The IP-MobileCast content delivery service is now live, enabling seafarers in the middle of the ocean to have access to daily digital newspapers, TV programmes and news, sports updates, music and movies via a multicasting service.
The content delivery service was developed by KVH Industries for its mini-VSAT Broadband satellite network. The company recently completed beta testing of IP-MobileCast and is making the service available immediately to existing mini-VSAT Broadband customers who are interested in subscribing to the service.
IP-MobileCast utilises multicasting technology to deliver large amounts of content to many ships at once, overcoming high satellite communications costs typically charged to deliver files for individual use. With this new service, content is delivered over the top of the network so there is no charge for the delivery, only for the content itself. The multicasting transmission does not affect the vessel’s mini-VSAT Broadband onboard data speed, while the service ensures digital rights management of copyrighted material. The content is delivered using forward error correction to minimise burden on the mini-VSAT Broadband network.
“The IP-MobileCast service is revolutionary in the richness of fresh content that can be delivered to mariners at sea, who up until now have not had access to updated news, sports, TV or movies onboard their vessels,” says Martin Kits van Heyningen, KVH CEO. “Now, mariners in the middle of the ocean can experience an incredible amount of news and entertainment content the entire time they are at sea, and maritime operators can benefit from providing crew welfare services reliably and affordably.”
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