Mobiles connect across the waves

Merchant ship crews will soon be able to ditch satellite phones and make calls to home using their own mobiles. The BBC reports.

Irish mobile maritime communications company Blue Ocean Wireless has teamed up with picocell developer ip.access to develop the system.

Previously merchant ship crews had to rely on expensive satellite phones.

The new system will also rely on satellite communication. A picocell - a small base station that extends mobile coverage - will be installed in accommodation areas of the ship. Connected to a remote gateway, it will convert a mobile call into a narrowband IP signal for transmission over the satellite network.

emily | 8:57 AM | Technology |
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