Speedcast International Limited (ASX: SDA), the world’s most trusted provider of remote communication and IT solutions, announced that the company, together with Carnival Cruise Line, has received the 2018 “Smartship Award of the Year” from Euroconsult for the companies’ partnership in delivering 3.174 Gbps throughput onboard the new Carnival Horizon earlier this year.

The unparalleled data rate sets the guest satisfaction standard that Speedcast will deliver to guests and crew onboard Carnival’s Vista-class ships. The solution uses “best of breed” bandwidth from multiple satellite operators, utilizing multiple bands and frequencies based on ship location, weather conditions, bandwidth availability and satellite coverage. This approach provides enhanced resilience and optimization, and allows all guest, crew, voice and corporate traffic to have simultaneous access to all available links at all times.

The award was presented mid-September in Paris at World Satellite Business Week, where Speedcast CEO PJ Beylier and Carnival Vice President of Global Connectivity Reza Rasoulian jointly accepted the honor.

“We delivered our newest ship, Carnival Horizon, with a next-generation connectivity ecosystem that enables our guests to enjoy a frictionless, content-rich experience,” says Reza Rasoulian, Vice President of Global Connectivity for Carnival. “Several years in the making, we’ve implemented a sophisticated platform that is second to none, working with industry partners to drive innovation end to end, across the spectrum of connectivity disciplines. Speedcast has been a tremendous partner to Carnival in helping us push the limits to deliver exceptional connectivity experiences to our guests and crew. We’ve set the bar high, and we’ve shown that land-like connectivity onboard our ships is possible which is great not only for Carnival, but for the entire industry. We are honored to accept this award in recognition of this achievement.”

“Carnival passengers are demanding an internet experience that is similar to what they have at home. Our teams have worked together to generate an amazing advancement, reaching over 3 Gbps to one ship, which has never been done before,” says PJ Beylier, Speedcast CEO. “Such an achievement was made possible by a best-of-breed and agnostic approach, selecting the best technologies and satellites. We thank Carnival for their trust in us to develop a solution that pushes the limits, and we appreciate Euroconsult for this recognition of our dedication to customer experience and innovation within our industry.”