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In collaboration with EMC, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings will dramatically increase the bandwidth of its brands' - Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises - internet connections by July 2016.
The corporate fleet of 23 ships will see its bandwidth quadrupled to literally bring its vessels up to speed with the competition. In order to make it happen, the ships will be upgraded with several million dollars' worth of technology through June. New satellite dishes will support EMC's SpeedNet program that delivers content at speeds comparable to terrestrial fiberoptic connections. The Wi-Fi system will also benefit from shoreside links in certain ports.
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"With the addition of new hardware, combined with the significant increase in satellite bandwidth, shoreside connectivity and EMC's SpeedNet, we have moved beyond the decade old problem of slow data speeds from satellite to deliver a much more efficient and faster internet experience for our guests," said Ross Henderson, vice president, onboard revenue, at Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. "Our guests can consume content, post to social media, and stay in touch with family and friends on the ships' network just as they are used to on land."
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings chose EMC because of its maritime experience, software and overall high quality of coverage. "This is testament to our giant leaps forward in the cruise sector, thanks to our patented, purpose-built and differentiated products, and our unmatched worldwide support," said Brent Horwitz, president of cruise and ferry services, EMC.
READ MORE: Carnival Corporation Announces Expansion To Industry's Largest Wi-Fi Network
Onboard Regent Seven Seas Cruises, the new internet service will be available to guests free of charge, and under certain packages, it will be available without limitations on Oceania Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line as well. Otherwise, plans can be purchased per minute or as unlimited.
The new system announcement comes days after Royal Caribbean International made its high-speed Voom service available fleet-wide in May while MSC Cruises also enhances its connectivity. By comparison, the two competitors offer their plans unlimited by day instead of by minute.
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