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Smooth cruising for IONA with connectivity from Space Norway and Telenor Maritime.

Norwegian fjord where IONA offers cruise routes

As a result of a longstanding partnership with Telenor Maritime, Space Norway has successfully provided connectivity for the IONA, the largest cruise ship commissioned by P&O Cruises and owned by Carnival Cruises.

A first for P & 0 and a first for Space Norway!

Representing a first for P & O Cruises, IONA was the largest cruise ship commissioned for P&O by owner Carnival Cruises at the time of its delivery in October 2020. Additionally, it was a first for Space Norway in delivering ongoing connectivity for a cruise liner of this size. Featuring a unique glass ‘sky dome’, the ship can carry 5206 passengers and operates with a crew of 1762. This means there are approximately 7000 people onboard at any one time, all dependent on the safe and secure running of the vessel. She was also the first LNG-powered vessel dedicated to the British market. As such, she also fits many of the environmental requirements of modern ships.

 

IONA is put through her paces with connectivity from Space Norway

As with all new builds, the ship underwent sea trials which took place over the course of a few weeks when systems were checked. The sea trials proved to be very successful, so Telenor Maritime was appointed to provide connectivity services for the ship. They subsequently gave the contract for the supply of satellite communications to Space Norway whose THOR satellite would support IONA’s operational needs.

Space Norway’s Director Data Services division, Jan Hetland, explains that the close working relationship between all parties was a key component to the success of the switch to the new, Space Norway service from the company which had supplied connectivity during the trials. “We are very pleased to be trusted with providing the connectivity for P&O’s IONA. Due to their size and complex operational requirements, these ships require highly reliable communications and a sophisticated network setup. Add to this the fact that service had to be transitioned from the previous service provider literally without interruption as the vessel operates 24/7/365. This was made possible through close technical coordination between Space Norway, Telenor Maritime and Carnival staff, laying the foundation for further projects in the near future.”

Initially IONA was operating standard weekly routes to the Canary Islands but, from the end of April, its itinerary switched further north to the Norwegian Fjords to make the most of the longer summer days.

 

Northerly route requires a specialist satellite operator

To accommodate the challenging northerly position, Space Norway changed the satellite feed over to its THOR 5 satellite, supported by ground services from the company’s Nittedal Teleport.

Space Norway is currently providing IONA with 170 Mbps (110 / 60 Mbps) through its Anker Managed service on Ku-band on the ST Engineering iDirect Dialog platform. This is part of a hybrid service that includes elements of LEO satellite communications to support customer and crew wi-fi usage and internet browsing. The geostationary service provided by Space Norway covers the critical operational aspects of the vessel including navigation, weather mapping, monitoring, data collection and 4G mobile network – GEOs tend to be more stable and so can provide a more robust service where safety and security are an issue.

The hybrid systems remain in balance as a result of an advanced connectivity platform which makes sure capacity is taken as needed from either the GEO or LEO satellite feeds.

 

The unique internet challenges of Norway’s rugged coastline

If cruise liners in general impose particular challenges on satellite communications, this is taken to another level entirely when you introduce the geography of the Norwegian Fjords, long, deep and narrow inlets created from the retreat of glaciers and surrounded by craggy mountains. This is where the THOR satellite fleet comes into its own as it has a great look angle from 1⁰ West helping to minimise the shadowing from the southern mountains which would obstruct the sight of the satellite. Space Norway is able to provide the best possible connectivity in these particular circumstances due to the position of the THOR fleet.

 

A truly robust connectivity service is essential for IONA

Of course, when operating a large and heavily populated vessel such as a cruise liner, there are many demands on the ship that wouldn’t be there on, for example, a cargo vessel. Paying guests expect a luxury experience and so are less forgiving when personal connectivity lets them down. Obviously, safety systems are always paramount, particularly when so many passengers and crew are dependent on  a truly resilient service. Space Norway’s unique satellite look angle is supported by two VSAT antennas onboard IONA so that connectivity is ‘always on’.

But it’s not only the operations that are critical, on cruises in general there is a heavy demand for high uptime. Operations are critical but the revenue-generating aspects are equally significant, and clients expect superior QoS without any latency or connection loss when they are onboard.

 

A successful result for all involved

Although connectivity from Space Norway has been delivered to many passenger fleets with large numbers of guests over the years, this was the first time that the company had provided satellite connectivity outside of sea trials for such a large cruise liner.

Sveinung Sætre
Sales Manager, Cruise, Telenor Maritime.

“It’s another level of detailing and planning that has been required and we are delighted to say that it has been a positive experience for us and also for P&O’s owners, Carnival. Space Norway was happy to have regular meetings with our client and put in all the necessary resources to ensure a good outcome to the benefit of all concerned.”

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The Greensand Project: connecting the future with the past.

ESVAGT INNOVATOR – a multipurpose ERRV, supporting the Greensand Project.
The ESVAGT INNOVATOR. Photo: Esvagt.

Project Greensand is at the cutting edge of carbon recapture. Taking liquidised CO2 and pumping it back into depleted wells in the North Sea. In close collaboration with Seasat, we provided vital connectivity links to ESVAGT INNOVATOR, allowing for analysis of recordings and data transfer both onboard and ashore.

An international consortium

One of the most exciting European projects in the race to achieve 2030 carbon goals must be Project Greensand which is working towards making CO2 storage part of Denmark’s solution to the climate challenges we all face.

Project Greensand is truly ground-breaking, aiming to demonstrate whether the concept of carbon capture and the related technology can work at scale, opening up the prospect of other countries following its lead.

A consortium of partners from Denmark and around the world are working together at the vanguard of this technology which aims to liquify and bury deep underground up to 13% of the country’s CO2 emissions. The liquified CO2 will be pumped back into depleted wells in the North Sea off Denmark.

One of these consortium members is Esvagt, a company which has been part of the oil and gas ecosystem in the North Sea for more than 40 years and has been instrumental to the building of today’s standards relating to safety and secure operations through its development of the Emergency Response and Rescue Vessels (ERRV) operating in the region.

With such a wealth of experience in, and commitment to, safety, Esvagt was delighted to be invited to join the consortium where its role is to provide a vessel dedicated to facilitating the seismic recordings and measurements taken throughout the duration of the project. The ESVAGT INNOVATOR is currently on long-term charter to INEOS. For the Greensand project the vessel is hosting more than 10 other partners and their staff, all handling the technical aspects of the project, and this is where Telenor Satellite gets involved.

 

Data sent between ship and shore

Through our Danish reseller, Seasat, we have been providing connectivity to the vessel, enabling data to be sent from ship to shore and vice versa. In fact, connectivity is a vital element of the project which requires quick analysis of the recordings coming from each of the different aspects of the project and the many partners involved. This is in the form of a 12/1 Mbps service which is delivered by our satellite THOR 5/Spot 1 on Ku-band. In addition to the connectivity required by the researchers, we are also maintaining communications links in support of the ship’s own critical systems such as DP positioning, systems monitoring, and internet.

Kim Martinsen
CEO, Seasat.

“It is wonderful to see a Danish project at the cutting edge of sustainability technology and we are delighted to be involved. We have a longstanding relationship with Telenor Satellite, so we had no hesitation in bringing them into the fold.”

Remote Operating Vehicle (ROV)
ROV (Remote Operating Vehicle) is being deployed for observation of subsea operations by the LARS (Launch and Recovery System) onboard ESVAGT INNOVATOR. Photo: Esvagt.

Sensors positioned on the seabed

In fact, the work is happening two kilometres down in the seabed, so positioning of the vessel is extremely important to ensure that the sensors can be positioned precisely where needed to obtain the data necessary to the monitoring of the project. This means that it is crucial that there is sufficient bandwidth at all times.

Explains Nils Overgaard, Esvagt’s Head of Special Projects, “The weather in the area is quite harsh with quite a big swell for much of the time, but we need the vessel to be situated within plus or minus one metre of the desired location which adds to the challenge even when wave heights are relatively insignificant.”

Seamless data stream. An image depicting seismic measurement operations onboard.
Seamless data stream and sea-to-shore communications are vital for successful seismic measurement operations. Photo: Esvagt.

High availability where it really counts

Certainly, from Telenor Satellite’s point of view, maintaining near 100% uptime is always more challenging in high seas as the ship is moving so much but, according to Jan Hetland, our Director, Data Services, this is something the company has great experience with. “Many of our clients are operating in the harsh conditions of the North Sea, in fact we provide services to vessels as far north as 79⁰, so we have a wealth of expertise in ensuring robust connections even under the most difficult of circumstances.”

Nils Overgaard
Head of Special Projects, Esvagt.

“In terms of communications links, each and every partner has experienced remarkable connectivity, and many were surprised at the quality of signal they have received. There has been a clear thumbs up that it has been exactly what was needed for the project data to be smoothly transmitted ashore. The satellite system has played a crucial role in the success of the project.”

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At sea connectivity with land-line performance.

Telenor Satellite’s Managed XipLink installed onboard Celestial Olympia to provide experience of land connectivity at sea.
Photo: Left to right: Vinay Saride, System Engineer; Manuel Valero, Sr. Sales Manager and Rokas Abazorius, Technical Service Manager at Space Norway (formerly Telenor Satellite).

Telenor Satellite and Marel Electronics team up to provide top notch connectivity services for ferry passengers. With Telenor Satellite’s Managed XipLink solution installed, passengers and crew onboard Celestial Olympia are among the first to experience land connectivity at sea.

When cruise and ferry vessels resumed activities in 2021 following the pandemic, Marel Electronics, the Greek based specialist supplier and service company for ship communications and bridge navigation electronics, found that demand for connectivity from its passenger ferry clients had increased enormously.

The company is the major supplier to the Greek market and, although it provides some FM, VHF marine radio and GMDSS products, the vast majority of its services are VSAT, 100% of which uses Telenor Satellite’s THOR fleet. Having been in business since 1964 and in the telecommunications sector for the past fifteen years, Marel Electronics is well known in the industry and works not only with passenger vessels but also in the more specialised research ship sector where scientists conduct ocean and oil research requiring significant VSAT services to support their onboard operations, tutorials and video conferences.

High demand for connectivity from passengers

Explains Thanos Kyrtatas, the company’s Sales Manager for the Telecommunications Department, “Our clients on THOR 7’s Ka-band were taking the largest profile that was available to them, 24/6 Mbps, but were finding that it was simply inadequate for the high volume of traffic being generated, particularly during the summer months when they have between 1,500 and 2,000 passengers onboard. The high demand was causing congestion and so we were searching for a solution. We knew what we needed but didn’t know if anything actually existed that would solve the problem.”

XipLink is the dream solution for ferry connectivity

Talking to Telenor Satellite’s Sr. Key Account Manager, Manuel Valero, it became clear that a solution could be found with the XipLink WAN optimisation solution. It is a leading Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) acceleration solution specifically targeted at satellite and wireless networks. As Manuel said, “My sole motivation is to support our partners in achieving their goals, so I was very pleased to be able to offer a product that would answer their needs.”

And for Thanos, the decision to trial it was easy. “It was exactly what we had dreamt of finding so we had no hesitation in testing it out, firstly over a couple of days in our offices but then on one of our client’s vessels.”

Caption: Telenor Satellite and Marel teams of experts perform final checks of the configuration. (At the front, left to right: Thanos Kyrtatas, Communications and IT solution Sales Manager at Marel Electronics; Vinay Saride, System Engineer at Telenor Satellite and Dimitris Freskas, Communications and IT solution Manager at Marel Electronics. In the back: Rokas Abazorius, Technical Service Manager at Telenor Satellite.)
Caption: Space Norway and Marel teams of experts perform final checks of the configuration. Photo: At the front, left to right: Thanos Kyrtatas, Communications and IT solution Sales Manager at Marel Electronics; Vinay Saride, System Engineer at Space Norway (formerly Telenor Satellite) and Dimitris Freskas, Communications and IT solution Manager at Marel Electronics. In the back: Rokas Abazorius, Technical Service Manager at Space Norway(formerly Telenor Satellite).

Satellite engineers worked from the vessel

MINOAN LINES is one of the largest shipping companies in Europe and they were delighted that Marel Electronics had found a solution to the problems they were experiencing with communications congestion. The decision was taken to start testing as soon as possible and Telenor Satellite’s engineers, along with Manuel, headed over to the vessel so that they could support the Marel team as they installed the XipLink equipment. Adds Manuel, “Both teams are passionate and highly skilled, so we were well equipped for this complex installation.”

For consistency, the Telenor Satellite engineers also configured their hub at the Nittedal Teleport from the vessel so that the Marel engineers could play an active part in how the system would be configured. This meant that everyone was prepared for the system being rolled out across other vessels in the future and also gave the Telenor Satellite team the opportunity to understand how critical its services are to Marel’s customers.

“Marel Electronics is a long-standing customer we have worked with since the very beginning of our THOR 7 Ka-band service commercially launch in 2016. We have come to know them as a very competent organisation and so were very confident in working together with their engineers,” said Jan Hetland, Director, Data Services, Satcom at Telenor Satellite.

Prompt and helpful response

While the testing phase with new equipment can often be a challenge, Marel Electronics was sure any issues would be swiftly dealt with. “We have found Telenor Satellite to be not only a prestigious partner but also a practical one. We are known for the high quality of our customer service, but this is made possible by the support and tools that they provide in terms of monitoring data rate throughput, volume of data being consumed, and signal to noise ratio to name just a few. The Bridge – Telenor Satellite’s online customer portal, allows us to check our stats and keep a close eye on how our links are performing but, whenever we do need to contact the Network Operations Centre (NOC), we always get a prompt and helpful response. Our customers tell us that we provide the best service in the market and that is largely due to Telenor Satellite’s work in the background.”

Installation of XipLink can be a complex procedure with many different parameters to be configured – not least because it is dependent on the number of sessions likely to be in use at any given time. On the Minoan Lines vessel, which travels overnight between Greece and Crete, it was estimated that 6,000 sessions would be needed per trip during winter with the number likely to rise significantly during the summer tourist season. The number of sessions is not just driven by passengers using the internet to view content or email, but also through the use of banking, payments and loyalty cards onboard – everything is done via the web.

Communications traffic is optimised

The XipLink device sits between the modem and the firewall, so it doesn’t slow down or affect the running of systems and apps – what it does is to manage the traffic to ensure that it is optimised. It does this by caching sessions ready for when they are next needed with the upshot that the second person to download that particular content, and anyone else who follows, is receiving it direct from a local device rather than over the satellite. This frees up bandwidth and improves the perceived speed of the service being delivered.

Caption: All up and running. The test of Telenor Satellite’s Managed XipLink solution onboard proved to be a success. (Back row, left to right: Dimitris Freskas, Communications and IT solution Manager at Marel Electronics and Vinay Saride, System Engineer at Telenor Satellite. Front row: Rokas Abazorius, Technical Service Manager at Telenor Satellite.)
Caption: All up and running. The test of Telenor Satellite's Managed XipLink solution onboard proved to be a success. Photo: Back row, left to right: Dimitris Freskas, Communications and IT solution Manager at Marel Electronics and Vinay Saride, System Engineer at Space Norway. Front row: Rokas Abazorius, Technical Service Manager at Space Norway (formerly Telenor Satellite).

25% increase in passenger uptake

Thanos continues, “Everyone on board who used the system during the test phase had the impression that they were using a land-based service rather than satellite as the speed and latency were so good. In fact, the improvements were immediately obvious. The installation was extremely smooth and within ten days our client had placed the order for their entire fleet of four massive ferries to be fitted with XipLink.

“We have been so pleased by the feedback from both Minoan Lines and their passengers too, which has been overwhelmingly positive. There has been an increase of 25% in onboard internet card sales.”

The modems in use on the ferries were not designed to handle the heavy communications traffic experienced today and they had been performing slowly due to the number of sessions. With XipLink taking over the processing, the system no longer flatlines but has a healthy variability in bandwidth being delivered and the modems are running perfectly.

Adds Jan Hetland: “We are delighted that we were able to jointly deploy the Xiplink solution to such great effect for Marel Electronics’ client.”

New XipLink solution is installed and ready for service onboard MINOAN LINES ferry. Photo courtesy of MINOAN LINES.

Service quality that is rarely found

Concludes Thanos, “The results have been so good that that we are recommending Telenor Satellite’s XipLink solution to all of our clients who could benefit from it. Telenor Satellite has provided wonderful support throughout the implementation process, giving on-vessel training to our engineers and providing back up as and when it is needed. What’s more, the company has a flexible policy with regards to licensing which means that our clients have only needed to pay for sessions they have actually used. Telenor Satellite’s service is of a quality that is frequently missing from modern life and everyone at Marel Electronics really appreciates it.”

Caption: Both teams were delighted to see the successful implementation of the XipLink service onboard the Minoan Lines’ ferries. “In today’s competitive world, there are many technologies available to answer market requirements, but this means nothing when you do not have an all-around winning team,” noted Manuel Valero. (Left to right: Manuel Valero, Sr. Sales Manager at Telenor Satellite; Rokas Abazorius, Technical Service Manager at Telenor Satellite; Kyriakos Alexopoulos, Managing Director at Marel Electronics; Vinay Saride, System Engineer at Telenor Satellite; Thanos Kyrtatas, Communications and IT solution Sales Manager at Marel Electronics.)
Photo: Left to right: Manuel Valero, Sr. Sales Manager, Rokas Abazorius, Technical Service Manager at Space Norway (formerly Telenor Satellite); Kyriakos Alexopoulos, Managing Director at Marel Electronics; Vinay Saride, System Engineer at Space Norway (formerly Telenor Satellite); Thanos Kyrtatas, Communications and IT solution Sales Manager at Marel Electronics.

Both teams were delighted to see the successful implementation of the XipLink service onboard the Minoan Lines’ ferries. “In today’s competitive world, there are many technologies available to answer market requirements, but this means nothing when you do not have an all-around winning team,” noted Manuel Valero.

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In collaboration with Hermes, we are pushing connectivity faster and farther.

Without satellite connectivity, the operations in the far North would be even more tasking for Hermes fleet and crew. Photo courtesy of Hermes.
For vessels operating in the far north, such as Hermes, reliable satellite communication is essential. Photo: Hermes.

Ever wondered what it would be like to live and work on a fishing vessel in the far North without connectivity, where it’s cold and dark and conditions can be brutal? Thanks to Telenor Satellite and Telenor Maritime, crew onboard Hermes are able to optimise their work at sea and share their experiences with colleagues and family.

One of the most advanced Norwegian fishing vessels in terms of connectivity

Possibly one of the most recognisable names in Norwegian fishing, Hermes has been operating out of Tromsø in the Arctic Circle for just under 70 years. The company employs some 50 people of whom 45 are involved directly in the fishing business. The current Hermes vessel was acquired in 2006 and runs with a rotating crew who spend five weeks onboard followed by five weeks at home.

The ship operates 24 hours a day, catching and processing fish, with crew working two six hour shifts a day – a shift pattern that takes some getting used to. In fact, the only person onboard able to sleep for more than five hours at a time is the steward. And with its fishing grounds in the Barents Sea, around Svalbard and Spitzbergen, or even further north where conditions are icy, dark, cold and windy, it is a harsh environment for the ship and its crew.

Empowering a fishing vessel with the connectivity of a cruise liner

“With the ship in operation all day, every day, connectivity is a big concern, so a reliable satellite communications provider operating in the far north is essential – and Telenor Satellite fits the bill perfectly”, explains Jan Roger Lerbukt, CEO of Hermes. “We rely on excellent communications links, not only for the safe operation of our vessel but also for our crew who use it to unwind during their off-time.” But the ship uses its communications links for far more than that!

Jan Roger Lerbukt, CEO of Hermes, runs what is probably one of the most advanced Norwegian fishing vessels in terms of communications. Hermes. Photo: Marius Fiskum / Courtesy of Hermes
Jan Roger Lerbukt, CEO, Hermes. Photo: Marius Fiskum / Courtesy of Hermes.

One of the first things Jan Roger did when buying the vessel was to install a satellite connectivity. This has been updated regularly so that the links available on board are always at the cutting edge of connectivity. As would be expected, the ship has wi-fi throughout. What is perhaps more unusual is that there are also a lot of cameras onboard which are used for live video feeds from the vessel. To handle this demand for download and upload functions, the ship has exceptional bandwidth which is more in line with that found on high-end cruise vessels.

Remote streaming in high definition

“We have been involved in a number of TV broadcasts and YouTube videos, so we make very good use of our bandwidth. We are currently in the process of developing weekly shows that we will be streaming in High Definition (HD). High bandwidth isn’t only beneficial in terms of broadcasting, but also for crew welfare. Crew are able to use their mobile phones exactly as they would on land and, bearing in mind that we operate in extremely remote areas where injuries or illness can be particularly dangerous, we are able to consult directly with medical staff via zoom or similar. And when you factor in the increased happiness of the crew, the additional bandwidth has significantly improved safety onboard, as well as staff retention.”

A Ku-, Ka-band arrangement to ensure redundancy

The equipment onboard Hermes is quite remarkable for a fishing vessel. It has three satellite dishes, one Ka-band and two Ku-band. The original dishes were Ku-band, but there was a need to double up because of blockages caused by the mast.

The Ku-band antennas are 1.5m each and very heavy, so they can’t be positioned high on the mast, but must be placed on the wheelhouse. The Ka-band antenna is 1m (Ka-band can operate with a much smaller diameter terminal) and so is located higher on the ship. This delivers a 12/3 Mbps Ka-band service, which could be upgraded to 24/6 Mbps if required. Hermes needs as much stability as possible when operating in the far north, so some redundancy is important. What is more, it is impossible to carry out repairs at sea so back up is vital.

“I would actually like to have an additional Ka-band antenna too so that we have backup on both bands. In fact, we have been experimenting with the Ka-band and we have been very pleased with the results when we are further south. One of our Ku-band dishes has been in for repairs for the past few months and by combining the two bands we have been running at very close to 100%.”

Hermes is outfitted with sophisticated satellite connectivity equipment, including three satellite dishes. Photo: Hermes.
Hermes is outfitted with sophisticated satellite connectivity equipment, including three satellite dishes. Photo: Hermes.

Direct access to connectivity expertise

Hermes began livestreaming in 2016 when the company first moved to Telenor Satellite via its communications supplier, Telenor Maritime. Knut Fjellheim, Chief Technology Innovation Officer at Telenor Maritime, was very impressed with the set up on Hermes, “This fishing vessel operating out of Tromsø was, and still is, probably one of the most advanced in Norway in terms of communications.”

Hermes bought two Ku-band antennas that had previously been used by NRK (the Norwegian state broadcaster) for one of its slow TV shows. In 2019 Hermes undertook 35 days of livestreaming from Greenland which was shown on both Norwegian television and YouTube. None of this would be possible without the satellite communications links provided by Telenor Satellite in the far north.

It is Telenor Maritime which provides the complete service to Hermes, but Jan Roger has found the close relationship between the two companies to be particularly helpful. “When you try to do something special you need to have people who understand what you’re trying to achieve. Being able to talk to or connect to the right people, in this case the satellite owner or the bandwidth provider, is vital when you are pushing the boundaries. And whenever Telenor Maritime has new technology, we’ve been happy to be the guinea pig for that and it’s been very good for us to be first mover in this space.”

Jan Roger Lerbukt, CEO of Hermes, runs what is probably one of the most advanced Norwegian fishing vessels in terms of communications. Hermes. Photo: Marius Fiskum / Courtesy of Hermes
Jan Roger Lerbukt
CEO, Hermes.

“We have found that the service we have received from Telenor Maritime and Telenor Satellite has been perfect for us as they are both prepared to push the technology. Rather than working within perceived limitations they are always ready to see what is possible and work around any problems to provide us with the outcomes that we need.”

Pushing the boundaries of technology

“On occasions we have tested technology and we couldn’t believe the speeds we were getting, and how far north we were able to travel and still receive a great service. I think we are the first commercial users of this service in the region, and I don’t think you will find any other Norwegian vessel with better internet connections than we have on Hermes.”

The company actually has 13 Mbps of combined upload delivered by way of a 12/3 Mbps Ka-band service delivered on Velocity® together with a 30/10 Ku-band service using Dialog as it needs to deal with the challenges of latency and compression of the livestreaming. In addition, there needs to be sufficient bandwidth to deal with drops in connectivity – the audience expects to receive a good quality result.

Jan Hetland, Director, Data Services.
Jan Hetland
Director, Data Services, Space Norway (formerly Telenor Satellite)

“We pride ourselves on giving our clients the optimal solution for their needs, and we thoroughly enjoy being thrown a real challenge, and then finding a way to solve it. Operating as far north as Hermes does can pose real challenges for satellite communication links, but I am pleased to see that our technical team was able to resolve these.”

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Sea trials are anything but a trial with Space Norway.

Maritime VSAT services for ships

Sea trials on a ground-breaking new cruise liner are currently underway. The ship will be able to carry up to 6,500 passengers alongside its crew, and Telenor Satellite is excited to be playing a significant role in the testing phase.

To build a ship of this nature normally takes upwards of two years from laying of the keel to delivery, but the final period in the build process consists of intensive testing of all the infrastructure and systems to identify any issues. This is the point where Telenor Satellite comes in.

Through our trusted partner AST, we have been contracted to supply satellite communications to the ship as it is put through its paces in the seas around the Nordic region. Our THOR 7 satellite is supplying Ka band High Throughput Satellite (HTS) services for the testing of all the electronic systems onboard the vessel such as telemetry, navigation systems, engine management, video conferencing, air conditioning services, reporting and every other communications system linked back to shore.

Our flexible service and excellent coverage from our prime position at 1°West makes us ideal providers for sea trials running as they do for a relatively short time period only in this specific regional area. We are agile enough to be able to supply a super high bandwidth, high quality service for a limited period with an option to extend if the sea trial needs to continue for longer.

AST is a global satellite communications services and equipment supplier with over 25 years’ experience, and Telenor Satellite has been supplying communications through the company for more than six years. During this time, a very strong relationship has developed between our companies, and we share an ethos of always putting the customer at the heart of business and believing that partnerships between like-minded companies facilitate that.

Chris Schonhut, AST’s Head of Maritime Sales and Operations for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, explains why AST was selected to provide satellite services throughout the sea trials:  “AST, via a trusted local partner, provides the full end to end service for the customer, not only does the customer get use of Telenor Satellite’s HTS THOR 7 service they also get full visibility of the data being passed over the link via our INTEGRA services, all backed up by AST’s 24/7 Global Customer Support.”

Chris Schonhut
Head of Maritime Sales and Operations EMEA, The AST Group.

“From our point of view, Telenor Satellite provides us great flexibility combined with a very rapid response time, and our two teams are now so used to working closely together that issues are resolved in as short a time as possible. Everything in the maritime world is time critical but that is particularly the case with sea trials where the financial imperative is to complete the checks and deliver the vessel.”

In terms of the sea trial, data from every single system installed on the ship is being transmitted back to shore where it is analysed. To support this, Telenor Satellite is making available 50/5 Mbps, or even higher if needed, on Ka band to provide the best possible results, a provision that can be extended at short notice if required.

This is combined with AST’s unique INTEGRA services, ensuring the shipyard has complete visibility as to where the data is being used at any time, and demonstrating that they are gaining the maximum benefit from the service. Furthermore, INTEGRA provides real time application control so that some categories can be blocked without affecting others, for example video streaming can be disabled while still allowing texts or calls.

Sea trials can certainly place very specific demands on communications services but, because of the close collaboration between all the different parties involved, the end result has been that of a flexible, visible and high-quality provision that has performed extremely well.

Jan Hetland, Director, Data Services.
Jan Hetland
Director, Data Services, Space Norway (formerly Telenor Satellite).

“At Telenor Satellite, we are thrilled to support AST on such missions, as they require the high performance we are able to offer, as well as speed and responsiveness in our service provisioning. We love the challenges that arise from systems’ testing and look forward to our next ‘shakedown cruise.”

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Bringing live transmissions out of the most isolated parts of Alaska.

Live transmissions from Alaska

When BBCOB Comms and Timeline-TV approached us about getting connectivity out of some the remotest parts of Alaska for the amazing BBC programme Wild Alaska Live, the Telenor Satellite’s OU team’s motto “No Mission Impossible” kicked in.

Telenor Satellite was faced with the challenge of finding several Ku-band satellites with coverage over Alaska with connectivity to the US and UK.

Multiple paths were required out of four locations, as well as reverse vision feeds to enable the main studio to keep in touch with the remote sites. One of the locations where a small studio & uplink was located, Katmai National Park, only source of power were batteries, charged by solar panels and hydrogen fuel cells. Even with state of the art SSA’s this limited the up-link to 50W. Telenor was faced with the challenge of finding a satellite “hot” enough to get the job done. As well at satellite coverage, fibre was used to provide the transatlantic connectivity to and from the US.

Live broadcasting from Alaska
Our OU team relished the challenge of being involved in something so exciting and unique.

“Telenor definitely had the easier job, coordinating the coverage from the office, compared to the operational team working in challenging conditions in Alaska”, commented Zara Evans, Bookings Manager at Telenor Satellite. Over the two weeks testing and filming, Telenor booked over 140 feeds, all without a single glitch.

Coverage took place in various venues across Alaska, from the world’s largest temperate rainforest, Tongass National Forest, to the Katmai National Park.

“The Alaska project was very complex with three uplinks in Alaska for sending content into the hub and for two live broadcasts each day for UK & US viewers.  We depended on Telenor to find the right satellite capacity to make it all work. The booking team at Telenor Satellite are so efficient and coped really well with loads of changes, three time zones and varying channel bandwidths. There were a lot of things to worry about on Wild Alaska Live but thanks to Telenor, sat space was not one of them” commented Nick Buckley, Head of Operations at Timeline Television.

“At the Main Site we had connectivity requirements far in excess of just pictures and sound! With a live show centred on animals appearing for us, “on cue”, nothing stayed the same for long! We felt totally supported by Telenor Satellite with the many daily changes we requested to them. They also helped the project by installing an interest in our programme with the Satellite owners who then found it easier to accept some of our non-standard workings!” commented Chris Cobb, Vice Chairman of BBC OB-Comms Ltd.

Telenor Satellite's Occasional Use team provided services to BBC and PBS production of “Wild Alaska Live” – three-part series in 2017.
Working in Alaska brings unique challenges to the operational team; with three uplinks and two live broadcasts each day, it was a very complex project which involved more than 140 feeds over the two weeks of testing and filming – and all without a single glitch! Photo: BBC.

Wild Alaska Live was a major three-part series event for BBC One, produced by BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit and co-produced by PBS.