Marlink Chooses Intelsat to Provide Intelsat EpicNG Broadband Connectivity for MSC Cruises
Luxembourg and Oslo, 30 June 2016 – Intelsat S.A. (NYSE: I), operator of the world’s first Globalized Network, powered by its leading satellite backbone, announced today that Marlink, the global business critical communication solutions specialist, selected Intelsat to deliver fast, high quality Intelsat EpicNG broadband connectivity to Mediterranean Shipping Company’s (MSC) cruise ships. At the end of May, MSC Cruises began to apply the benefits of EpicNG’s high throughput connectivity aboard the MSC Divina, one of the world’s largest cruise ships. Utilizing Intelsat’s Globalized Network, Marlink will provide broadband connectivity to all of MSC Cruises’ 12 existing ships, ensuring all of the Company’s ships will be covered globally.
Passengers and crew members are demanding mobile broadband on par with the speeds and reliability experienced at home. The agreement with Intelsat enables Marlink to supplement its existing maritime VSAT services with Sealink Cloud Services to one of the world’s largest, and fastest growing cruise lines. As a result, MSC Cruises will be able to deliver high speed, reliable and affordable connectivity packages to passengers and crew members anywhere the cruise ships travel.
Under the existing long-term partnership agreement signed in 2014, Marlink will take advantage of the flexibility and scale of Intelsat’s fully interoperable and integrated satellite network to provide MSC Cruises with global coverage for their worldwide itineraries. Marlink will use wide beam C- and Ku-band satellite solutions from nine Intelsat satellites initially, as well as Ku-band high throughput spot beams from Intelsat 29e, the first of the Intelsat EpicNG fleet, and Intelsat 33e, once it enters service in the second half of the year.
Marlink will also leverage the IntelsatOne terrestrial network, specifically teleports located in Georgia and California in the U.S., as well as Germany and South Korea.
“When serving a ‘floating town’ such as a cruise ship with connectivity requirements for its various itineraries globally, delivering consistent quality and reliability is essential to the passenger experience and the brand integrity of the customer that we are serving,” said Tore Morten Olsen, President Maritime, Marlink. “With Intelsat, we are providing a scalable and robust solution to MSC Cruises, delivering on high volume broadband demands across many ships operating in high-traffic regions. The high performing, resilient and secure network will enable our customer to further streamline vessel operations, deliver superior services to its crew and most importantly, keep thousands of passengers on each of their ships connected at all times.”
Kurt Riegelman, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Intelsat, said: “Marlink has been a great partner and understands the value that Intelsat’s fully integrated wide beam and high throughput global network can deliver to its customers, particularly those operating a fleet of ships in the Pacific, Atlantic, Caribbean and Mediterranean ocean regions at the same time. Our Globalized Network will enable Marlink to quickly and cost effectively scale to meet its customer demands and consistently deliver high performing, resilient and secure broadband connectivity to the many ships operated by their cruise ship customer.”
Supporting Resources:
- Can Bandwidth Supply Keep up with Maritime Demand? https://www.intelsat.com/intelsat-news/can-bandwidth-supply-keep-up-with-maritime-demand/
- Learn more about Intelsat’s Mobility Services: https://www.intelsat.com/solutions/mobility/
- Learn more about Intelsat EpicNG: https://www.intelsat.com/global-network/satellites/epicng/
About Intelsat
Intelsat S.A. (NYSE: I) operates the world’s first Globalized Network, delivering high-quality, cost-effective video and broadband services anywhere in the world. Intelsat’s Globalized Network combines the world’s largest satellite backbone with terrestrial infrastructure, managed services and an open, interoperable architecture to enable customers to drive revenue and reach through a new generation of network services. Thousands of organizations serving billions of people worldwide rely on Intelsat to provide ubiquitous broadband connectivity, multi-format video broadcasting, secure satellite communications and seamless mobility services. The end result is an entirely new world, one that allows us to envision the impossible, connect without boundaries and transform the ways in which we live. For more information, visit www.intelsat.com.
About Marlink
Marlink is the pioneer of business critical communication solutions for customers operating in remote environments. With 600 employees and 27 offices worldwide, the company is the largest technology-independent satellite communication and digital solutions provider serving the maritime and enterprise markets. Marlink’s multi-band communication services covering Ku, Ka, C and L-band extended with mobile and terrestrial links, enable over 200,000 customers to operate in an ever smarter, safer and more profitable way.
With over 75 years’ experience in developing innovative business critical communication solutions, Marlink’s strategy is to deliver the benefits of a digital and connected world to its customers’ remote operations. Today Marlink is the leading maritime communication and VSAT operator in the world. Marlink leverages strong partnerships with all major satellite network operators to deliver communication solutions direct to the customer and via an unrivalled network of service provider partners. www.marlink.com.
For further information please contact:
Marlink
Knut Natvig
Press & PR Director
Phone: +47 48 030 911