ASTRA2Connect Maritime Broadband
Encyclopedia
ASTRA2Connect Maritime Broadband is a two-way satellite broadband Internet
service for use on private boats and commercial ships throughout European waters.
ASTRA2Connect provides high-speed Internet access (at up to 2Mbit/s downlink) along with VoIP telephone, email, and virtual private network
services to vessels while at anchor/moored or in motion. The service started in September 2009.
The ship-borne service is based on the ASTRA2Connect
land-based satellite broadband technology and is operated by ASTRA Broadband Services (ABBS), a subsidiary of SES ASTRA
, itself a subsidiary of SES based in Betzdorf, Luxembourg
, in conjunction with Korean marine antenna manufacturers KNS.
The service is intended for pleasure crafts, fishing and coastal ships, ferries and smaller commercial cargo carriers, operating mainly in the North and Baltic Seas, and the northern Mediterranean. ASTRA2Connect coverage is available throughout Europe and so the service may also be used by boats on in-land waterways.
Astra Broadband Services claims that the service provides for all aspects of maritime communications, including:
The main alternative to the service is Inmarsat
's FleetBroadband
service that, although almost global in reach, is based on 3G
technologies and limited to a 432Kbits/s download speed.
communications satellite at 23.5° east
, which in turn is linked to the Astra Broadband Services HQ and teleport
in Betzdorf where a hub connects to the Internet backbone
.
Downlinks and uplink
s to/from the vessel's antenna comprise IP
data embedded in a DVB-S2
carrier using the Ku band
(10.70 GHz-12.75 GHz for downlink, 14.00 GHz-14.50 GHz for uplink).
Vessels using ASTRA2Connect Maritime Broadband require a simple VSAT terminal comprising an antenna developed by KNS and modem from Newtec. The antenna is an in-motion motorised and stabilised dish for reception and transmission (500 mW), which automatically aligns to the Astra 1E satellite and maintains its orientation (and therefore the IP link to the satellite) even while the vessel is in motion – underway, manoeuvring, rolling or pitching.
ASTRA2Connect Maritime Broadband uses the KNS SuperTrack A9 antenna – an 85 cm dish weighing 57 kg, housed in a 110 cm x 103 cm protective radome
– which is mounted on the superstructure and connected to an ACU (Antenna Control Unit) in the control room. Also in the control room, the ASTRA2Connect satellite modem connects to the dish’s iLNB and to the user's local area network
using a standard 8P8C Ethernet
connector, behaving as an IP Bridge.
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
service for use on private boats and commercial ships throughout European waters.
ASTRA2Connect provides high-speed Internet access (at up to 2Mbit/s downlink) along with VoIP telephone, email, and virtual private network
Virtual private network
A virtual private network is a network that uses primarily public telecommunication infrastructure, such as the Internet, to provide remote offices or traveling users access to a central organizational network....
services to vessels while at anchor/moored or in motion. The service started in September 2009.
The ship-borne service is based on the ASTRA2Connect
ASTRA2Connect
ASTRA2Connect is a two-way satellite broadband Internet service available across Europe, which launched in March 2007, and uses the ASTRA series of geostationary satellites...
land-based satellite broadband technology and is operated by ASTRA Broadband Services (ABBS), a subsidiary of SES ASTRA
SES Astra
Astra is the name for the geostationary communication satellites, both individually and as a group, which are owned and operated by SES S.A., a global satellite operator based in Betzdorf, in eastern Luxembourg. The name is sometimes also used to describe the channels broadcasting from these...
, itself a subsidiary of SES based in Betzdorf, Luxembourg
Betzdorf, Luxembourg
Betzdorf is a commune and village in eastern Luxembourg. It is part of the canton of Grevenmacher, which is part of the district of Grevenmacher. The commune's administrative centre is Berg....
, in conjunction with Korean marine antenna manufacturers KNS.
Uses
ASTRA2Connect Maritime Broadband provides an always-on Internet connection to vessels, and the service can be used equally well while a vessel is either docked or underway at sea, to provide users the same connectivity capabilities they have in their homes or offices.The service is intended for pleasure crafts, fishing and coastal ships, ferries and smaller commercial cargo carriers, operating mainly in the North and Baltic Seas, and the northern Mediterranean. ASTRA2Connect coverage is available throughout Europe and so the service may also be used by boats on in-land waterways.
Astra Broadband Services claims that the service provides for all aspects of maritime communications, including:
- VoIP telephone
- on-board entertainment
- World Wide Web browsing
- crew communications
- data transfer
- content-on-demand
- virtual private networks
The main alternative to the service is Inmarsat
Inmarsat
Inmarsat plc is a British satellite telecommunications company, offering global, mobile services. It provides telephony and data services to users worldwide, via portable or mobile terminals which communicate to ground stations through eleven geostationary telecommunications satellites...
's FleetBroadband
Fleet Broadband
FleetBroadband is a maritime global Satellite Internet, Telephony, SMS Texting and ISDN Network for ocean going vessels using portable domed terminal antennas. These terminal antennas range in size from 291mm x 275mm to the largest 605mm x 630mm system, which is capable of 432 kbit/s broadband...
service that, although almost global in reach, is based on 3G
3G
3G or 3rd generation mobile telecommunications is a generation of standards for mobile phones and mobile telecommunication services fulfilling the International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 specifications by the International Telecommunication Union...
technologies and limited to a 432Kbits/s download speed.
Marketing
ASTRA2Connect Maritime Broadband is marketed to end users by third party service providers, of which there is currently one for all of Europe – UK-based H2OSatellite. The H2OLitespeed package includes hardware rental and broadband access in a fixed-rate monthly fee, dependent on the speed of connection (512Kbit/s download, 96Kbits/s upload, 1024Kbit/s download, 128Kbits/s upload, and 2048Kbit/s download, 128Kbits/s upload are available).Technology
The Internet connection provided by ASTRA2Connect Maritime Broadband is a two-way satellite link between the user’s vessel and the Astra 1EAstra 1E
Astra 1E is a communications satellite owned and operated by SES Astra, and launched in 1995 to the Astra 19.2°E orbital slot to provide digital television and radio for DTH across Europe....
communications satellite at 23.5° east
Astra 23.5°E
Astra 23.5°E is the name for the group of communications satellites co-located at the 23.5° east position in the Clarke Belt owned and operated by SES Astra, a subsidiary of SES based in Betzdorf, Luxembourg...
, which in turn is linked to the Astra Broadband Services HQ and teleport
Earth station
A ground station, earth station, or earth terminal is a terrestrial terminal station designed for extraplanetary telecommunication with spacecraft, and/or reception of radio waves from an astronomical radio source. Ground stations are located either on the surface of the Earth, or within Earth's...
in Betzdorf where a hub connects to the Internet backbone
Internet backbone
The Internet backbone refers to the principal data routes between large, strategically interconnected networks and core routers in the Internet...
.
Downlinks and uplink
Uplink
A telecommunications link is generally one of several types of information transmission paths such as those provided by communication satellites to connect two points on earth.-Uplink:...
s to/from the vessel's antenna comprise IP
Internet Protocol
The Internet Protocol is the principal communications protocol used for relaying datagrams across an internetwork using the Internet Protocol Suite...
data embedded in a DVB-S2
DVB-S2
Digital Video Broadcasting - Satellite - Second Generation is a digital television broadcast standard that has been designed as a successor for the popular DVB-S system. It was developed in 2003 by the , an international industry consortium, and ratified by ETSI in March 2005...
carrier using the Ku band
Ku band
The Kμ band is a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum in the microwave range of frequencies. This symbol refers to —in other words, the band directly below the K-band...
(10.70 GHz-12.75 GHz for downlink, 14.00 GHz-14.50 GHz for uplink).
User Equipment
ASTRA2Connect Maritime Broadband uses the KNS SuperTrack A9 antenna – an 85 cm dish weighing 57 kg, housed in a 110 cm x 103 cm protective radome
Radome
A radome is a structural, weatherproof enclosure that protects a microwave or radar antenna. The radome is constructed of material that minimally attenuates the electromagnetic signal transmitted or received by the antenna. In other words, the radome is transparent to radar or radio waves...
– which is mounted on the superstructure and connected to an ACU (Antenna Control Unit) in the control room. Also in the control room, the ASTRA2Connect satellite modem connects to the dish’s iLNB and to the user's local area network
Local area network
A local area network is a computer network that interconnects computers in a limited area such as a home, school, computer laboratory, or office building...
using a standard 8P8C Ethernet
Ethernet
Ethernet is a family of computer networking technologies for local area networks commercially introduced in 1980. Standardized in IEEE 802.3, Ethernet has largely replaced competing wired LAN technologies....
connector, behaving as an IP Bridge.
See also
- ASTRA2ConnectASTRA2ConnectASTRA2Connect is a two-way satellite broadband Internet service available across Europe, which launched in March 2007, and uses the ASTRA series of geostationary satellites...
European land-based satellite Internet - InmarsatInmarsatInmarsat plc is a British satellite telecommunications company, offering global, mobile services. It provides telephony and data services to users worldwide, via portable or mobile terminals which communicate to ground stations through eleven geostationary telecommunications satellites...
Marine communications satellites - Fleet BroadbandFleet BroadbandFleetBroadband is a maritime global Satellite Internet, Telephony, SMS Texting and ISDN Network for ocean going vessels using portable domed terminal antennas. These terminal antennas range in size from 291mm x 275mm to the largest 605mm x 630mm system, which is capable of 432 kbit/s broadband...
Inmarsat service