Orange Business Services and BlueTide Communications are collaborating to deliver comprehensive maritime communications, reaching almost every sea and ocean around the world. The combination of Orange’s global satellite network with BlueTide’s specialized maritime solutions will power the navigation, cybersecurity, voice and video, corporate applications, and asset management for vessels in the work-boat industry.

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“The relationship with Orange gives us the ability to reach more ships at sea with a larger variety ...

“The relationship with Orange gives us the ability to reach more ships at sea with a larger variety of advanced communications,” said Emil Regard, Chief Executive Officer for BlueTide Communications (Photo: Business Wire)

Orange is providing BlueTide with managed global Ku band VSAT capacity, with the ability to switch to alternative satellite beams for seamless global coverage. BlueTide can provide vessels with live video surveillance, cybersecurity and systems monitoring, all high-end solutions delivered on the Orange network for seamless availability on a global scale.

“The relationship with Orange gives us the ability to reach more ships at sea with a larger variety of advanced communications,” said Emil Regard, Chief Executive Officer for BlueTide Communications. “The maritime industry depends on consistent, reliable communications between ship and port to operate. Only Orange has a true, international network to make that connection. Running our solutions through Orange will have a transformative effect on how maritime shipping is conducted.”

The Orange satellite network can ensure consistent coverage in remote regions, opening more shipping lanes for travel. It also ensures high-quality communications for voice, video, and data. A ship at sea would therefore be able to give and receive real-time updates on its navigation path, better predict inclement weather, and access corporate applications in the cloud. The impact on crew welfare is significant as well, with ships having the full amenities of home, including Internet, movies/shows and phone service.

The Orange/BlueTide collaboration paves the way for smarter ships through the Internet of Things. Reliable broadband connectivity can support the remote monitoring of a ship’s mechanical components, enabling predictive maintenance. The same network can be used to remotely track pieces of cargo in transit to ascertain location, supply levels, temperature, travel conditions, and security.

“BlueTide is a leader in the maritime industry, and a great North American addition to Orange’s established pedigree of satellite communications customers,” said Rob Willcock, senior vice president of the Americas at Orange Business Services. “Their expertise and knowledge about the maritime business, matched with our integrated, end-to-end network will push new innovations to fleets around the world.”

About BlueTide
BlueTide is based in Broussard, Louisiana providing expertise in maritime VSAT communications for commercial and leisure markets since 2009. Originally formed as the Communications Division of ESSI Corporation, BlueTide was established as an independent division of ESSI in 2014. BlueTide serves customers around the globe including the Gulf of Mexico, Trinidad, Brazil, the North Sea, Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. BlueTide provides primary and back-up broadband satellite communications as well as value-added services including video surveillance, VPN, commercial-grade voice services, mapping and monitoring services. BlueTide supports industry leaders whose communications needs are critical to their success. To learn more, visit www.bluetidecomm.com.

About Orange Business Services
Orange Business Services, the B2B branch of the Orange Group, and its 21,000 employees, is focused on supporting the digital transformation of multinational enterprises and French SMEs across five continents. Orange Business Services is not only an infrastructure operator, but also a technology integrator and a value-added service provider. It offers companies digital solutions that help foster collaboration within their teams (collaborative workspaces and mobile workspaces), better serve their customers (enriched customer relations and business innovation), and support their projects (enriched connectivity, flexible IT and cyberdefense). The integrated technologies that Orange Business Services offer range from Software Defined Networks (SDN/NFV), Big Data and IoT, to cloud computing, unified communications and collaboration, as well as cybersecurity. Orange Business Services customers include over 3,000 renowned multinational corporations at an international level and over two million professionals, companies and local communities in France.

Learn more at www.orange-business.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and our blogs.

Orange is one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators with annual sales of 40.9 billion euros in 2016 and 269 million customers worldwide at 30 September 2017. Orange is listed on Euronext Paris (symbol ORA) and on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol ORAN).

Orange and any other Orange product or service names included in this material are trademarks of Orange or Orange Brand Services Limited.