With crew comfort becoming a bigger issue as time passes, who here works on ships with internet access? Which companies offer access on their ships? Finally, who is/are the internet provider(s) and what is the typical cost per month or year?
Also related, who has their own internet through Verizon, AT&T, etc? Any recommendations, tips, or horror stories?
We asked our union rep to include internet access in the next contract. He laughed and that was the end of that. Love my union…
My ship does not have internet access but they are putting it in next shipyard period. It will be limited to 30 minutes per crew. You can log back on it nobody else wants to use it.
Currently we have batch emails that are sent and received several times a day. No pictures allowed.
That sort of mentality by your union rep really irks me. I can’t tell you the joy of chatting with family orr sharing pictures. Plus, access to online resources like gCaptain really does help me in my day today job. I also know a number of people fo use the Internet to get degrees online.
Any ship operating offshore will have Internet, cruise ship do as well.
Do all the unions think this issue is a joke to it’s members?
I am on a DSV and we have satellite internet, we use it constantly for business. Our Provider is MTN and we have the WiFi setup throughout the cabin. We allow open access for everyone to use, but sometimes have to limit their use to get “ships business” taken care of first.
I used to carry a 3G AT&T card w/ me, but was never able to get 3G when in Fourchon where we spend most of our time. I got out of that contract and stopped wasting the money.
Having the internet available on the job helps tremendously when keeping in contact w/ friends and family, and browsing sites like gCaptain make the time go by much easier.
Good luck w/ bringing you ships “into the 21st Century”, I laugh every time I hear some “old timers” talk about how they never needed all of the cell phones, internet and TV…and then start complaining when the weather knocks out the satellites. What gives??
Conspearasea - Sorry to hear your AT&T 3G card didn’t work in Fourchon. I was using an Alltell (now Verizon) 3G card there, and was able to watch Gunsmoke reruns on TVLand.com, although the picture stopped now and then when the signal strength was low.
Guess those Verizon 3G ads must have truth in them…
One of our Fugro survey techs had verizon down here and was on 3G, 5 miles from shore all the time…Verizon definitely has them beat from what I have seen.
With free internet on my vessel, I had no need to try and switch, but anyone looking for 3G around Fourchon…listen to what Water has said!
The cost of internet should take into account the cost of the unnecessary pounding a ship takes because it did not have the most accurate weather information.
Also should take into account the cost of trying to explain something to a technician ashore without the aid of a digital photograph.
And let’s not forget trying to relay medical information about an injury to a crew member.
And last but not least, the cost of replacing a crew member who leaves for a comparable situation - with internet.
have verzion 3G…am ex-alltel…teather no air card…cost is $25pm unlimited data no additional roaming…currently online setting in my rv on my lake property in Texas…can’t get air TV but I got my 3G Inet and XM radio!!
Unlimited access. Two separate systems. Caprock & MT. One provided by the client, other provided by my company. No restrictions, but we are big boys. We know what abuse is and do not do that.
Thirteen months ago I started in Oregon with a Verizon and an ATT 3G aircard. I was using the Verizon service for about two years previous with good service. I want to compare the two services. Soo, I drove south till I hit Los Angeles then turned east… finally made it to Morgan City, LA. I connected everytime I stoped through a bunch of states adn compared the two providers.
During my 5 day trip (2,900 miles) Verizon beat ATT in every measure. In Fourchon my Verizon blistered ATT and my connection is usually as fast or faster than the Caprock system my boat uses. When the weather blacks out the Craprock signal good ole Verizon rocks !
If you want a cell phone based internet connection go with Verizon.
Bob
my experiences in the last five or so years:
Bourbon (France), Helix ESG, Bourbon (Norway), Pride International: they all have unlimited internet access no charge. high speed dsl on a cat5 straight to your cabin (plus flat screen sat tv). sweet.
Seacor does not have it fleetwide.
(I’m writing from my Helix vessel cabin at this moment).
[quote=bob;29493]Thirteen months ago I started in Oregon with a Verizon and an ATT 3G aircard. I was using the Verizon service for about two years previous with good service. I want to compare the two services. Soo, I drove south till I hit Los Angeles then turned east… finally made it to Morgan City, LA. I connected everytime I stoped through a bunch of states adn compared the two providers.
During my 5 day trip (2,900 miles) Verizon beat ATT in every measure. In Fourchon my Verizon blistered ATT and my connection is usually as fast or faster than the Caprock system my boat uses. When the weather blacks out the Craprock signal good ole Verizon rocks !
If you want a cell phone based internet connection go with Verizon.
Bob[/quote]
What are your results offshore?
I’ve heard a lot of the crew say Verizon internet is a lot better than AT&T. Guess you guys confirm that too.
My ship has internet for ship’s business - weather, email, our personal use (with understanding of no privacy), etc. The ship sends a lot of pictures to the office for technical matters. Yet the officers and crew have no internet available in cabins or lounges. It bothers me as well that the matter was “laughed off” by union reps. Really, can it be THAT expensive? Most agree giving up a percent of pay raise for internet availability is worth it. What are your thoughts? We all do this for the paycheck, but having the ability to talk to my family when I want sometimes trumps that extra few dollars a day.
Plus one more for Verizon. The boat I am running uses Verizon air card and I have had almost continuous service from San Francisco up to Oregon, where I am currently. We usually run between 5 to 10 miles out and even at 10 I have occasionally had service. I am keeping going to Puget Sound and expect service the rest of the way.
A bunch of the guys on my current boat chipped in on a Hughes Net system before I got on the boat. Think of it a Dish Network or Direct TV but for internet. It has the regular fixed satellite dish. They do provide a little electric function for swinging the dish left and right from in the wheelhouse but any time you move north/south or east/west a considerable distance (think fouchon versus the rig you are chartered to) you have to look up you lat/lon in the book and go up on top of the wheelhouse with wrenches and azust the azimuth and other fancy words relating to the way the dish is pointed. Also it only work up to about a 4’ sea (provided you are nosed or sterned into it. 1’ or 2’ on the beam is a killer) for a 280’ OSV. It hardly seems worth the money and hassle.
At the dock I use a sprint air card and I’ve been very happy with it over the past 3 1/2 years.