GMTS

Category: Wi-Fi

  • Wi-Fi for When the Fish ain’t Biting

    We all love heading out on the boat, loaded up with gold reels and fancy lures to chase elusive gamefish around the ocean. For days on end this can get a bit tiresome, especially if you haven’t even seen so much as a fin.

    How good would it be to have Wi-Fi available for days like this and quiet nights in the bay?

     

    Last week Dan from our team went out to chase Southern Bluefin tuna on the Ngatoro Knoll around 50nm offshore in the bay of plenty. Conditions were stunning, there was hardly a breathe out there. Chat on the radio was hopeful but there wasn’t much action at all despite the weather and enthusiasm from anglers.

    With a bit of downtime (a lot) we rigged up the Poynting antenna and Celerway GO modem to see what this could do in a real world offshore setting, the results were fantastic. Being about to achieve a streamable data connection at over 30 nautical miles was impressive. Not only were we able to stream HD on several platforms, but we could download the latest weather, get the SST’s updated and send pictures of the sunset to our friends – just to let them know how good it was out there and to re-affirm our lack of tuna on the deck.

     

    The install is simple, Global Marine provide the system in a ready-to-go state meaning that it’s truly plug and play. We were online within minutes, and far out of range of our cell phones.

    Here we show at 31nm offshore, data to stream HD on YouTube, Netflix, probably even the All Blacks game online if it were desired. This also meant that tucked into a bay at Mayor Island in the Bay if Plenty we could happy be browsing social feeds, watching content and staying in touch with our friends and family.

    Cell coverage seemed to become patchy at around 8nm offshore, and at 14nm was pretty much unusable. Although there seem to be random spots where a message or email might come through it was not consistent and certainly didn’t allow any streaming or media download.

    At 31nm offshore I have a download speed of around 8mbps. I could happily stream in 1080p from several platforms and easily make calls, check emails and socials and stay on top of business while watching the lures.

     

    Don’t get me wrong, one little tick out of those gold reels it’s all action. We all know what we’d rather be doing but it can be hard to find the time to completely step away for several days. With solutions from Global Marine you can be onboard, online, and hopefully on the fish!

    We at least hope you have better luck out on the fish than we did!

     

    If a solution like this will help you spend more time on the water get in touch with us at Global Marine.

  • Marine Wi-Fi vs Cell Boosters

    Marine Wi-Fi vs Cell Boosters

    Which one is right for you?

     

    There is a lot of hype about marine cell boosters and 4G modems. Let’s take a look at the difference and see what solution will work best for you. Cell boosters and 4G modems have their place, it’s about finding the solution that works for you. We have gone over some of the finer points about both options and answered some of the frequently asked questions we get in the field.

     

    How do they work?

     

    Cell Boosters

    A cell booster uses an external antenna to pickup better stronger signal, and re-distributes that on a smaller scale to your phone. Boosters require an antenna to pickup the signal and an antenna to distribute this. Limitations occur when you have several users, or limitations on your data plan, however unlike a 4G data modem a booster will allow voice calls.

    While this can be a great solution for some, there are some drawbacks.

    1. Cell boosters are locked to a single network. If you have friends or family on the boat and their mobile is of a different provider, the system will not work for them. The system can only be locked to one provider at a time (Some systems allow you to change provider on the go, but still only 1-at-a-time).

    2. Relies on the data plan existing on your phone. Sure, you can connect and use your phone as a hotspot for your friends. However you are limited by your phones capability as a modem, the network speed of your connection and your data limitations. A few users streaming and this could become a very frustrating and slow network.

    3. It only boosts the signal it gets. If you have multiple devices connecting it will still only have the signal and throughput of “one-device” and will have limited speeds.

     

     

    4G Marine Wi-Fi

    Think of this like your modem at home or at work, however instead of relying on a fibre connection or broadband, the system uses 4G cell data. External cellular antennas pick up the signal much further out than a regular cell phone. The modem has it’s own SIM and plan – some offering FULL unlimited high-speed data with no caps.

    Modems can also allow a much smoother connection for different users and anyone onboard with Wi-Fi capability can connect and use the data plan. This means you can be watching the game while others may be video calling or streaming on other devices.

    Ideal for business applications, streaming media, or using live data feeds for marketing or social media.

    Here are some of the benefits of these systems as opposed to a cell booster:

    1. Any Wi-Fi device can connect.

    2. Load balancing – ability to handle several users without performance loss.

    3. International roaming.

    4. UNLIMITED DATA AT HIGH SPEED – Don’t rely on your 30gb per month plan, when you’re on the boat and the whole family wants to chew through your data.

    5. Your boat is online making way for security systems and monitoring, check out some options here.

     
     

    How much range are we talking here?

    Some of our clients at Global Marine are getting up to 70km offshore with suitable data speeds for streaming. This of course depends on several things. Think about 4G signal as line-of-sight, the higher your antenna, the further it can see. 4G signal typically drops off around 70km offshore at a max, you can see a rough coverage map here.

     
     

    Which is right for you?

    Some questions to ask yourself when deciding:

    1. Why do you need data? Business? Entertainment? Live streaming media?

    2. What is more important? Voice or Data? In saying this, you can do voice over Wi-Fi and apps like WhatsApp, Viber etc support Voice calls over data connections.

    3. How much data do you need? Are you streaming? Uploading? Do you need a stable fast connection for business applications?

    4. Which network are you using? Are you happy to be locked to that network?

    5. Will other people be onboard wanting to use this the data connection?

    6. Do you have onboard systems that require monitoring?

     

    What about the cost?

    Well, you may be surprised to hear that the hardware options for these solutions are similarly priced, however the 4G and modem setup does require a SIM card and a data plan. These differ depending on which plan you require and how much data you need.

     

    In this day and age it’s easy to see why data is so much more flexible when it comes to being connected. Messaging, calling, and streaming is all done over 4G data – you can be connected like you are in the home or office.

    Why work from home when you can work from the boat?
     

    At Global Marine we pride ourselves on being at the leading edge of tech in the marine sector. Partnered with the worlds best we only offer tried and true solutions.

    After years of research and development we have selected the best products for the job by combining antenna, modem and SIM in harmony. These solutions maximise on the existing 4G and cellular networks available by using antennas specifically designed for the job and pairing them with the right hardware.

     

    Get in touch and see why we’re the best and what options we have to suit your needs.

  • 5 Examples of Marine Wi-Fi Use in Real-World Applications

    5 Examples of Marine Wi-Fi Use in Real-World Applications

    Let’s look at some use cases for 4G applications onboard and how it’s helped our customers.

     
     

    1. Working remotely

    Workplaces are becoming ever more flexible so why not take your work with you when you head away on the boat? Nothing more frustrating than a sunny day with 5kt variable winds when you’re sitting in the office. With our new solutions and high speed unlmited 4G you can be connected like you never left the office. No one will know you’re sitting on the back of the boat working until the reels start screaming in the background of a call. Lifestyle is key, make the most of it.

     
     

    2. Entertainment

    If you’ve ever been sitting in a bay in the evening looking for something to do it’s pretty relaxing to be able to chuck a movie on. Unfortunately in many areas it’s hard to find a strong enough signal and good enough speed to do this. The answer is to use an antenna on the highest point in the boat to receive the best possible signal.

    Streaming requires about 25mbps for HD or 4K resolution and the phone with a hotspot can be patchy at best. Proper high speed connections eliminate this and offer a high quality experience much like having fibre at home. This goes for music, video and even gaming with a latency of around 19ms.

     
     

    3. Security

    Keeping connected withy our vessel is a great way of monitoring security. With one of our monitoring systems and a 4G connection you can be notified the moment someone steps onto the boat. Photos can even be sent straight through to your phone giving you the option to switch on a siren if the guest isn’t welcome. Get in touch with GMTS today to find out what we can offer.

     
     

    4. Monitoring

    Have you spent time awake at night when the weather’s terrible wondering how your vessel is fairing? Being connected means you can integrate bilges sensors, battery monitors, fire detection and more right to you phone or PC. With many solutions and options from Ajax systems GMTS has got you. Your insurance company will also be pleased to know that you’re keeping tabs on the boat.

     

    5. Safety

    Last and definitely not least – safety is a huge concern and being in touch saves lives. Remaining online means you can receive the latest weather updates and stay in touch with the world. You can share your location and even contact service agents for any technical or engineering issues on the boat. How good would it be to be able to video call a service agent to troubleshoot systems when you’re out at sea? It brings a new meaning to product support and trouble-free boating.

     
     

    I’m sure you’re now thinking of many ways to use a system like this and if you are, we have what you need. Get in touch with us at Global Marine to discuss options that will suit your boat and your needs.