Internet access is integral to the effective management of a superyacht. The ability to request bandwidth on demand and have it activated within hours enables captains to meet the increasing and flexible connectivity requirements of a vessel.
Marlink Sealink regional coverage
Recent trials carried out in the Caribbean and Mediterranean Sea have demonstrated the unique, high connectivity throughput capabilities of Marlink’s new dynamic Sealink VSAT High Speed Zones, the company claims.
Livewire Connections and e3 Systems, Marlink’s Service Provider Partners in the superyacht segment, have thoroughly tested the new service’s capabilities to increase the use of bandwidth intensive applications on board, including video streaming and multiple high-speed wireless connections for owner, guests and crew.
According to the company, the new Sealink VSAT High Speed Zones provides the fastest available Internet access for temporary usage thanks to its fast-response dynamic bandwidth that increases up to 15Mbps on standard equipment and over 100Mbps using customised configurations available.
The bandwidth increase was well received by the captains of motoryachts Narvalo, Domani, and Go, all of which experienced significant boosts to the bandwidth available on board.
High-speed connectivity
Narvalo’s Marlink Sealink VSAT connectivity service enables a wide range of applications used daily by the captain and crew, including weather forecasting, contact with management and agencies, connection to the yacht’s management online pages and cloud-based planned maintenance system, and access to cloud storage solutions including Dropbox and Google Drive.
Captain Tom Alderman, comments: “It’s important to ensure we have good Internet on board at all times, which is why we choose the Sealink service. However, being able to increase speeds through a single request to Livewire Connections when we are in the High Speed Zones enables us to improve the online experience to cater for more people to use the Internet simultaneously when the owner and guests visit.”
Captain Alderman adds: “The High Speed Zone trial speed was very good. We could stream HD TV on four screens, use internet radio throughout the yacht and still maintain good speed for general web browsing. The higher connection speed was really missed once the trial was over.”
Balancing bandwidth between operational uses and owner, guest and crew connectivity is made much easier with the throughput enabled by Marlink’s High Speed Zones. When a yacht is in a Caribbean or Mediterranean High Speed Zone, which cover all major seasonal destinations, extra bandwidth can be ordered and will be available within hours of request.
“Sealink delivers reliable connectivity for us here in the USA and Caribbean and having access to a faster service on request means we can always be ready for guests as they come on board. The fact that the extra bandwidth is delivered quickly without any changes to our hardware makes it a very flexible service, which helps towards meeting the requirements for connectivity on a modern superyacht,” says Peter Pexton, captain of motoryacht Domani.
Onboard applications
The new High Speed Zones enables a wide range of new applications, including the use of streaming services such as Netflix and Apple TV, whilst ensuring fast Internet connectivity for all guests on board at the same time.
“The guests were able to stream movies, which we’ve never been able to do unless we were connected to a shore Internet cable,” says captain Charlie Rowlands, of motoryacht GO. “Reliable connectivity is very important for owners and crew onboard. With the new option for more bandwidth on request for a shorter period of time, we experience more flexibility in how we use connectivity onboard. The High Throughput Zones from Marlink are a simple phone call or click away through our service provider e3 Systems.”
Designed for the high-end requirements of the superyacht sector, the new service provides flexibility for upgrades to meet higher bandwidth demand during peak yachting periods.
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