The start of the year is always a busy time, with the closing and review of the previous year followed by developing and working on new business, products and service initiatives for the year ahead.
We update all our services at the start of each year in preparation for the spring and summer and we launch new services that we have been developing and testing over the last few months.
We have some exciting new launches for 2022 across the board. Â These include the introduction of eSIMs, tackling the issues of using 5G on a yacht, and how to use bandwidth hungry IPTV and streaming over VSAT.
What is an eSIM and what are the benefits?
It’s an embedded-SIM in your phone and it’s programmable.  Your chosen service can be activated, and the configuration and service changed remotely without needing to be sent a physical SIM. This means we can provide instant service to yachts.
Not all operators offer eSIM services. Last year we introduced our first eSIM service here in the Med from SFR and it worked well.  Then from the autumn onwards, we introduced the eSIM technology across our BIG DATA Global, Caribbean and USA services. This meant that if we had a client with a BIG DATA Caribbean service in the Caribbean and they wanted to go up to the USA then onto the Pacific, we could remotely switch the service using the same eSIM from the Caribbean service, to the BIG DATA USA service and then onto BIG DATA Global when they headed into the Pacific. One of our clients did exactly that over the winter and it worked perfectly. One very happy customer!
Overcoming the issue of distributing 5G around the yacht
 This year we are offering 5G backed up by 4G from all our operators who are offering the service. Most operators will offer 5G services in towns and cities to start with. Remote areas are unlikely to get a 5G service for some years.
The improvements offered by 5G will give yachts access to lightning-fast data transfer speeds and improved network reliability. The 5G connection speed is significantly faster than what the 4G network currently offers.  Commercial unlimited data plans are disappearing this season due to 5G because of the huge quantities of data that can be used in a very short period of time and the fake unlimited plans will reach their fair access limits very quickly.
Keep in mind that 5G has more to offer yachts than just fast down and upload speeds as you read about in the press.
5G will impact how we live on shore, so yachts will need to keep up as owners and guests will want the same service onboard. By 2030, there will be dozens of smart cities where all wireless devices are connected to the cellular network and each other. Workplaces, commercial spaces, and public buildings may see some of the most impressive innovative enhancements resulting from the introduction of 5G and so must yachts. With internal 5G networks in place, devices around the yacht that are 5G enabled, will be able to communicate with each other 100 times faster than by wi-fi or 4G. Combined with artificial intelligence (AI), machinery in the engine room or anywhere on-board will be able to provide real-time information about everything imaginable. From malfunctioning components and predictive maintenance, 5G will help usher in an era of entirely autonomous industrial and commercial processes.
However, there is an issue. 5G wavelengths have a range of about 500 metres, not even 2% of 4G’s range.  So, to ensure a reliable 5G signal, there needs to be a lot of 5G cell towers and antennas close by.  Ashore, that means every lamppost, traffic light, and building will soon have small antennas fixed to them to maintain the speeds people want. For a yacht to pick up 5G from the shore it will have to be in a harbour or marina. In the not-too-distant future it may be possible for a LEO satellite to provide a connection for 5G. I’ll write about that another time.
Let’s assume the yacht is connecting in a harbour or marina using an external antenna, a problem immediately arises. You cannot use a 5G device inside a yacht, as 5G networks do not penetrate solid objects such as walls and glass as 4G signals do. This will limit the reach of an access point inside a yacht where many obstructions will come between a wireless antenna and the user. To maintain signal strength through thin walls let alone thick walls and bulkheads, many antennas will have to be placed in every location required to gain the advantage of this high-speed indoor wireless coverage. The solution for getting 5G below decks is to implement such an internal network comes in the form of a Distributed Antenna System (DAS). You may say, we already have an internal wi-fi network with access points, so this is no different. The principle is not different, but existing internal networks for wi-fi will need to be upgraded and expanded or new ones installed in parallel because 5G uses different frequencies.
We have designed and specified a couple of 5G DAS solutions this last year for new builds, so please contact us to discuss the options to upgrade your yacht.
How to use bandwidth hungry IPTV and streaming services over VSAT
We are launching, as a component of our SMART eSAT communications solution, our integrated IPTV and streaming solution. We have a compression solution that compresses all resolutions of streamed video, thus enabling HD channels to be watched on larger TV screens using considerably less bandwidth at less cost.
We can offer up to 6 parallel channels if required, where a different channel or service can be watched on different TVs.
SMART eSAT includes 140+ free to air channels including entertainment with some sport, news, and business, mostly in English with a selection of international channels.
In addition, we have tested a couple of well-known subscription IPTV services with movies and sports in English and Russian. These can be subscribed to by the owner and added to the selection of services and channels by using an iPad or Android tablet.
Finally, if any guest comes on board with their own streaming service such as Netflix, they can cast this from their own device and watch their own subscribed to content, using the bandwidth compression service.
In addition to these new services, we have some offers and updates for 2022.
We are offering 20% off all our standard prices for our eSAT by e3 and Speedcast services on all contracts signed by 15th April.
Viasat coverage in the EU this year
Our team successfully launched Viasat-2 services in the USA last year and have a lot of very happy clients. The service provides 25-100Mbps at almost 4G prices and is sold by streaming hours rather than bandwidth.
One client has used it from the Caribbean to Alaska. Â We will tell their story in a future issue. Â As I mentioned last month Viasat have just launched a new satellite Viasat-3 which will come online for Europe in the middle of this year, so this will be available for the USA, Caribbean, Atlantic and Europe from the middle of this year.
Sky UK Offshore and Sky Italia TVRO News
Our Sky UK Offshore services are official legal cards for maritime use. Viewable in the western Med only but with good sports coverage.
Sky Italia services are also official legal cards for maritime use. Sky Italia is viewable throughout the Med with any TVRO antenna 80cm or over. The option to pre-set ‘original language audio’ across all channels gives a wide range of programmes in English. Sports coverage is excellent.
IPTV services
Our e3.IPTV offers freeview channels from different countries. It offers quality content with news, general entertainment, certain sports coverage showing UK tennis, international golf, F1, UK Olympics, Euros, Worldcup and Six Nations. Available via a decoder or app on Apple and Android tablets or using a decoder. No VPN required. The channels are included with eSAT by e3.
Kartina is a streaming Russian IPTV service. No VPN required. Can be used via decoder or app. It works with eSAT by e3.
In addition to the above IPTV services, we can advise on how to subscribe to NOW TV. This service is the streaming version of Sky UK and is not legal outside the UK so will only work in the UK or with a UK VPN.
Roger Horner
For further info on e3 VSAT and SUPER DATA
e3 systems
+34 971 404 208
