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FleetBroadband 150 wins electronics innovation award

02-02-2010 - Inmarsat's newest maritime service, FleetBroadband 150, has won an innovation award just nine months after its launch.

Sail Magazine, which reports on cruising and sailing news for seafarers of all abilities, picked FleetBroadband 150 (FB150) as the most innovative new electronics product in its annual awards.

The magazine's annual awards celebrate technology that makes sailing easier, safer and more enjoyable.

Highlighting the service's affordability and ease of use, judge and electronics editor Tim Bartlett said: "Until now, satcom has seemed just too big and too expensive for most recreational users.

Small and affordable
"But FB150 has taken us to the tipping point at which international phone calls are cheaper by satcom than by mobile, the hardware is small enough and light enough to fit on many mainstream boats, and the upfront cost is low enough that you don't need to be trying to run a business from your boat to justify having it."

The FleetBroadband 150 terminal from KVH, the TracPhone FB150, has just been featured in the Sail Magazine innovation showcase at Strictly Sail Chicago, the largest indoor boat show in the United States.

Jim Dodez, vice-president of marketing and strategic planning at KVH Industries, said: "Inmarsat's new FleetBroadband 150 service brings all of the benefits of internet access, email, and high-quality phone service in an amazingly small and affordable package.

High standard 
"Inmarsat has even developed an emergency calling facility, so any vessel in trouble can simply dial '505' on any FleetBroadband phone and immediately be connected with a maritime rescue centre."

Kyle Hurst, maritime market manager at Inmarsat, commented: "FB150 has taken the sailing sector by storm. With other services, low costs can mean low quality, but our long-term development plan for FleetBroadband was to bring the benefits of an optimised IP network into a low-cost package that maintains our high standard.

"FB150 delivers to small vessels the same quality of service that large merchant fleets expect from Inmarsat."

FB150 terminals are manufactured by AddValue and Thrane & Thrane. 

Sail Magazine

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