One of the oldest companies in marine electronics Japan Radio Company (JRC) has partnered with new Irish-based company Blue Ocean Wireless, providers of GSM mobile for the maritime industry.
Blue Ocean Wireless , valued at US$48m, provides mobile phone functionality for those working at sea as well as GSM mobile applications such as stock control and monitoring.
JRC will provide Blue Ocean with JUE-33its Fleet F33 terminal, which will connect the company’s onboard mobile GSM equipment to a satellite system by UK company Inmarsat.
The Fleet F33 has the world’s smallest antennae that can be fitted to any seagoing vessel and will allow for upgrading when the FleetBroadband service is launched later this year.
This new broadband service will provide Blue Ocean with greater bandwidth and possibly more offerings to their existing mobile services.
“This is a cutting-edge product, far superior to anything in the market place,” said Jun Nakazawa, operations manager of JRC.
“JRC is very excited by our partnership arrangements to co-provide seafarers with an affordable entry to the world of GSM communications at sea.”
By Marie Boran
