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Inmarsat, Stratos tie up with Volvo Ocean Race

Indiantelevision.com Team

(12 March 2008 6:00 pm)

MUMBAI: FleetBroadband has been chosen to provide essential voice and data connectivity for the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09 as well as sending high-definition television (HDTV) and rich multimedia content from the Volvo Open 70s while they race across the world’s oceans.

Inmarsat returns again to the event as official satellite communications provider; Stratos Global is official sponsor of mobile satellite services; and Thrane & Thrane is official sponsor of satellite and radio communications equipment to Volvo Ocean Race 2008-2009.

Inmarsat’s new maritime broadband service, FleetBroadband, will be delivered to the yachts by Stratos mobile satellite services via Thrane & Thrane Sailor satellite equipment, and will allow an expected global audience of more than 1.8 billion people to follow the race on HDTV, radio and the internet.

FleetBroadband, supplemented by Inmarsat Fleet 33 and Inmarsat C services, will not only be used to deliver navigational and weather updates, position reports and course headings, but will also provide the essential safety communications for the crews as they compete in a 37,000 nautical mile race that lasts over nine months.

Volvo Ocean Race CEO Knut Frostad says, “The clarity of HDTV is about as close as you can get to the race action without being on a competing yacht. It’s what the international broadcasters want, it’s essential for raising the profile of the race and the sponsors globally, and it can only be sent by FleetBroadband. By choosing FleetBroadband, we have made this the most connected Volvo Ocean Race in its history.

“It’s a huge reassurance for the crews to know that with FleetBroadband they are never alone. Their progress will be closely monitored and their stories will reach the teams, sponsors, spectators, and most importantly for them, their families. We welcome the involvement of Inmarsat, Stratos and Thrane & Thrane – three names that every sailor will know well – as official sponsors of the Volvo Ocean Race, and look forward to a very successful partnership.”

Inmarsat chairman and CEO Andrew Sukawaty said, “The Volvo Ocean Race reflects Inmarsat’s values – global, leading from the front, pushing technology to its limits and always striving for excellence. We’re building on the success of our previous sponsorship of the race, and are excited that FleetBroadband will have a global platform to demonstrate its power.”

Stratos president and CEO Jim Parm says, “We are fortunate to be part of the team that will enable the Volvo Ocean Race to benefit from an amazing leap forward in maritime communications technology. The performance and reliability of FleetBroadband is far superior to communications services used in past ocean races. We expect it to help bring the excitement and action of this important race to a global audience.”

All 39 weekly half-hour TV shows and all nine one-hour summary programmes will be shot in HDTV. It is estimated that 90Gb – the equivalent of 20 DVDs – will be sent from the boats to race headquarters over FleetBroadband. This will be supplemented, as with previous races, by radio interviews, still photographs and text written by the crews – also sent via FleetBroadband and other Inmarsat services.