"As we approach the 10th anniversary of our mini-VSAT Broadband service, this is one more way we are innovating for our customers, particularly in the crucial areas of connectivity and business flexibility.”
KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq:KVHI), now has available AgilePlans, its all-inclusive Connectivity as a Service (CaaS) offering for the maritime industry. For a monthly fee, AgilePlans by KVH brings an advanced satellite communications solution onboard without a costly capital expenditure or long-term commitment.
The subscription fee is as low as US$499/month for a complete package including hardware, connectivity, installation at select ports, entertainment and training content, and global support. The AgilePlans by KVH subscription model is designed to deliver everything a fleet needs for better communications and improved operational efficiency at sea.
K D Adamson, futurist and founder of Futurenautics Group assessed the product and commented that connectivity is the gateway to digital transformation for shipping, but the complexity and comparative expense of satellite communications has acted as a brake for many operators. Connectivity as a Service makes real sense, bringing simplicity, accessibility, and scalability without the need for up front CAPEX, so the AgilePlans service from KVH is groundbreaking in that respect. She added that this isn’t just about cutting costs, rather it’s about delivering value, which makes the inclusion of crew content and eLearning in the KVH offering really significant.
AgilePlans by KVH is designed to enable customers to adjust quickly to changing market conditions and support fleet expansion or contraction as needed. For example, subscribers can end a subscription at any time without penalty. The AgilePlans subscribers need only notify KVH, return the onboard hardware, and the subscription will end.
The monthly subscription fee for Agile Plans by KVH includes all of the following:
- All Necessary Hardware: Choice of KVH’s TracPhone® V7-IP or TracPhone V11-IP antenna system; the belowdecks Integrated CommBox™ Modem (ICM); and required cables
- Installation: Free shipping to, and standard installation in select ports around the globe
- Maintenance & Support: Zero maintenance costs for the life of the subscription; KVH OneCare™ Global Technical Assistance Package; proactive performance monitoring
- Airtime and Voice: Choice of KVH’s usage-based airtime data plans with speeds up to 4 Mbps shore-to-ship, and a KVH-assigned VoIP number
- Management Portal: myKVH™
- Vessel Tracking Service: Basic Tracking
- Crew Welfare: NEWSlink™ Print and NEWSlink TV delivered and updated daily via KVH’s IP-MobileCast™ content delivery service
- Training Content: TRAININGlink™ Videotel™ Basic Training Package of videos covering Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW)-related material for one of three categories: tankers, dry cargo, or offshore
- Operations Data Delivery: CHARTlink™ and FORECASTlink™ multicast delivery of third-party chart and weather data
Martin Kits van Heyningen, CEO of KVH stated that they are thrilled to bring the benefits of the all-inclusive AgilePlans subscription service to the maritime industry. Ship operators know they can drive efficiency when they bring fast and reliable broadband onboard, and with the AgilePlans service, they will be able to get the benefits from day one. He continued that as they approach the 10th anniversary of the mini-VSAT Broadband service, this is one more way they are innovating for their customers, particularly in the crucial areas of connectivity and business flexibility.
Oliver Clauser, Nautic/IT, of Reederei Köpping Gmbh & Co. KG, technical manager on behalf of a ship portfolio managed by the Ernst Russ Group which has already placed an order commented that KVH’s subscription program provides the advanced communications solution they need for their vessels, and includes all the factors they consider critical for our operations – a high-performing satellite communications system, the data consumption they anticipate for crew welfare, and remote access to the ships’ IT systems, among other things. The program’s low investment cost was a deciding factor as well, given that KVH provides not only the equipment itself, but the installation and maintenance.
The AgilePlans service complements existing purchase and lease options offered by KVH.
