OmniAccess satellite dishes. Photo: OmniAccess

[Via Satellite 09-23-2015] Maritime communications specialist OmniAccess has entered into a strategic cooperation agreement with Panasonic Avionics to participate in the development of the company’s XTS “Extremely High Throughput” satellite network program.

Panasonic has agreements with Intelsat for high throughput capacity on two EpicNG satellites, as well as with Eutelsat for the upcoming Eutelsat 172B. The company is in the process of contracting for XTS high throughput satellites to bring massive amounts of capacity to aeronautical, energy, maritime and mining customers. Through this agreement OmniAccess has secured access to Panasonic’s existing capacity, currently contracted capacity, and the future XTS satellite network, bringing that same capacity and performance to its yachting and cruise ship customers. OmniAccess also foresees extensive cooperation in the areas of entertainment systems and content provisioning.

In a February 2015 interview with Via Satellite, David Bruner VP of global communications at Panasonic Avionics described the company’s “Extreme HTS” strategy as reaching global coverage, then layering additional capacity over highly traversed areas. The company envisions having global HTS coverage by 2017.