“WMS pioneered the first wireless network on a cruise ship 20 years ago, and our service is now on more than 200 ships,” said Michael Abdul, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, WMS. “It is a natural extension to offer our high-demand service to ocean-going ferries. Our investment in technology and innovation will create value for ferry operators, passengers, and crew alike.”

These services, which WMS demonstrated at the Shippax Ferry Conference, showcased the company’s networks, its engineering expertise, services from more than 350 global roaming partners, the Wi-Fi solution, and customer support.

“Ferry passengers and crew require easier access to increased connectivity today more than ever,” said Kerry Pettitt, Ferry Sales Director, WMS. “The WMS solution will satisfy the demand to stay in touch with family and friends during downtime on a ferry passage. Many also want to use this time to catch up on work or need to stay connected to work without interruption. This service will significantly modernize the experience previously available to this market.”

WMS says the solution will not only enable quick, seamless, and affordable internet connectivity, but also relieve the ferry operators of previous IT and service management requirements for maintaining such a system. WMS has 20 years’ expertise in designing, installing, monitoring, and managing services at sea. Ferry operators can offer a more quality connectivity experience with little to no work managing it on their end.

WMS introduced 2G, 3G, and 4G-LTE on cruise ships, as well as the first low earth orbit (LEO) satellite cellular cruise integration. WMS is now at the forefront of rolling out the first 5G system, which will also one day enhance connectivity on ocean-going ferries.