Seatrade Maritime is part of the Informa Markets Division of Informa PLC

This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 8860726.

IEC Telecom launching hybrid LEO communication solution

Photo: IEC Telecom Nabil Ben Soussia.png
IEC Telecom is unveiling a new low earth orbit (LEO) communications solution for shipping in the Philippines, the world’s largest supplier of seafarers, this week.

The new LEO/GEO hybrid solution Xpand Maritime will be powered SpaceX’s Starlink with the system automatically switching to L-Band network should the prime link go down.

Starlink’s LEO service will serve heavy consuming business and crew welfare applications, while the L-Band network will support digital operations in low bandwith.

The launch of Starlink’s LEO offering early this year has created considerable waves in the world of maritime communications and is particularly seen as a game changer for crew communications and welfare.

Nabil Ben Soussia, Group COO of IEC Telecom, commented, ““At this fast-moving time it’s important to remember that maritime digitalisation's success depends on carefully considered implementation. Satcom on board is not only about the hardware or network coverage; it’s about a connectivity system that remains operational at all times, enabling business continuity and reliable crew welfare.”

Xpand comes with an advanced ICT toolkit, including remote network management, a crew voucher system, and a wide range of value-added services.