GSM network

Friday, April 13th 2007 - 10:15 CEST - Comments: 0

B lue Ocean Wireless, an Irish company focused on expanding communication capability in the merchant maritime sector, announced the launch of the world’s first GSM network for merchant maritime vessels. Blue Ocean Wireless is a joint venture between private investment firm, Claret Capital, and Irish technology communications company, Altobridge. Blue Ocean Wireless’ service will, for the first time, enable seafarers to use their existing mobile phones on board vessels in deep ocean water in the same way that they would do in port or on land.

 

GSM mobile service

Users of the service will be able to make and receive voice calls, send and receive SMS text and email messages and browse the internet using their existing handset. The service will be directed at more than one million seafarers serving as crew on more than 40,000 merchant ships in service world-wide. Blue Ocean Wireless will, together with Inmarsat, the leading global satellite communications service provider, and a leading mobile network operator, provide a global GSM mobile service specifically focused on crew members of merchant ships. This technology can also be applied to Superyachts and other merchant vessels.

 

GSM network for merchant maritime vessels

Blue Ocean Wireless will also make it possible for ship owners, insurers and Government authorities, as well as shipping suppliers and customers, to track individual shipping containers on board merchant vessels as they traverse the globe using RFID technology. Global logistics will be able to independently and reliably monitor, from home base, the status of their shipment containers at all times. This will include the location of the container and other aspects of its condition such as temperature, humidity and, particularly important for security, whether it had been opened or otherwise interfered with.

 

Blue Ocean Wireless GSM network

Domhnal Slattery, Chairman of Blue Ocean Wireless commented "We are delighted to announce the launch of this service. We have conducted extensive full scale ocean trials of the system which have confirmed not only the robustness of the product but also the level of potential demand. The ability to communicate with friends and families is immensely important to seafarers given the length of time they are obliged to spend away from home. The reaction from the crews of the ships on which we conducted the trials was tremendously positive and we are confident that there will be a strong market for the product." He concluded "We are extremely pleased to have Inmarsat as a key partner in this process because of its remarkable track record in delivering communications and safety solutions to the marine sector along with Altobridge whose unique technology is a key enabler for this product. No other technology can currently provide cost effective communication for small users groups such as the crew complements on merchant ships. We believe the roll-out of Blue Ocean Wireless' system will be transformational for the lives of over one million seafarers around the globe."

Aeronautical & Maritime gateway platform

The Altobridge patent pending unique technology, the Aeronautical & Maritime Gateway Platform, enables cellular coverage on ships at sea, at affordable rates. The onboard cellular network connects back to the land based cellular network via the ships existing Inmarsat satellite system. The Altobridge ground breaking AM Gateway Platform architecture is unique in that it does not necessitate permanent satellite connections. The satellite connection is on demand, subject to end user interaction. The equipment footprint is small and compact; in fact the radio base station itself is the smallest commercial radio base station in the world, based on "nano" technology. Installation can be carried out by traditional maritime installation and commissioning engineers.

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