On Waves Signs Fleet-Wide Contract with MSC Cruises...
John Sisker
We received this information/press release from the trades/On Wave/MSC
Cruises and thought it may be of interest to this newsgroup as well.
Happy sailing...
John Sisker - SHIP-TO-SHORE CRUISE AGENCY�
(714) 536-3850 or toll-free at (800) 724-6644 & (Agency ID: 714.536.3850)
www.shiptoshorecruise.com
On Waves Signs Fleet-Wide Contract with MSC Cruises to Provide CDMA Mobile
Phone Roaming Service
MIAMI-- (BUSINESS WIRE) -- On Waves Ehf, the leading maritime mobile
services provider, announced today that it has entered into an agreement
with MSC Cruises to provide CDMA roaming service across their entire cruise
line fleet.
On Waves provides GSM mobile phone service to MSC Cruises and will expand
this service to provide CDMA roaming as well. The agreement covers 10
vessels and as well as future new-builds. On Waves' CDMA service offer will
include voice, text messaging and mobile data service while the vessels
operate at sea.
CDMA roaming has already launched on the MSC Lirica and MSC Orchestra and
will be extended to entire fleet over the coming months. On Waves' launch
CDMA roaming partner is Verizon Wireless, the leading U.S. mobile phone
operator, whose customers can now enjoy seamless voice and SMS roaming while
vacationing with MSC Cruises.
"Through this major agreement, On Waves will partner with MSC Cruises to
enhance the passenger experience across all its operating regions,
particularly with American passengers where CDMA service predominates," said
Constantin Simeonidis, CEO for On Waves. "To have renewed the trust of an
organization like MSC Cruises is a great endorsement of the reliability of
our company. We expect the launch of CDMA services will further increase
overall usage of mobile devices."
Mr. Emilio La Scala, General Manager of MSC Cruises, welcomed the
introduction of this new service to the fleet. He said CDMA service provides
a critical addition to the company's communication capabilities,
particularly with the growing demand by passengers for reliable, fast
communication.
About On-Waves Ehf
On Waves is a subsidiary of SIMINN, formerly known as Iceland Telecom,
headquartered in Reykjavik, Iceland. SIMINN, with over 1,500 employees, has
been providing roaming services to the maritime market since early 2003 via
maritime GSM and CDMA roaming agreements with over 300 carriers, including
Verizon Wireless, the leading U.S. wireless carrier. On Waves currently
provides service to over 60 vessels, both cruise ships and large ferries,
operating in Europe, the Caribbean, Asia and the Southern Hemisphere and has
a significant backlog for additional vessels. On Waves also offers its
services to the merchant marine, mega-yacht and offshore oil & gas sectors.
About MSC Cruises
MSC Cruises currently has the most modern fleet in the world with nine
ships: MSC Fantasia (the largest ship ever built for a European ship owner),
MSC Poesia, MSC Orchestra, MSC Musica, MSC Sinfonia, MSC Armonia MSC Opera,
MSC Lirica, MSC Melody, cruising in the Mediterranean year round and
seasonally in Northern Europe, the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean, North and
South America, the Indian Ocean and South Africa. MSC Splendida and MSC
Magnifica will be launched, respectively, in 2009 and 2010. MSC Cruises is
the only company to receive the "6 Golden Pearls" award from the Bureau
Veritas in recognition of its high level of quality management and
environmental protection.
MSC Cruises: 800-666-9333 or www.msccruisesusa.com