Inmarsat Maritime, a part of ViaSat (NASDAQ: VSAT), has announced the next stage of its NexusWave bonded connectivity service. This comes after the successful launch of the ViaSat-3 Flight 2 satellite and ahead of the upcoming launch of the ViaSat-3 Flight 3 satellite.
With the two ViaSat-3 satellites set to go live in 2026, NexusWave customers will experience a significant boost in available bandwidth. This will be made possible through a new generation of maritime terminals, with added capacity expected to come from VS3 Flight 2 over the Americas and VS3 Flight 3 over Asia-Pacific. By choosing NexusWave now, maritime customers can look forward to better performance, more reliable speeds, and greater flexibility to adapt to their changing needs.
NexusWave is Inmarsat’s managed, multi-network service that combines capacity from GEO Ka-band, LEO, LTE, and L-band networks into a cohesive connectivity solution. The ultra-high-capacity, high-speed ViaSat-3 satellites will enhance data transfer speeds and network efficiency, promoting digitalization and crew welfare for a more seamless ‘office-like’ and ‘home-like’ internet experience onboard.
The new VS60 maritime terminal, designed by Intellian and backed by Viasat's software-defined radio technology, will enhance NexusWave. It supports high-demand applications like enterprise networking, video streaming, crew welfare, and critical operations. During recent sea trials, the VS60 terminal reached download speeds of over 250 megabits per second. It also includes multiple layers of protection to keep sensitive data safe and maintain operational integrity.
Additionally, the ViaSat-3 satellites are equipped with more than 1,000 steerable spot beams. These beams can dynamically shift bandwidth to meet the demand across global shipping routes, ports, and offshore sites.
Gert-Jan Panken, Vice President of Inmarsat Maritime, stated: “The combination of NexusWave’s multi-orbit architecture and the new ViaSat-3-ready terminal developed with Intellian positions us well to support the needs of global fleets. It shows our long-term dedication to reliability, security, and a great customer experience at sea, allowing fleets to grow effortlessly with the network as it expands.”
Ben Palmer OBE, President of Viasat Commercial, added: “NexusWave was created to provide reliable performance in a complex connectivity environment. As ViaSat-3 capacity becomes available, we are making significant advancements for our customers and partners by offering increased bandwidth, greater flexibility, and a proactive upgrade path that ensures confidence in connectivity for the future.”