Orbit Communication Systems announced the Asian launch of the OceanTRx maritime stabilized mobile VSAT platform, which offers multiband capabilities and easy installation in a compact form factor.
The OceanTRx-4 is a 1.15m (4-foot) unit that supports the Ku, Ka and X bands, while the 2.2m (7-foot) OceanTRx-7 supports the C, Ku and Ka bands.
The OceanTRx-7 is also billed as "the most compact and lightweight 2.2m mobile maritime antenna system in the market", requiring about 88% less deck space and weighing at least 40% less than other solutions.
Yossi Levy, Orbit's senior VP of sales and customer support, says the OceanTRx-7 is built for quick and easy installation, upgrade and maintenance, and is small enough to be shipped as a fully assembled unit in a standard 20-foot container, all of which means fast installation and commissioning - "within one day, as opposed to three to five days" - and overall lower costs.
Levy said that there is growing demand for multiband VSAT capabilities in the maritime space because customers want to be able to use different frequencies to get the best connection according to their current situation without wasting money and real estate on multiple systems.
"If you are using Ka-band, for example, you may go to one place and the signal is very good, but if you go to another place and the signal is bad because of heavy rain, you want to be able to switch to C-band automatically," he explained. "Ships don't want to install two or three systems for each band."
Another attraction of multiband capability is bandwidth cost management, Levy added. "The price of Ka is cheaper than C-band. So we're giving customers maximum flexibility to use the right band at the right time in the right place on a specific platform."
In related news, Orbit announced it signed an initial $3 million deal to supply its Orion-based Communications Management Systems (CMS) to a major European aircraft manufacturer. Orbit didn't name the manufacturer, but said that the contract's future value could reach as much as $14 million as the scope and value of systems to be supplied expands.
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