OnAir Sets Sail with Hapag-Lloyd Cruises

OnAir, a leading provider of inflight communications, has launched full mobile phone connectivity - including GSM & GPRS - for Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ flagship MS Europa with OnAir’s Mobile technology.

The launch, with a cruise of the Baltic Sea, marks an extension of OnAir’s business into this rapidly growing business sector.

OnAir’s technological partners, Siemens IT Solutions and Services and TriaGnoSys, developed technology to enable passengers and crew to use their own mobile phones and Smartphones (iPhone, Blackberry, HTC, etc).

 The GSM service uses satellite communications, making connectivity possible regardless of the ship’s location. Siemens IT Solutions and Services supplied, installed and will maintain the software and hardware supporting OnAir’s technology.

“We’re delighted to be providing Hapag-Lloyd Cruises with the very latest in communications technology, giving its passengers the freedom to stay connected while at sea,” said Ian Dawkins, Chief Executive Officer of OnAir. “With Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ passengers voyaging to destinations like the Baltics, Polynesia and New Zealand, this launch really does underline OnAir’s position as the only truly global communications provider of voice, data and Internet both in the air and on the oceans.”

Paul Goldbeck , Manager IT/QM of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, added, “Our commitment is to provide travellers with the very highest quality of service onboard of our cruise liners. The latest mobile technology provided by OnAir is absolutely in line with Hapag-Lloyd’s Five Star ranking for service and excellence.”

The installation, which uses the ship’s existing Ku-band satellite antenna, is a simple process that can be carried out during a routine maintenance stop between cruises. The software developed by Siemens and TriaGnoSys uses compression technology to make very efficient use of the available bandwidth.

Florian Wolff, Senior Systems Engineer for Aerospace Solutions at Siemens IT Solutions and Services, said, “We have specifically designed the hardware and software to be simple to install, which means it is easy to scale the service up if required, and also to introduce it across the rest of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ fleet. The technology is tried and tested - we know it is high quality and robust, and we know people want to remain in touch using their own phones and Smartphones.”

MS Europa accommodates a maximum of 408 guests in over 200 suites, and 280 officers and crew.

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