Norway's coastal shipping service and cruise line Hurtigruten has recently deployed a new mobile network that boasts wireless connectivity capabilities, and is based on the Aruba Mobile Virtual Enterprise architecture.
With the help of Aruba Networks (News - Alert), Hurtigruten will now be able to deliver Wi-Fi and guest access services to employees and passengers alike.
Hurtigruten consists of 14 custom-designed ships that offer both a regular logistics service from Bergen in the south of Norway to Kirkenes in the north, as well as passenger cruises for visitors from around the world.
On a Hurtigruten ship, a typical installation consists of Aruba's Mobility controller and 802.11n wireless access points. Through leveraging the CLearPass Guest Visitor Management solution, which is also installed on each ship, passengers can easily self-register for guest access.
In a press release, Ragnar Norum, communications manager at Hurtigruten, said, "At Hurtigruten we are always looking to enhance the customer experience, and quality wireless connectivity for our passengers and conference users is a clear winner with everyone."
"Whether our customers are simply travelling between ports, on a full 12-day voyage, or using our increasingly popular on-ship conference facilities, we believe that our new Aruba infrastructure, complemented by the Aruba ClearPass Guest visitor and guest management system, will deliver the service level our passengers expect," he added.
"Wireless connectivity for laptops, tablets and smartphones is now expected by customers staying in a hotel or on board ship," explained Andreas Ferm, regional director, Nordics and Baltics, for Aruba. "Though not the first cruise line to offer wireless, the approach they have taken, combining high speed internet access with Aruba's Wi-Fi and visitor management is forward thinking."
In related news, TMCnet recently reported that Gigaset Communications has selected DSP Group's XciteR VoIP chipset solution to power Gigaset's new N720 DECT (News - Alert) IP Multicell System, offering a much more robust wireless connectivity solution.
Edited by Jamie Epstein