Inmarsat announces appointment of SSI-Monaco as FX reseller at Monaco Yacht Show
British telecommunications company Inmarsat have used the Monaco Yacht Show to unveil a new partnership with local service provider SSI-Monaco. The deal, which builds upon the pre-existing relationship between the two companies, will see SSI-Monaco furbish superyachts in the principality with Inmarsat’s state-of-the-art Fleet Xpress (FX) broadband service. As such, it gives SSI-Monaco far greater power in equipping their customers with the world’s only high-speed satellite broadband service that is available all over the globe.
Inmarsat launched FX two years ago in a historic move that has taken maritime communication capabilities to a whole new level. By marrying the incredibly high data speeds of its Global Express Ka-band technology to the impeccable track record of its FleetBroadband L-band service, Inmarsat has been able to achieve uninterrupted connectivity for captains and crewmen all the time, wherever they happen to be in the world. With other advantages including controlled costs and a 24/7 support system, FX has become the gold standard in onboard broadband connectivity and is being adopted by more and more vessels around the world.
Indeed, at the end of 2016, the service was available on just 335 ships worldwide. By the end of 2017, that figure had jumped up to 2,600 – and Inmarsat are confident that more than 10,000 ships will be using FX in the near future. The deal with SSI-Monaco to distribute FX among its customers signals a move into the superyacht market, which can only be beneficial for all parties involved. Some of the benefits which superyacht owners can soon enjoy include competitively priced voice calls, high-speed internet access and variable subscription rates to mirror the ebb and flow of seasonal demand on board such vessels.
“We are really pleased that SSI is joining our Fleet Xpress partner network. It increases our presence in a key region at a time when demand in the superyacht market for reliable, seamless and secure connectivity is growing strongly,” explained Rob Myers, a senior director at Inmarsat. “To meet this demand is important to extend the Inmarsat network and secure the support of key partners, such as SSI, to enable fast industry transition to high-speed connectivity. Awareness of the differentiated capabilities of Fleet Xpress is increasing rapidly. It delivers reliable, flexible, high performance superyacht connectivity globally, strengthening Inmarsat’s position as the driving force in the global maritime sector for connectivity at sea.”