O3b Connects Royal Caribbean “Smart Ship” Anthem of the Seas in the Mediterranean

O3b Networks announced it has enabled high-speed broadband internet access and SMART Connect mobile service on Royal Caribbean International’s Anthem of the Seas with the O3bMaritime product while it is in the Mediterranean.

The use of O3b satellites, which are closer to the earth than traditional geostationary satellites, reduces latency, increases internet speed and improves voice and video quality for the user. O3b’s next generation IP trunking solution boosts existing link capacities to rival the affordability and latency of fiber.

The O3b system is uniquely designed for broad coverage. Because O3b is a constellation of satellites, when Royal Caribbean moves one of its top-of-the-line Oasis- or Quantum-class ships to another region around the world, the global O3b satellite constellation can provide its signature fiber-like throughput and low latency in the new location as well.

O3bMaritime has already provided four of Royal Caribbean’s largest ships (Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Quantum of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas), each with more bandwidth than the rest of the cruise industry combined. In the near future, Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas will move across the Pacific, bringing exceptional cruising experiences and at-sea high speed broadband to the Japanese ports of Okinawa and Kyoto, as well as other Asian destinations.

“With O3b we have added a dimension to cruising that has never existed before,” said Michael Bayley, President & CEO of Royal Caribbean International. “Our new internet capabilities allow our guests to surf, stream and share their vacation experiences with their friends and family back home. It also allows us to provide our business clientele a new way to stay connected with their colleagues.”

“We are honored to support Royal Caribbean’s innovative use of technology, and to bring this capability to guests in a new destination,” said Steve Collar, CEO of O3b. “By moving Anthem to the Mediterranean, Royal Caribbean will bring guests there the extraordinary level of instant connectivity that has thrilled Caribbean guests. Guests can tweet, post, Skype, stream video, even play Xbox with friends—just like they do at home—while cruising on Anthem.”