MIDDLETOWN, R.I., May 14, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The IP-MobileCast TM content delivery service developed by KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq: KVHI ) for its mini-VSAT Broadband sm satellite network is now live, constituting a maritime industry first that will enable seafarers in the middle of the ocean to have affordable access to daily digital newspapers, television news, sports updates, music, new-release blockbuster movies, and TV programs via a multicasting service. KVH, a leading provider of satellite Internet services to the maritime industry, recently completed successful beta testing of IP-MobileCast, and is making the service available immediately to existing mini-VSAT Broadband customers who are interested in subscribing to IP-MobileCast.
The IP-MobileCast service utilizes multicasting technology to deliver large amounts of content to many ships at once, overcoming the prohibitively high satellite communications costs typically charged to deliver files for individual use. The new service (patent pending) is notable for numerous technological advancements: 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; the service ensures digital rights management (DRM) of copyrighted material, such as Hollywood movies and television programs; and the content is delivered using forward error correction to minimize 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, television, or movies onboard their vessels," says Martin Kits van Heyningen, KVH chief executive officer. "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."
"We're broadcasting football highlights from the games in Brazil, culminating in complete, live coverage on July 13 th ," says Jim Dodez, KVH's senior vice president for marketing and strategic planning. "We're especially proud to bring globally celebrated special events to mariners at sea, to strengthen their ties to home and family. It's how we interpret the spirit and the letter of the MLC-2006 crew welfare act."
Thousands of hours of beta testing were completed to ensure the IP-MobileCast service can deliver large multimedia files and regularly updated content to a vessel's onboard server, which can then make the content available to nearly all types of platforms on the ship, whether it is a flat screen TV, a computer, or a Wi-Fi enabled personal device, such as a smartphone, tablet, or laptop.
"We can provide content from anywhere in the world to a vessel anywhere at sea, and the user has an experience that is even better than that on land," says Brian Arthur, KVH vice president of product development. "On land, people have become accustomed to viewing entertainment content via a streaming device, which is subject to freezing or interruption. With the IP-MobileCast service, the content is broadcast over the KVH mini-VSAT Broadband network and stored on an onboard server, so everyone watching it is viewing something locally, with no streaming interruptions. The reaction we have had from our beta testing users has been fantastic."
Existing customers of KVH's mini-VSAT Broadband service who have an onboard TracPhone ® V7-IP, V11, or V11-IP satellite communications system can immediately request access to IP-MobileCast's daily news and sports content, movie trailers, and television programs through their onboard Integrated CommBox TM Modem (ICM); an over-the-air software upgrade is all that is required. KVH is offering several introductory promotions as part of the launch of the service for both new and existing customers, with details available from KVH's sales offices.
The content available via IP-MobileCast is provided by KVH Media Group, a leading provider of commercially licensed news and entertainment content to the maritime, hotel, and retail industries. KVH Media Group's brands include NEWSlink Print – daily news in more than 60 national editions; NEWSlink TV – 12 channels of regional news in native languages and 4 channels of international news in English; MOVIElink – latest release movies from Hollywood and international studios; TVlink – entire seasons of television series; SPORTSlink – daily video clips of key games and sporting events; and MUSIClink – licensed music in a variety of genres. All content is licensed for use onboard commercial vessels, avoiding the potential liabilities for shipping companies that can result from crew members bringing DVDs onboard and sharing them with other crew members in potential violation of copyright laws.
Note to Editors: A high-resolution product image of IP-MobileCast is available at KVH's Press Room ( www.kvh.com/Press-Room/Image-Library ) for download and editorial use. For more information about mini-VSAT Broadband and IP-MobileCast, please visit the KVH website ( www.ipmobilecast.com ).
About KVH Industries, Inc.
KVH Industries is a leading provider of in-motion satellite TV and communications systems, having designed, manufactured, and sold more than 175,000 mobile satellite antennas for applications on vessels, vehicles, and aircraft. KVH is also a leading news, music, and entertainment content provider to many industries including maritime, retail, and leisure. KVH is based in Middletown, RI, with research, development, and manufacturing operations in Middletown, RI, and Tinley Park, IL. The company's global presence includes subsidiaries in Belgium, Brazil, Cyprus, Denmark, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.
This release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements include, for example, statements regarding the timing and occurrence of new service rollout plans, the functionality, characteristics, quality, and performance of KVH's products, services, and technology; as well as customer demand, preferences, requirements, and expectations. The actual results could differ materially from the statements made in this press release. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to, potential unanticipated technical or legal impediments that could delay or impede service rollout plans or expected strategic relationships; the need for, or delays in, qualification of products to customer or regulatory standards; unanticipated declines or changes in customer demand, due to competitive, economic, seasonal, and other factors, particularly with respect to the TracPhone V-IP series products; unanticipated increases in media costs or loss of distribution rights; access to sufficient and uninterrupted satellite capacity to provide the service; risks associated with the delivery or performance of critical hardware; and changes in the costs and capabilities of competing offerings. These and other risk factors are discussed in KVH's most recent Form 10-Q filed with the SEC. KVH does not assume any obligation to update its forward-looking statements to reflect new information or developments.
KVH, TracPhone, IP-MobileCast, CommBox, NEWSlink, MOVIElink, TVlink, SPORTSlink, and MUSIClink are trademarks of KVH Industries, Inc. mini-VSAT Broadband is a service mark of KVH Industries, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies.
Jill Connors Media & Communications Manager KVH Industries, Inc. 401-851-3824
