New System Facilitates Simpler Connection at Sea

 

The latest addition to Satcom Global’s product portfolio offers ‘Bring Your Own Device’ technology to vessels at sea, where crew can access web-based services via internet café hotspots through their own Apple, Android and Windows, tablets, smartphones and laptops. 

 

With the growing demand for technology and communications on-board, the satellite communications world is offering bigger data plans and flexible benefits to meet needs of crew, ship managers and owners. With IPSignature 4, captain and crew will be able to make more use of large data allowances, being able to utilize it to make cheap VoIP (voice over IP) calls. Later this year crew will also be able to make cheap phone calls at the touch of a button on their phone, tablet or laptop, through an easy to use App.

 

For use with a range of satellite communications services including Inmarsat FleetBroadband, IPSignature 4 can be used as a tool for improving crew welfare to boost crew retention, as well as a solution to increase business efficiency. The innovative multifunction device provides centralized control of vessel network connections and communications over satellite, offering simplicity and control for the fleet manager, with easy to use interfaces, simple language and intuitive graphics. Vessel owners and managers are also given the flexibility to recover data costs from crew by charging for use where cost reduction is a priority.

 

On a technical level, firewalls can be managed remotely, IT managers can access integral netflow monitoring reports and manage users and settings via a shoreside portal for full visibility. The clever dual board design ensures reliability of the device and ‘out of band management’ provides satellite failover.

 

Ian Robinson, CEO, said, “We’ve listened to what our customers want and have developed a device that ticks all the boxes with regard to what is required from both business and crew perspectives. IPSignature 4 provides managers with a reliable and secure tool for managing vessel communications, a means of better utilizing plentiful data allowances with low cost crew calling capability and providing Wi-Fi accessibility for crew.”