KVH's TracPhone V3-IP and mini-VSAT Broadband Service Bring Reliable Communications to Well Sites
New terminal is Ideal for Use in Remote Areas and on Moving Vehicles, Providing Mobile Broadband Connections for Oil and Gas Applications
MIDDLETOWN, R.I., April 23, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Demand for broadband connectivity is increasing among service providers in the oil and gas industry, and KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq:KVHI) is meeting the demand for reliable, mobile broadband communications at remote well sites with the new TracPhone® V3-IP terminal for its mini-VSAT Broadbandsm service. The in-motion antenna comes with compact, integrated belowdecks equipment – KVH's new Integrated CommBox™ Modem (ICM), a streamlined unit that includes an IP-enabled antenna control unit, built-in CommBox Network Manager, and ArcLight® spread spectrum modem with IP voice capability, Ethernet switch, and Wi-Fi connectivity. All of the TracPhone V3-IP's belowdecks equipment is built into a single 2U enclosure. The system is on display and available to order at the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers Expo and Annual Meeting in Wichita Falls this week.
"The need for data at well sites is increasing," says Brandon Bensch, IT manager for Gore Nitrogen Pumping Service, LLC, which is based in Oklahoma and uses KVH's mini-VSAT Broadband service on its data van. Throughout the oil and gas industry, this trend toward increased data use is being called the "digital oil field." "Our customers want reports generated and sent, and cell phone service just isn't available everywhere. Ten years ago, you may have seen one satellite antenna on a job, but now there are multiples. It's kind of a 'have-to' thing now."
KVH's new TracPhone V3-IP costs less, is significantly easier to install, and provides greater reliability than competing solutions that combine discrete components from a number of different manufacturers. Unlike the 1-meter antennas traditionally used for well site communications, the TracPhone V3-IP does not have to be deployed, activated, and positioned onsite. It can be activated and used even as the vehicle travels to a well site, saving valuable time upon arrival. The system's completely integrated design offers a simple alternative to the complexity inherent in competing VSAT systems, which typically require a technician to configure a full rack of hardware from different third-party manufacturers of modems, antennas, controllers, switches, adapters, and servers. It also makes the advanced features of KVH's best-of-breed network management solution, the CommBox Network Manager, available to every TracPhone V3-IP customer without an additional hardware investment. With a compact antenna dish that is just 37 cm (14.5") in diameter, the TracPhone V3-IP brings sophisticated satellite communications and network management capabilities to a wide array of vehicles.
"Introducing the TracPhone V3-IP is a significant development in our ongoing mission to deliver fast, affordable, reliable broadband connectivity to our customers," explains Brent Bruun, executive vice president of KVH's mobile broadband group. "The TracPhone V3-IP offers a complete end-to-end solution for managing a wide range of onsite communications activities for service providers in the oil and gas industry. It delivers data at up to 2 Mbps over mini-VSAT Broadband, a leading VSAT service that is proven in the commercial maritime market. It's similar in size to competing L-band systems, but delivers data at a far lower cost, especially for companies that consume a relatively low amount of data each month."
The TracPhone V3-IP provides extensive functionality to help manage onboard networks both from the vehicle's computers and remotely from the company's headquarters. The system itself is very easy for the crew to operate thanks to an outstanding web browser-based user interface that can even be accessed via an optional iPhone® app. The new ICM provides a full suite of services optimized for satellite communications, including crystal clear VoIP calling, managed e-mail, secure file delivery, and remote network access.
KVH's exclusive mini-VSAT Broadband service is delivered by an interlaced network of 14 Ku-band satellite transponders providing seamless worldwide coverage north of the equator and around all major continents, including most major shipping routes south of the equator. By leveraging abundant new commercial satellite services covering the world's ocean regions, KVH offers significantly more affordable connectivity than legacy L-band services. As demand for the service grows, KVH can easily add new capacity to its network, exactly where it is needed, to assure outstanding performance for customers concentrated in specific regions.
For complete details about KVH's new TracPhone V3-IP, please visit www.kvh.com/v3ipland.
Note to Editors: High-resolution, press-ready images of the new TracPhone V3-IP and the mini-VSAT Broadband coverage map are available at http://press.kvh.com for download and editorial use.
About KVH Industries, Inc.
KVH Industries, Inc., is the leading provider of in-motion satellite TV and communications systems, having designed, manufactured, and sold more than 150,000 mobile satellite antennas for applications on vessels, vehicles, and aircraft. In 2012, Euroconsult, NSR, and Comsys reported that KVH was the market share leader in global maritime VSAT. KVH's mission is to connect mobile customers around the globe with the same digital television entertainment, communications, and Internet services that they enjoy in their homes and offices. The company is based in Middletown, RI, with facilities in Illinois, Denmark, Norway, Singapore, and Japan.
This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. For example, the statements regarding the company's financial and product development goals for 2013 and beyond are forward-looking statements. The actual results realized by the company could differ materially from the statements made herein. Factors that might cause such differences include, among others, the successful launch and deployment of new satellites; access to sufficient and uninterrupted satellite capacity to provide the service; uncertainty about the scope of customer demand; the potential inability to maintain licenses necessary for the network; risks associated with the delivery or performance of critical hardware; changes in the costs and capabilities of competing offerings; and those other risk factors discussed in KVH's most recent annual report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC. Copies are available through the company's Investor Relations department and website, www.kvh.com. KVH does not assume any obligation to update its forward-looking statements to reflect new information or developments.
KVH, TracPhone, and CommBox are trademarks of KVH Industries, Inc. "mini-VSAT Broadband" is a service mark of KVH Industries, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies.
CONTACT: Nicole Mongillo
KVH Industries, Inc.
401-845-2443
nmongillo@kvh.com
