There is Reliable and inexpensive Internet on a boat

Challenge:  Cruisers want to live and work on their boat need access to inexpensive, fast and reliable Internet.

Options:

Phone “Hot Spot” – connect your mobile device, “Mobile Hotspot”, to your laptops, tablets & Kindles, and Chart plotter.

Issues:

1. The phone companies, (e.g. ATT, Verizon, T-Mobile, etc.) charge a premium on a daily basis for the “Hot Spot” service.

2. “Boosters” – these devices amplify already bad signals.

3. Ensuring you have adequate and reliable upload and download speed that support your work activities.

1. Uploading files (video)

2. Conducting audio and video calls (Zoom, Teams, GoToMeeting, WebEx) can be problematic if “upload speeds” are poor

3. Streaming your favorite shows and movies – Hot Spots can give you great download speeds

What is good cell “signal” – not just 4 or 5 bars on the phone, it is no delays when connecting to the Internet for data (e.g. email, chart downloads and more).  You want to make sure you have no delays (latency) or errors in the traffic you are sending and receiving, (the more “errors” the slower the transmission.   Note:  cell boosters do not fix latency or transmission errors.

Local carriers have priority access to the cell towers that your phone or booster needs to access and will provide priority to their customers over those connecting from ATT, Verizon, etc.). 

Solutions:

1. Alcatel “unlocked” MYFY Internet Router – Available from places like Amazon and e-Bay – approximately $75.00 U.S. (note buying from a US carrier your device will be locked and under contract)

1. This device consistently provides speeds of 25mb/x upstream and 25mb/s down stream

                                                               i.      Can manage two to three devices at a time

                                                             ii.      Lithium battery – so you can carry it with you at all times

                                                           iii.      They find the nearest cell tower and connect your devices to the internet

1. SIM cards “4G data SIM card” approximately $10.00 USD – go to your local carrier, chose your plan type based on the amount of data you want on your pre-loaded device

   1. Bahamas - BTC, & ALIV

   2. Caribbean & Central America including Panama & Costa Rica– Digicel and Flow

               *most carriers will have plans that give you 70 GB(gigabytes) or data

                *most carriers have pre-paid plans so no contracts

3. Manage it all simply by downloading their “app” on your phone.  Now you can monitor your usage and re-load as needed.  This will require that you pop in your data SIM card to your phone – re-load and remove. 

4. Data plans averaged $50.00 - $75.00 for 70 GB and vary from country to country.

Last, but not least – keep watching Starlink, and their competitors.  We expect to see reliable, fast, inexpensive Satellite internet in the next two to three years worldwide.  We are seeing early adopters with Starlink, and since the war in the Ukraine, we have seen accelerated services.  Depending on your location will determine your availability. 

We tested GoogleFi and did not find its performance to be adequate. 

Today, we have found our best solution to be our MYFY.  It works, its inexpensive and reliable.