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LATEST NEWS EXTRACTS FROM THE APSCC

First Major Order for New Fleet One Plan

April 3, 2018 ‐ Inmarsat has received the first major commitment to its brand new Americas Leisure Plan for Fleet One, devised especially for sailing and motorboat users cruising in waters around North and South America. The order for 150 Fleet One terminals from Network Innovations follows hard on the heels of the 1 March launch of the flexible ‘unlimited Fleet One Americas Leisure Plan’ for yacht and boat users from Alaskan waters, along both US coasts, through the Caribbean and Mexico, and on to the South Pacific and South Atlantic. Alongside their primary boat systems, leisure users now expect to be able to update complex chart plotting, navigation systems and weather forecasts in real time, with apps accessed through tablets that make leisure cruising safer, as well as more fun.

Viasat Expands Dublin Office

April 4, 2018 ‐ Viasat Inc. opened its new expanded office in Dublin, Ireland, which is expected to house up to 250 Viasat team members focused on developing next‐generation software and technology for Viasat’s target broadband markets. The expanded Dublin office represents a signal of growth for Viasat. Today, the Company has nearly 100 team members located in Dublin primarily developing innovative software solutions for the commercial aviation industry. Viasat expects to more than double its headcount in Dublin over the next few years, and extend development beyond connected aircraft software to include broader software and mobile application support for international maritime customers, European residential broadband and Wi‐Fi markets, government systems as well as support for Viasat’s next‐generation ultrahigh capacity satellite platform, known as ViaSat‐3.

Marlink Adds Capacity and Coverage to its Sealink VSAT Network in the Indian Ocean Region

April 4, 2018 ‐ Marlink has added a new satellite to its global multi‐band Sealink network, significantly expanding its footprint in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and introducing even more Ku‐band VSAT capacity to enable high‐speed broadband connectivity for ships transiting southern routes between Asia and Africa, in addition to fishing vessels operating east of Africa’s coastline and out towards the Maldives and Seychelles. The new capacity comes from a satellite positioned in geostationary orbit at a longitude of 110° East. Its addition to the Sealink network now gives Marlink four overlapping beams in certain areas of the IOR, ensuring that capacity is always available for its customers to meet their diverse connectivity needs. The extra redundancy provided by the enhanced orbital spread in the IOR ensures continuous service availability, especially in ‘blocking’ situations where a vessel’s infrastructure obstructs line of site between the antenna and a satellite.

SKY Perfect JSAT Launches Next‐Generation Maritime Broadband Service “OceanBB plus”

April 5, 2018 ‐ SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation (SJC) announced the launch of SJC’s next‐generation maritime broadband service “OceanBB plus” in partnership with KVH mini‐VSAT broadband. “OceanBB plus” provides faster connectivity and wider service coverage compared to SJC’s current “OceanBB” service. “OceanBB plus” has two rate plans; one is the Flat Plan with the speed that meets customers’ various requirements, and the other is the High Speed Plan that fits customers’ monthly data needs and provides data speeds as fast as 10Mbps (shore‐to‐ship) and 3Mbps (ship‐to‐shore). Customers can enjoy both plans
at the same time in a single contract, and this new hybrid airtime plans will offer flexible solutions to the unique needs of each vessel. SJC has been contributing a lot to the spread of VSAT service in the Japanese maritime broadband market as an industry leader. “OceanBB” also has been improving the lives of crews by providing vessels with broadband environment. Through those innovative activities, “OceanBB”, with total 300+ customers within Japan, has supported the digitalization of Japanese shipping industry. To meet evergrowing demand for maritime connectivity as well as to get ready for the new era of Ship IoT, “OceanBB plus” will continue to deliver accelerated growth to the Japanese maritime customers.

Viasat Affirms Commitments to Bring its ViaSat‐3 Satellite to Europe

April 6, 2018 ‐ Viasat has confirmed it will not be moving forward with Eutelsat Communications on a deal for use of the ViaSat‐3 satellite, due to Eutelsat's decision to pursue a local market alternative. As there was no binding agreement with Eutelsat for the ViaSat‐3 EMEA satellite, Viasat's capital plan is not dependent on Eutelsat's participation to proceed with the ViaSat‐3 program. Viasat also confirmed that Eutelsat's ViaSat‐3 decision has no direct impact on existing contracts. Viasat and Eutelsat closed a broadband joint venture in March 2017 that gave Viasat joint ownership of the KA‐SAT satellite. The joint venture also enabled Viasat to create a new consumer retail service in Europe, which is currently in earlystage operations and focuses on bringing enhanced broadband internet service plans to select European countries.

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About APSCC
APSCC is a non-profit, international organization representing all sectors of satellite and space-related industries. The aim of the organization is to exchange views and ideas on satellite technologies, systems, policies and outer space activities in general along with satellite communications including broadcasting for the betterment of the Asia-Pacific region.

Conferences, forums, workshops, and exhibitions are organized through regional coordination with its members in order to promote new services and businesses via satellite as well as outer space activities. APSCC membership is open to any government body, public or private organization, association, or corporation that is involved in satellite services, risk management or associate fields such as data-casting, informatics, multi-media, telecommunications and other outer-space related activities with interests in the Asia-Pacific region. More information is available at www.apscc.or.kr.