Smyril Line (www.smyril-line.fo) today confirms renewing its GSM contract with Maritime Communications Partner (www.mcp.com) until April 2013. In addition, the North Atlantic operator is acquiring more services for the M/F Norr's246;na such as GPRS, CrewSIM and WLAN.
Offering passengers unique sights and experiences along the coasts of Iceland and the Faroe Islands for more than 25 years, Smyril Line believes that sharing fantastic nature and
adventure with family and friends at home while sailing may be just as important as the experience itself.
In the modern world of wireless technology, people are accustomed to keeping in touch at all times. Passengers are eager to share their experiences through mobile phone photos or placing
pictures on social networking websites such as Facebook. In order to do this while onboard, the ship must have stable and reliable wireless access, says J's225;kup Sverri Kass, Smyril
Line'ss Director of Marketing and Sales.
Furthermore, families traveling with teenagers know that a large part of people'ss social networks involves access to wireless technologies. Passengers are sending messages and notifying
friends about themselves, where they are and what they are doing.
The online demand for all age groups is growing and WiFi possibilities is an important part of the total sailing package, comments Kass.
MCP has supplied wireless services to Smyril Line since 2005. Since then, the level of sophistication in wireless technology and service has increased steadily over the years.
In addition to quality mobile phone connectivity at sea, MCP provides Norr's246;na with CrewSIM's8482;, a prepaid mobile phone service offering fixed minute rates for crew. Currently and
on a worldwide basis, this service is used by more than 13,000 crew members, representing some 50 nationalities. CrewSIM's8482; has no connection fee and offers subscribers free incoming
voice calls and SMS.
The contract also includes GPRS, a wireless telephony network that is always-on, improving the speed of data transfer over mobile networks and WLAN to enable passengers and crew access to
the Internet at their leisure. Norr's246;na can carry 1,482 passengers, the majority of which will appreciate this type of service, says Bernt Fanghol, MCP'ss CMO and Vice President of
Business Relations.
We are pleased to have been entrusted with continuing to supply our proven line of wireless services and products and look forward to developing further services and technology together
with Smyril Line, he says MCP has over 235 signed roaming agreements and is succeeding in getting Nordic mobile operators to reduce end-user rates while using the MCP network. Some of the
operators have already cut their prices as much as 50 percent.
Smyril Line feels that we have succeeded in both technology and service; paramount for today'ss cruise and ferry operators. MCP provides comprehensive, robust wireless solutions geared to
support a variety of application needs, says Fanghol.
About Smyril Line:
North Atlantic operator founded in 1982 with the aim of linking Iceland, Faroe Island, Scotland, Denmark and Norway with a passenger/vehicle ferry. The M/F Norr's246;na (2003) with a
capacity for 1482 passengers and 800 cars currently sails between Hanstholm (Denmark), T's243;rshavn (Faroe Islands) and Sey's244;isfj's246;rour (Iceland)
About MCP:
MCP is the global maritime cellular operator focused on providing cost effective GSM and CDMA communications solutions specially created to fulfill the requirements of the shipping
industry. MCP enables cell phone coverage by installing and operating the shipborne radio networks, linking the vessels with public networks via satellite. MCP operates its mobile
services via roaming agreements with cellular operators throughout the world and with mobile subscriptions specially designed for seafarers around the world.
MCP is fully owned by Telenor ASA.
For more information about MCP, please visit: www.mcp.com
MCP contact:
Bernt Fanghol
CMO and VP of Business Relations
Telephone: +47 90 82 2266
Smyril Line contact:
J's225;kup Sverri Kass
Sales and Marketing Director
Telephone: +298 34 59 39