Thuraya and IEC Telecom set sail for new standards in maritime comms with commercial availability of VSAT+

Mobilk - Thuraya Telecommunications Company, a subsidiary of the Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat), has announced that its ground-breaking maritime satellite service, Thuraya VSAT+, is now commercially available from IEC Telecom.

As the Master Distributor for VSAT+, IEC Telecom will serve all main maritime market segments and customers, including high-end fisheries, offshore installations and merchant fleets. In a win-win partnership for both companies and the maritime industry, IEC Telecom will offer VSAT+ across Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC) and Middle East and Africa (MEA). 

IEC Telecom has been a leading provider of value-added voice and data services to the maritime industry for more than 20 years and was awarded best Maritime Thuraya Service Partner in 2018.

Thuraya launched VSAT+ in Q4 2018. The service offers global coverage, best-in-class data rates to meet growing demand for high-throughput services, and high levels of reliability, security, resilience and flexibility. VSAT+ ensures optimum flexibility by combining Ku-band (for high-speed data) and L-band (for backup and fall back). The service is scalable to meet global and regional needs for essential communications such as voice calls, email and position reporting, and for high-bandwidth requirements such as training, publications, condition-based maintenance, enterprise resource planning and content for crew welfare.

Nadeem Khan, Director Maritime M2M & IoT at Thuraya, said: “By appointing a highly experienced, capable partner with wide geographical reach as our Master Distributor for VSAT+, we are simplifying the proposition for resellers to offer high-quality services with no investment in the infrastructure. This is a win-win partnership founded on creating new opportunities for the maritime industry.”

Nabil Bensoussia, General Manager IEC Telecom, said: “Last year IEC Telecom Group was recognized as the best service provider for Thuraya Maritime Solutions. This award came at a significant period, when the industry is rapidly evolving under the influence of new technologies. Launch of Thuraya VSAT+ marks the beginning of a new chapter in the IEC Telecom and Thuraya relationship. Together we have potential to transform the market of maritime communications.”

In support of the Thuraya VSAT+ service, IEC Telecom developed the OneGate smart solution, which is available for marine and offshore applications. OneGate offers users unparalleled visibility over communication assets to facilitate control over critical operations and maintain reliable connectivity where it matters the most.

Nabil concluded: “Enhanced by a set of value-added services from IEC Telecom, Thuraya VSAT+ is a truly unique solution for maritime communications. For a couple of years, our teams worked side by side to deliver an affordable service able to address specific requirements of all vessel types. The mission has been successfully accomplished. For international shipping companies, Thuraya VSAT+ offers global coverage with no yearly lock-in commitment. For fishing and leisure boats, we provide flexible tariff plans with regional focus.”

Customer demand is constantly growing for satellite solutions that offer high-speed internet, always-on connectivity, ease of use, innovation and value-added features that drive operational efficiency and increase on-board options for entertainment and crew welfare. VSAT+ and IEC Telecom’s value-added services meet this demand in an integrated solution.