British ferries get Internet on-board with
Moovera Networks
Sittingbourne, UK April 14th 2008 -- Moovera Networks, a leading developer of fixed and mobile wireless communications systems, today announced that Wightlink Isle of Wight Ferries has chosen technology from Moovera to provide in-ship broadband Internet connectivity. Wightlink has equipped ferries in the South of England running between the Isle of Wight and the mainland towns of Portsmouth and Lymington with the Moovbox M Series mobile broadband gateway, which provides Internet access at multi-megabit speeds, and real-time GPS-based ship location monitoring. The implementation of on-board Internet is part of a major modernization program that includes the commissioning of three new ships, recently constructed in Croatia and currently undergoing sea trials. With eight car ferries and three FastCats in the fleet, annually Wightlink carries over 5.5 million passengers, 1.2 million cars, and almost 200,000 coaches and freight vehicles.
“By equipping our ferries with always-on, high-speed broadband technology from Moovera Networks, we’re able to ensure our captains and crew have instant access to online resources throughout the voyage. We’re also laying the foundation for public Wi-Fi hotspot services as we continually seek ways to improve the passenger experience.” said Andrew Willson, Wightlink’s Chief Executive.
The Moovbox M Series delivers Internet access on the Wightlink ships at speeds up to 3.6 Mbps by creating a bridge between a vessel and a next-generation 3G HSPA (High Speed Packet Access) cellular broadband
network from T-Mobile. The Moovbox offers Ethernet connectivity for ship
systems, secure Wi-Fi for crew laptops, and includes built-in GPS for real-time fleet tracking.
“The Moovbox mobile broadband gateway has been well-proven on land-based transportation such as buses and coaches, so it was a natural transition to apply the same technology to coastal marine applications,” said Jim Baker, founder and CEO of Moovera Networks. “Wightlink’s deployment on passenger ferries is the largest of its kind in the UK to date, and creates a solid platform for a host of vessel and passenger-oriented services in the future.”
The Moovbox mobile gateway is a ruggedized Wi-Fi access point and cellular router, offering multiple wide area network (WAN) radios for automatic failover between carriers, and features built-in GPS for real-time positioning. Moovbox products also offer secure Ethernet for IP-CCTV, DVR and telematics equipment with remote in-bound access for device control.
The multi-user MoovManage service provides real-time device tracking, schedule adherence monitoring, remote device configuration, and Wi-Fi portal and usage statistics. More information is available online at http://www.moovera.com
For further information contact:
Dave Palmer
Moovera Networks
Tel: +44 (0)870 446 0461
Email: dave.palmer@moovera.com
Kerry Jackson, Marketing Manager
Wightlink, Isle of Wight Ferries
Tel: +44 (0)23 9285 5427
Email: kerryjackson@wightlink.co.uk
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