Marlink Adds More Cost-Saving Features to Its Industry-Leading Account Management Tool; Company Confirms More Than 900 Customers Currently Using MarlinkOnline
Business Editors/Technology Writers
OSLO, Norway, & ROCKVILLE, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 7, 2005--Marlink, a leading provider of mobile communications via satellite, is adding more money-saving features to MarlinkOnline, the satellite communications industry's first-of-its-kind account management tool for mobile communications via satellite
These new features are incorporated into the latest version of MarlinkOnline and will be available commercially in August this year
MarlinkOnline is a password protected self-service tool designed to give easy online access to Marlink communications services and accounts.
It empowers both maritime and land-based customers to more directly manage their communications usage, costs and resources over the Internet
One of the most significant enhancements is "My Account," a new function that permits account owners and managers to have detailed access and management rights to specific account information about satellite terminals, billing options, and specific services and pricing contracted with Marlink.
For example, users can see their vessels' call records, billing location, which terminals are on board, and identify phone numbers.
This feature helps account managers more closely manage their communications budgets and direct billing to specific vessels and users
Additionally, via its "User Defined Group Function," MarlinkOnline allows users to define a group of vessels or terminal users and assign them to a supervisor.
That supervisor then has access to viewing records of specific communications and other services
Another important enhancement is a new MarlinkOnline remote module which provides a lighter, easy to deploy offline version of Marlink's account management tool.
Using this new remote module empowers managers on board ships or at distant land-based locations to view their call records 48 hours after calls are made.
With this tool the account managers can assign calls to be re-billed to crew or charterers, and print out receipts for payments received for calls made locally
"MarlinkOnline may be the strongest tool now available for controlling on board communications costs at sea," said Soren Einshoj, managing director of Marlink.
"The on board module makes account information available aboard the vessel and gives the ship's communications manager the ability to allocate calls to the correct account.
The built-in synchronization function makes it possible for the entire company at the headquarters to achieve a correct split of communication costs across there entire fleet within 2-3 days after making the satellite call." The number of satisfied customers continues to grow briskly as Marlink adds new cost-saving features and functions to this unique online service.
According to Marlink figures, there are now more than 900 businesses and individual customers currently using MarlinkOnline, up from 500 customers announced at the end of 2004
Designed to serve a truly international customer base, MarlinkOnline instructions are available in eight languages: English, Dutch, German, Greek, Norwegian, Spanish, Chinese and Japanese.
By using MarlinkOnline, a customer can set up an account that provides online access to billing information, cost analysis, and a range of services available from all of Marlink's multi-partner operators
Marlink is a subsidiary of Telenor Satellite Services and is part of Telenor ASA of Norway, listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (TEL) and NASDAQ (TELN)
CONTACT:
Marlink
Mr. Soren Einshoj, +47 901 39 429
Fax: +47 67 89 36 48
E-mail: [email protected]
or Customer Service Phone:
+32 70 233 220 (24/7)
Fax: +32 2 332 33 27
E-mail: [email protected]
or Press (For More Information and Photos)
Contact:
Mr. Tom Surface, +1 301 838 7805
E-mail: [email protected]
KEYWORD: MARYLAND NORWAY INTERNATIONAL EUROPE Technology_IT
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORKING INTERNET E-COMMERCE HARDWARE PRODUCT
SOURCE: Marlink