-approved 24-inch VSAT antenna along with a fully integrated worldwide service.

The seamless global network is delivered by eleven satellite transponders and eight secure earth stations and offers voice service and Internet access as fast as 512 Kbps (upload) and 2 Mbps (download) with significant cost savings compared to competing services.

Looking ahead toward future network enhancements, Bruun says: "For mariners looking ahead to their future communication needs, the mini-VSAT Broadband solution offers today what other providers are planning to offer three or four years from now. mini-VSAT Broadband is already the fastest growing global VSAT network for the maritime industry as we expect to ship our 1000th system very soon, less than three years after the launch of the service. While the network already offers outstanding capacity worldwide, we are committed to the continued enhancement of the service that vessels worldwide already enjoy. That is why we're now preparing to roll out this advanced technology into other mini-VSAT Broadband regions around the globe. Subscribers to mini-VSAT Broadband will benefit from these expansions in capacity as well as other advantages, all with no changes to their existing, compact TracPhone V7 hardware. No other network provider is capable of providing this combination of network flexibility, worldwide coverage, small antenna hardware, and affordable VSAT performance."