Pharostar maritime VSAT antennas. Photo: Airbus Defence & Space

[Via Satellite 11-05-201] Airbus Defence and Space has doubled its satellite capacity to provide increased throughput and service availability for yacht owners transiting back to the Caribbean from the summer season in the Mediterranean. Vessels sailing along the entire U.S. East Coast and the Caribbean will be able to reach speeds up to 6 Mbps using standard Pharostar Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT), according to Airbus Defence and Space.

The enhanced satellite coverage over the Caribbean consists of multiple satellites beams. As Pharostar VSAT services dynamically switch the connection to the next available satellite, this maximizes the VSAT link availability when the vessel position changes or external obstacles block the VSAT antenna.

“More and more we see the demand for higher speeds for leisure vessels in Florida and the Caribbean, as almost every person is now coming onboard with their own personal devices wanting to stay in touch on Facebook and Skype, just as they do at home or in the office. With this step we deliver a standardized, easy-to-install and use service, with the necessary high speed and voice quality to keep guests and the crew happy,” said Tore Morten Olsen, head of maritime satellite communications activities at Airbus Defence and Space.