often misleading. It is really important that the buyer understands what he is getting for his money.” She gives examples of this by telling me: “There are rogue traders, for example, who when selling MIR simply omit the fact that there is a CIR attached to the deal.” She continues,“My company, Yacht Projects, prefers to sell MIR to yachts. This means the yacht gets a CIR, or contention ratio of 1:1. This means that when you compare our 4Mbps to a contended bandwidth offering you will find that we cost about the same but offer 4 times the speed.” She adds, “We are of course able to supply contended bandwidth should a yacht want it, but I have to wonder why you would you want to! I consistently find our contended bandwidth is around one third of the cost of that of our competitors.”


Yacht owners want more and more coverage. They want faster speeds to get the same quality as they at home or in their shore- based offices. They expect the same services such as the ability to stream Netflix, Apple TV and other entertainment channels. AST (Applied Satellite Technology) serves the superyacht industry by offering high- capacity connectivity services & solutions and understands the yacht market. The company was chosen to be the official satellite


communications supplier to


the most edition of the Clipper Round the World Race. Speaking for AST, Chris Schonut comments, “Owners are often particularly concerned with download speeds and availability of the satellite services. It’s important that they are connected


wherever they are, so we take the time to understand what devices are used on- board. We help them calculate the impact of their data use to make sure they have the right connection to suit their needs. Furthermore, we offer in-depth visibility and control of the networks and data used by the vessel via our INTEGRA services putting the control in the owner/captain’s hand via our easy-to-use My AST Portal.”


Growth in demand for VSAT In continuing to deliver the latest technology and provide the satellite industry with the most competitive value in the market, Global Satellite has brought satellite communication down to earth. Martin Fierstone, the company’s CEO & President, says, “Satellite communication touches our lives in ways most people don’t fully appreciate. From GPS to satellite TV to the communication networks that make modern economic, military and political affairs possible, there are few areas of life that the rise of SATCOM technology has not shaped in some way, directly or indirectly. While visions of massive arrays and constellations might be the first thing that comes to mind when some people think of satellites, today we’re going to focus on something a little less visually impressive but just as important; the Very Small Aperture Terminal, or ‘VSAT’.”


In their newly-published 2020 Superyacht Connectivity Report detailing the responses from captains, crew, engineers and technical officers, Inmarsat revealed an increasing


AST-UK Applied Satellite Technology (AST) is a global leader in maritime communication solutions offering the latest technology and a comprehensive range of voice and data connectivity options. They work with you to understand your sailing routes so that they can recommend the best connectivity solution and the right bandwidth profile for you. Their global customer support team is available 24 hrs-a-day and all-year-round and the industry-leading services such as INTEGRA empower customers to understand and control their data usage. They are dedicated to designing and supporting solutions tailor-made to keep you connected, anywhere. For more details Tel: +44 (0)1493 440 011 or visit www.theastgroup.com


reliance on VSAT connectivity. Usage and spend forecast is expected to grow significantly in the next five years. Both operational and leisure use are driving demand, with the research showing a need for connectivity for regulation compliance and navigation, for fuel optimisation, efficiency


and reduced environmental


impact. The strong demand for trusted global communications for guest and crew use is also apparent, particularly for TV over internet protocol (IP) streaming onboard and internet access, in line with the need to meet crew welfare needs, a concern which became even more critical during this year’s COVID-19 pandemic. As the risk of cyber-attacks continues to rise in line with growing digitalisation, the responses from professionals indicate that further work is needed to improve awareness


96 | WINTER 2021 | ONBOARD

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