Ofer Ship Holding has deployed the new FleetBroadband Multi-voice capability on its 4,250teu container vessel Zim Constanza.
Station 711, a distribution partner of mobile satellite communications services provider Inmarsat, has added a Vocality PBX to work alongside the ship’s installed JRC-500.
The new multi-voice technology has been integrated into Inmarsat’s core network to ensure a high-quality voice service.
Vessel owners and managers are now able to separate crew communications from operational use by utilising the multi-voice capability that supports up to nine simultaneous calls.
The move is intended to allow crew to receive and make personal calls onboard at low cost.
Station 711 sales director Kobi Ohayon said, "Not only do the crew now have more privacy for their calls, for which they can use our low-cost prepaid cards, but they are receiving the same high-quality voice service as the bridge."
Ofer Ship Holding computer and network security personnel Dotan Sofer said it was easy to integrate the FleetBroadband Multi-voice capability into the vessel’s infrastructure.
"The high quality of the multiple voice lines is the same as we had previously on the existing FleetBroadband terminal," Sofer said.
Existing FleetBroadband equipment onboard the Zim Constanza can be used to access the new multi-voice capability with the same per-minute tariff for both post-paid and pre-paid calls.
The technology also connects a vessel immediately to a maritime rescue centre through the ‘505’ emergency calling capability.
Inmarsat Maritime president Frank Coles said, "This is a simple but effective solution to the growing need for separate crew calling facilities, delivered with the same high-quality standard as all Inmarsat services."
With 27 crew onboard, the 261m long and 32m wide container vessel can carry a gross tonnage of 40,542t and reach a maximum speed of 9.8 knots.
