Buzz Marine Helps Connect Fred Olsen with Onboard Wi-Fi

Hubba X4 Go Saves the Day

Buzz Wireless has won the contract to supply 9 of its Hubba X4 Go marine broadband devices for the high speed catamarans of the Fred Olsen ferry fleet which operates between the Canary Islands. The router is designed and built specifically for the rigours of the marine environment and will provide a cost-effective alternative to maritime satellite communications for the passengers and crew of the ferries, allowing both voice and broadband data connection at sea.

The Fred Olsen fleet provides an important high speed link between the islands of the Atlantic archipelago. The Hubba X4 Go internet router system has a powerful, omni directional MIMO antenna to provide uninterrupted connection to mobile broadband services for passengers and crew during the passage. Already in operation aboard the “Bonanza Express”, “Bocayna Express”, “Bentago Express”, “Bencomo Express” and the impressive 126 meter, 38 knot multihull, “Benchijigua Express”.

The Hubba X4 Go is a highly flexible system operating on 4G, 3G or available 2G networks, providing download speeds of up to 80Mbps and will allow up to 32 Wi-Fi devices to use the system simultaneously. The paired antenna is housed in a small easy to install, IP67 certified casing which protects it from the extreme maritime elements. The antenna is connected to a Hubba X4 Go router located below deck to create a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Steve Smith, managing director of Buzz Marine commented – “This is a significant installation for us as these vessels operate an important high speed link between the islands, some of which are up to 100 minutes passage time travelling at up to 38 knots. Initial results have shown the HubbaX Go to be highly effective in this environment so we are delighted that the flagship of the fleet the “Benchijigua Express” carries our Hubba X4 Go. We have had considerable interest in the Hubba range from other coastal operators around the world.”

Buzz Wireless has also developed the Hubba X4 Global, a more complex system configured for vessels travelling across international borders and those which carry a VSAT terminal. The Hubba X4 Global has a VSAT failover facility which enables the lower cost, faster download of the Hubba X4 Global to seamlessly take precedence when in range of a mobile connection. This substantially reduces the operator’s communication costs, which can be considerably less than using VSAT exclusively when within 20 miles of a mobile serviced coastline. It also provides a dual SIM facility for vessels which operate across international borders and multiple mobile providers.

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