KVH Industries is best known for providing TracVision satellite TV receiver domes for the RV and marine market, as well as for its popular TracPhone global satellite voice and data service that is often found providing connectivity on mega-yachts (with the budgets to match).
In June 2018, KVH introduced the TracPhone LTE-1, its first cellular-powered system. Initially marketed towards cruisers with more modest budgets who are not planning to venture far enough offshore to require satellite, it's now offered as a solution for RVers as well.
In March 2021, TracPhone introduced a new product to their lineup - the TracPhone V30, designed to be more compact and affordable than their other offerings.
Product Information
The TracPhone LTE-1 is a marine-rated 13" diameter plastic dome resembling KVH's other satellite products, and it would look right at home on a radar arch next to a KVH satellite TV receiver. Inside the dome is a cellular integrated router with an LTE-A compatible cell modem paired with a MIMO cellular antenna. KVH says it can provide coverage up to 20 miles from a cell tower (for RVers), and up to 20 miles off-shore (for cruisers). One unique feature of the LTE-1 is that it automatically switches between carriers, to ensure better coverage as you travel. The two carriers they use are T-Mobile and AT&T. The system will try to connect to T-Mobile first, and if unable to do so will then connect to AT&T. NOTE: KVH was unwilling to share the deeper technical specifications, but we've dug up some unofficial details that we'll share for logged-in members below. The unit is powered over a POE (power over ethernet) connection routed into the boat, and it can create a 2.4GHz local Wi-Fi network You can also plug the POE power supply into an indoor networking switch or router if you want to have a wired or 5GHz indoor Wi-Fi network as well - but an indoor network is NOT required and the TracPhone LTE-1 should provide adequate Wi-Fi coverage throughout most modestly sized boats. The TracPhone LTE-1 is locked and customers will not be allowed to change SIM cards and will ONLY be able to use a KVH data plan. The TracPhone LTE-1 currently only provides coverage in US waters (including Alaska and Hawaii), and in the Gulf of Mexico through a roaming agreement with Tampnet. They tell us that they hope to partner with other carriers to also provide Caribbean coverage in the future. They also recently introduced a TracPhone LTE-1 Global version. KVH also provides an LTE Manager app, which "allows you to customize your onboard Wi‑Fi, see your data usage, and receive usage alerts via text or email via our secure app and website." KVH's data plan is simple, though expensive. You get 10GB of data a month for $99, with overages charged $9.99/GB, and a $100 activation fee. There is no contract, so seasonal mariners can start and stop service as needed. KVH charges a $9.99/mo fee for temporarily suspending your service, which avoids needing to pay an activation fee to start up again.
This is the smallest and lightest maritime VSAT system that has been released - and it is small enough even for typical cruising-sized boats. Because of the small dish size, the system is only capable of modest peak speeds - 6 Mbps download, and 2 Mbps uploads. Satellite internet is only interesting if you can get worthwhile data plans to take advantage of it. KVH has published their new data plan rate sheet on their website. Monthly prices range from $99/mo for 200MB of data with $0.99/MB overage charge, to $149/mo for the new unlimited data plan with a 200MB high speed (6 Mbps) allotment, then unlimited at 32 Kbps. Yes - 32 Kbps. That is SLOWER than 1990's era dial-up. The largest data plan available is $2,999/mo - for that you get 10GB of 6 Mbps high-speed data, then "unlimited" at 128 Kbps for the remainder of the month. In other words - this will not be a service mariners use for much streaming while killing time on long crossings.TracPhone LTE-1
TracPhone LTE-1 Marine Cellular SystemSpecifications
TracPhone LTE-1 Data Plan
TracPhone V30 Marine VSAT Antenna
TracPhone V30 Marine Satellite System
The TracPhone V30 uses a 15" dish in a plastic dome that moves continuously to track satellites, even on a rolling boat.Specifications
TracPhone V30 Data Plans
News, Videos & Status
We do not currently have a unit in for testing.
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