06.11.2014, 22:46:31 (GMT+1)

Super-speed WiFi connectivity rules the waves

Lift-off for cruise ships' “revolutionary” high-speed wireless network

One of the greatest irritations while taking a cruise holiday, perhaps to far-from-home-destinations, is being unable to share memorable experiences with friends and families while on board.





An absence of infrastructure, which means no reliable internet connectivity, is often a source of concern and frequent frustration among passengers wanting to stay in touch with their loved ones back home.





Well, now all that is about to change. The world’s largest and possibly most innovative cruise company is promising to deliver internet speeds up to 10 times faster than those that have sporadically been available at sea up to now. Carnival Corporation has developed a world-leading, high-speed ‘smart hybrid’ network which combines land-based systems and satellite connectivity to create a substantially improved service.





WiFi@Sea will provide a faster, more stable and immensely more powerful internet connection, ensuring that passengers will be able to share their cruise experiences and special moments with their ‘significant others’ through the internet, email and social media channels, anytime they choose – as easily and effortlessly as they would do on land.





This new connectivity network will integrate land-based antennas, installed at strategic points along cruise routes, together with WiFi from port connections and advanced satellite systems. Ultimately, it will provide fast speed, high-quality broadband wireless connectivity to passengers on all 101 Carnival cruise vessels across nine separate company brands.





“Our goal is to give our passengers the best possible connection to the internet whether they are in port, cruising near a coastal area or sailing in the middle of the ocean,” says Ramon Millan, senior vice president and global chief information officer at Carnival Corporation. “In terms of the technology, the smart hybrid network represents an innovative solution designed for the unique circumstances of providing wireless internet access on our ships sailing round the world.”





The first ships to benefit from the integrated network will be those sailing from North America to Caribbean destinations – the most popular region for cruising – before the end of the year. Roll-out for the technology will continue throughout 2015, beginning with vessels on Alaskan routes followed by services to the Mediterranean, Baltic, Western European and Asian regions. By 2016 the technology will be installed on ships in the company’s nine leading global brands – AIDA Cruises, Carnival Cruise Lines, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises UK, P&O Cruises Australia, Princess Cruises and Seabourne.





Cruise ships will connect to the new wireless network through a “unique combination” of technologies – port WiFi, long-range WiFi and a fleet of advanced satellite systems over multiple frequency bands. The service will be provided over three levels. Standard, land-based WiFi will be available when a ship is in port. Long-range WiFi will be accessible by passengers when they are within 40 miles of port. However, when the ship is out to sea, internet access will be provided by satellite connection.





Carnival Corporation says the network will seamlessly switch between connections depending on which option provides the best connectivity service at any one time. In the same way that a cell phone changes from one data connection to another while moving across a coverage area, the toggle between networks will be “transparent for travellers and managed behind the scenes by a high-tech system”.





The technology has been piloted for more than a year. Due to the success of trials and positive feedback from those involved in the pilot schemes, the company has decided to press ahead with full implementation. When completed, the network will seamlessly switch among its various technology solutions to provide passengers with the highest-available bandwidth capacity and signal strength.





According to the company, this technology innovation is likely to revolutionise how millions of cruise travellers connect and stay in touch with their nearest and dearest while they are at sea. It may also stimulate even greater interest in cruise holidays, especially among the “tech-savvy millennial generation” – younger travellers that have grown up accustomed to connectivity and social media as essential parts of their everyday lives.





Further ahead, the first-of-its-kind hybrid approach to internet connectivity at sea will create opportunities to enhance the service by adding new technologies as they become available. The scalable model also enables the company to extend the network as other ports and routes are added to future schedules.





“Our integrated network is designed to be flexible,” says Ramon Millan. “As technology changes, we can change how our network operates, A technology we are using today may be replaced by a newer, better technology a few months from now. That flexibility means we can constantly be on the leading edge of updating our integrated network and making sure our passengers have the best possible solution for staying in touch.”





Sources:

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=200767&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1984513

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/carnival-corporation-unveils-cruise-industrys-first-hybrid-wireless-network-at-sea-2014-11-03?reflink=MW_news_stmp