OneWeb announces the commencement of its maritime service using Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite technology. The announcement, made at the Nor-Shipping event in Oslo, detailed the company's plan to provide maritime users with a "Try Before You Buy" service, which is expected to deliver more than 100Mbps of internet speed.

Presently, OneWeb's network comprises 634 operational satellites in low Earth orbit, providing service down to 35 degrees latitude. By the end of the year, the company plans to complete all necessary ground stations and operational requirements to deliver full global maritime services.

The proximity of LEO satellites to Earth, as compared to Geostationary Orbit (GEO) satellites, allows for faster data transmission and lower latency, increasing the quality of internet connections at sea. In addition to connectivity, OneWeb has collaborated with maritime communications providers Intellian and Kymeta to offer a variety of hardware terminal products. 

OneWeb's service is based on a Service Level Agreement (SLA) model, where customers can select packages based on their Committed Information Rate (CIR) or Maximum Information Rate (MIR) requirements. OneWeb's network employs full encryption and a layered service approach to differentiate between crew and operational traffic on the same terminal.

Carole Plessy, VP Europe and Maritime at OneWeb, outlined the company's vision at the Nor-Shipping event: “Since unveiling our commitment to the maritime community at Nor-Shipping four years ago, the demand for ubiquitous high-speed connectivity across the globe has surged exponentially.

“Today, OneWeb’s complete satellite constellation is successfully deployed, enabling us to now launch our guaranteed connectivity services to the maritime industry. We look forward to launching OneWeb’s “Try Before You Buy” maritime service and connecting with customers at Nor-Shipping to help them find the best solutions for their connectivity needs.”

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