Research help: Internet access on boats

[boatresearch]

Hi

Im interested to find out whether anyone uses combined voice and data services on their boats? e.g the Iridium open port, the seagull 5000/thuraya or the new Inmarsat Fleet broadband.

Would appreciate opinions from anyone who does use them or if you dont use them then why not?

Thanks

 

[jfm]

Hi

Im interested to find out whether anyone uses combined voice and data services on their boats? e.g the Iridium open port, the seagull 5000/thuraya or the new Inmarsat Fleet broadband.

Would appreciate opinions from anyone who does use them or if you dont use them then why not?

Thanks

I and most folks these days use 3G for data when within 20miles of the shore, which is most of the time. I've never found anywhere coastal in the Med that doesn't have good 3G coverage, and I've checked the French coast and all of Corsica, Mallorca and Menorca

Before 3G many superyachts had big domes to get satellite internet but now those domes are mostly turned off and they use 3G and distribute it around the boat using the Ericsson W25 or W21 (or similar) wireless hub. They keep the big domes for pose value of course, and when away from the coast, but mostly they're turned off

 

[[2068]]

Vodafone 3G USB Dongle and a laptop for me!
Equipment and usage costs are just too high for anything else.

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

Vodafone 3G USB Dongle and a laptop for me!
Equipment and usage costs are just too high for anything else.

Yep, ditto. Altho I'm about to ditch the voda dongle for a bt equivalent that comes free with the landline phone package.

Cheers
Jimmy

 

[aviator]

Voda 3G has had probs this week with DNS where many sites not available.

An update dated 2007 was necessary to fix mine and many others probs so interested in the comment about BT.

In the main as other have said the 3G service in europe is the way to go except out at sea.

 

[mjf]

Agree with others 3G.

In fact is possible to go from the E.Med to Gib and have mobile covereage just about everywhere en route.

Watching the service provider changes on the way on a mobile phone is quite entertaining...