MIDDLETOWN, R.I., April 12, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq:KVHI), today announced the immediate availability of AgilePlans by KVH, its all-inclusive Connectivity as a Service (CaaS) offering for the maritime industry. For a single monthly fee, AgilePlans by KVH brings an advanced satellite communications solution onboard without a costly capital expenditure or long-term commitment. The subscription fee is as low as US$499/month for a complete package including hardware, connectivity, installation at select ports, entertainment and training content, and global support. The AgilePlans by KVH subscription model is designed to deliver everything a fleet needs for better communications and improved operational efficiency at sea.
“Connectivity is the gateway to digital transformation for shipping, but the complexity and comparative expense of satellite communications has acted as a brake for many operators,” says K D Adamson, futurist and founder of Futurenautics Group. “Connectivity as a Service makes real sense, bringing simplicity, accessibility, and scalability without the need for up front CAPEX, so the AgilePlans service from KVH is groundbreaking in that respect. But this isn’t just about cutting costs, it’s about delivering value, which makes the inclusion of crew content and eLearning in the KVH offering really significant.”
AgilePlans by KVH is designed to enable customers to adjust quickly to changing market conditions and support fleet expansion or contraction as needed. For example, subscribers can end a subscription at any time without penalty. The AgilePlans subscribers need only notify KVH, return the onboard hardware, and the subscription will end.
The monthly subscription fee for Agile Plans by KVH includes all of the following:
- All Necessary Hardware: Choice of KVH’s TracPhone® V7-IP or TracPhone V11-IP antenna system; the belowdecks Integrated CommBoxTM Modem (ICM); and required cables
- Installation: Free shipping to, and standard installation in select ports around the globe
- Maintenance & Support: Zero maintenance costs for the life of the subscription; KVH OneCareTM Global Technical Assistance Package; proactive performance monitoring
- Airtime and Voice: Choice of KVH’s usage-based airtime data plans with speeds up to 4 Mbps shore-to-ship, and a KVH-assigned VoIP number
- Management Portal: myKVHTM
- Vessel Tracking Service: Basic Tracking
- Crew Welfare: NEWSlinkTM Print and NEWSlink TV delivered and updated daily via KVH’s IP-MobileCastTM content delivery service
- Training Content: TRAININGlinkTM VideotelTM Basic Training Package of videos covering Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW)-related material for one of three categories: tankers, dry cargo, or offshore
- Operations Data Delivery: CHARTlinkTM and FORECASTlinkTM multicast delivery of third-party chart and weather data
“We are thrilled to bring the benefits of the all-inclusive AgilePlans subscription service to the maritime industry,” says Martin Kits van Heyningen, CEO of KVH. “Ship operators know they can drive efficiency when they bring fast and reliable broadband onboard, and with the AgilePlans service, they will be able to get the benefits from day one. As we approach the 10th anniversary of our mini-VSAT Broadband service, this is one more way we are innovating for our customers, particularly in the crucial areas of connectivity and business flexibility.”
“KVH’s subscription program provides the advanced communications solution we need for our vessels, and includes all the factors we consider critical for our operations – a high-performing satellite communications system, the data consumption we anticipate for crew welfare, and remote access to the ships’ IT systems, among other things,” says Oliver Clauser, Nautic/IT, of Reederei Köpping Gmbh & Co. KG, technical manager on behalf of a ship portfolio managed by the Ernst Russ Group, which has already placed an order. “The program’s low investment cost was a deciding factor as well, given that KVH provides not only the equipment itself, but the installation and maintenance.”
The AgilePlans service complements existing purchase and lease options offered by KVH.
Note to Editors: For more information, please visit AgilePlans by KVH, www.kvh.com/agileplans. High-resolution images of KVH products are available at the KVH Press Room Image Library, www.kvh.com/press-room/image-library.
About KVH Industries, Inc.
KVH Industries, Inc. is a leading provider of in-motion satellite TV and communications systems, having designed, manufactured, and sold more than 200,000 mobile satellite antennas for applications on vessels and vehicles. KVH is also a leading news, music, and entertainment content provider to many industries including maritime, retail, and leisure. Videotel, a KVH company, is a market-leading provider of training films, computer-based training and eLearning. 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 offices in Belgium, Brazil, Cyprus, Denmark, Hong Kong, India, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, the Philippines, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. For example, forward-looking statements include statements regarding the introduction of AgilePlans by KVH, the scope of services to be offered, the pricing and benefits of AgilePlans and the predicted impact on customer expenditures. Actual results could differ materially from the forward-looking statements made in this press release. Factors that might cause these differences include, but are not limited to: customer responses to AgilePlans by KVH; potential future changes to the pricing or other terms of AgilePlans; and potential unforeseen costs or expenses of providing the products and services included in AgilePlans subscriptions. These and other factors are discussed in more detail in KVH’s most recent Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 9, 2017. Copies are available through its Investor Relations department and website, http://investors.kvh.com. KVH does not assume any obligation to update its forward-looking statements to reflect new information and developments.
KVH, AgilePlans, TracPhone, CommBox, KVH OneCare, myKVH NEWSlink, IP-MobileCast, TRAININGlink, Videotel, CHARTlink, and FORECASTlink 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.