Global Eagle Introduces Speednet? Service for Cruise Ships

Application Performance Enhancement Technology Improves Bandwidth Efficiency and Provides Faster Wi-Fi Downloads – First Deployment Successful on M/V The World

Global Eagle Entertainment Inc. (NASDAQ:ENT) (“Global Eagle” or “Company”) is showcasing its new SpeedNet™ Application Performance Enhancement Technology (APET) at Seatrade Cruise Global this week.

APET is an enhancement to Global Eagle’s SpeedNet high-speed internet browsing technology, designed to improve the internet quality of experience (QoE) for passengers at sea. First introduced in 2012, SpeedNet overcomes the latency that is typically encountered when downloading files via satellite links at sea. It uses predictive algorithms to download automatically the most popular websites to the ship’s local server, so they can be accessed simultaneously by multiple users. In side-by-side tests, SpeedNet has been demonstrated to provide up to five times faster download speeds when accessing sites like Yahoo, BBC News, CNN News and ESPN over a satellite connection.

APET further optimizes SpeedNet performance through dynamic intelligent bandwidth management.  Data buffers are prioritized and tuned automatically based on bandwidth availability and the applications being used.

“When large numbers of passengers return to the ship after a port call, there is a tremendous surge in internet usage,” said Ole Kristian Sivertsen, president of Global Eagle’s cruise, ferry and yacht services. “SpeedNet APET helps to manage these periods of high demand and ensure the best-possible user experience by automatically prioritizing so as to provide the fastest speeds for the most important applications.”

“Protections are built into APET to provide the best QoE for users without compromising their security and privacy,” Sivertsen added.

The first deployment of SpeedNet APET is on the residential ship M/V The World. The installation on board was completed in December 2016 and initial results are very positive.

“We have seen a big difference since commissioning APET on the ship,” said Max Schmidt, chief information officer for The World. “Initial reports from the ship reveal a significant improvement in user experience and up to 50 percent more efficient use of bandwidth.”

Launched in 2002, The World is the largest privately owned residential yacht on Earth with 165 luxury residences. The 644-ft ship circumnavigates the globe every two to three years following an itinerary selected by residents. The average occupancy at any one time is 150-200 residents and guests. In January 2017, the ship undertook a 22-day expedition to Antarctica’s Ross Sea where it reached 78°43996´S, 163°41425´W – the farthest south that any ship has been recorded and recently verified by Guinness World Records. 

Schmidt noted that during the Ross Sea expedition, the ship experienced reduced capacity due to being at less than five degrees and out of coverage area. SpeedNet APET was able to dynamically adjust the QoE and allow a reasonable browsing experience.

“SpeedNet APET is an important tool that enables our cruise line customers to give their passengers a Wi-Fi and entertainment experience that is similar to what they would expect at a luxury land resort,” said Sivertsen. “When combined with our global redundant satellite coverage, robust land infrastructure and new-technology onboard portal, Global Eagle in a position to offer a QoE second-to-none.”

Global Eagle invites attendees to visit its booth #3705 at Seatrade Cruise Global 2017 to see the latest range of content and connectivity solutions for today’s cruise ships.