MediaMobil Success-Story
Harren & Partner
The Bremen-based shipping and logistics group Harren & Partner has been a MediaMobil customer since 2017. MediaMobil has replaced the less flexible and rather expensive L-band connections between ship and shore with the significantly more efficient V-SAT technology. The IT on board is now also supported by V-SAT and is significantly more powerful than before.
The client
The initial situation
The requirement
Until then, the telecommunications connection at Harren & Partner consisted only of the obligatory telex and the classic maritime L-band satellite system.
However, this infrastructure was no longer able to cope with modern requirements: bandwidths were too low, it was inflexible and expensive. The transmission of larger data volumes or e-mails with larger attachments or research and work on the Internet was out of the question. The desired access for the crew to their own e-mail or social media account would also have been technically and economically difficult to implement.
The Bremen-based shipping company therefore actively sought a new partner to offer high-performance Internet, e-mail and telephony on board. It was also clear that the new communications solution would have to be integrated into the existing infrastructure and not just offer a standard setup.
This resulted in the following requirements:
- Individual integration instead of standard setup
- Independent installation
- A fleet contract with good conditions and flexibility
- High connection quality
- Technical support 24/7
The solution
As a specialist for VSAT technology, MediaMobil met all of Harren & Partner’s requirements at a good price-performance ratio. From now on, comfortable e-mail communication, a secure internet connection, telephone calls with the mainland as well as the transfer of larger amounts of data were possible without any problems. The crew was given access to the Internet. This enables them to communicate more personally with their families and friends.
Permanent connections are provided by the MLG-8 Multi Link Gateway developed by MediaMobil itself and the globally distributed MediaMobil teleports in Bremen, Hawaii and other locations in the USA, Australia and the Philippines.
The multi-link gateway automatically selects the available communication path according to defined criteria. In addition to the V-SAT connection, it is possible to switch to cellular or WiFi networks near the coast, for example.
Together, an installation of the on-board IT and the communication solution was set up as a prototype at MediaMobil to ensure integration. Employees of Harren & Partner received a training for the implementation on board and a rollout plan was developed. Since then, the shipping company has been gradually equipping its fleet with this solution.
The client's conclusion
Kevin Dudek, Deputy Head of IT at Harren & Partner, emphasizes: “The requirements for optimally functioning ship IT differ significantly from “normal” IT. We therefore looked very closely at the various satellite technologies and in the end decided on VSAT technology. Then we started looking for a VSAT specialist.”
The contact with MediaMobil occured when the two companies were jointly managing an offshore vessel. “The requirements for reasonable telecommunications and IT on a permanent construction site were by no means trivial, but MediaMobil always met them perfectly,” reports Dudek. He was also pleasantly surprised by the fast and, above all, competent support: “No matter what requirement you come up with, MediaMobil can do it.”
The fact that MediaMobil is a Bremen-based company just like Harren & Partner makes the cooperation even easier, he adds. “Current topics can be discussed at short notice through personal meetings. That’s not only fun, but also strengthens the team spirit.”