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From: Keith (no email)
Date: Mon Apr 01 2002 - 09:30:30 EST
I just received this from Ocean Navigator. Thought it might be pertinent
to this discussion:
____________________
TITLE: The Rise and Fall of Marine Cellular Coverage
By: Dan Piltch
The wonders of technology -- always getting smaller, cheaper and faster.
In
most cases, newer technology offers more capability, more features and
more
access. Not so for marine cellular technology. While the cellular
industry
has certainly been offering cheaper plans and more features, the marine
market is actually getting the raw end of the deal.
The big push right now in the wireless phone industry is faster data
connectivity. There's been a lot of press lately on new systems like
Verizon's Express service, AT&T's new GSM/GPRS data service and even
their
older PocketNet (CDPD) service. These 2.5G services are a stepping stone
on
the way to third generation (3G) wireless data services, which are
promising
speeds as fast as a cable modem but without the cable.
What hasn't been publicized quite as much is the fact that these new
services are eroding the marine coverage area for our cell phones. A
little
bit of history will explain why:
In the old days, it was easy for a cellular provider to get coverage
over a
wide area by putting up a relatively tall antenna and having it transmit
with a substantial amount of power. This isn't unlike putting a VHF
antenna
high atop your mast and using high power on the radio.
As more and more customers signed on, it became difficult to have them
all
share a single cell using the one tall, powerful antenna. So the
solution
was to build other smaller cells nearby and reduce the power of the
original
antenna. So four or five cells took the place of what was once one cell.
This allowed the provider to service more customers (and bill more
minutes)
using the same frequency.
In the early days, much of the power of the antennas "spilled" out over
the
water. This was a boon to those of us with cell phones offshore. With a
high
enough antenna, high-quality coaxial cable, a boosted three-watt analog
bag-style phone and some degree of luck, we were able to make cell phone
calls from as much as 50 or more miles offshore.
Then came the digital revolution. Digital and PCS-style cellular
equipment
allowed more customers to be on the network at the same time. Providers
jumped at this opportunity and convinced as many customers as possible
to
make the switch to digital so that the provider's network could service
more
people concurrently. They lured us with thousands of free minutes and
shorter contract lengths. They even subsidized our phones to make it
easier
for us to use their new PCS service rather than their old analog
service.
While it would be nice to think that they had our best interests at
heart,
it's more likely that they really just wanted to maximize their network
capacity to gain more customers and more revenues.
After watching the mess we were creating in the United States with
various
incompatible acronymic cellular systems (AMPS, NAMPS, CDMA, TDMA, and so
on), Europeans decided to pick a single standard (GSM) and stick with
that.
This is the reason it's so easy to roam all around Europe and most of
the
world with a single phone, but doing the same in the United States and
Caribbean is somewhat of a challenge.
Meanwhile, back here in the United States, many boaters are realizing
that
the older bag-style analog phones are the best bet for offshore
coverage.
Raymarine even introduced an updated version of the bag phone called a
Raycom Communicator that is essentially a black box that allows you to
plug
in a standard household phone (and a 12V power supply and external
antenna)
and offers analog cellular service. Unfortunately, once you obtain your
bag
phone or Raymarine's equivalent, the next thing you'll need to do is beg
and
plead at your local cellular provider's shop. Most providers won't
activate
an analog-only account. Some local providers will work with you, but
beware
of the roaming fees you're likely to encounter if you travel outside
their
home area.
So rush out and buy the latest and greatest phone and use it all over
the
place -- except on your boat.
-- Dan Piltch
Related Articles:
Title: By land and airwave
http://www.oceannavigator.com/public/action/ArticleAccess?doc=lxxysr
Title: Digital cellular phones allow for easier log-ons
http://www.oceannavigator.com/public/action/ArticleAccess?doc=iolpjrep
Title: Keeping in touch offshore
http://www.oceannavigator.com/public/action/ArticleAccess?doc=ioydpaep
Author Bio:
Daniel Piltch is the founder of Marine Computer Systems based in
Portland,
Maine. With a unique background as a software engineer, high-tech
industry
analyst and sailor, he focuses on watching emerging technologies in the
marine marketplace. As an accomplished sailor, serving professionally on
boats up to 151 feet, Dan has accumulated several thousand cruising
miles
under his keel. He teaches The Onboard Computer and High Tech Systems
for
the Average Cruising Yacht for the Ocean Navigator School of Seamanship.
-- __________________ Keith Yes, I've heard those allegations, but I know the alligators! ___________________________________________________________________________ || The Live-Aboard List : send a "subscribe" or "unsubscribe" request || || in body of message to: ||
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