Who doesn’t love the marine life? Days spent relaxing, nights spent looking at the stars, all with the peace and quiet of the open sea around you. But of course, this is the 2020s. No one really “unplugs” anymore. Even if you’ve told the office not to call you, even if your friends and family know this is your private time, sooner or later you’re still going to want to connect. You might want to shop for something and have it delivered to the marina or to your home. You might want to text or call friends and have them meet you. There are all sorts of reasons why “getting away from it all” doesn’t really mean what it used to.
How to stay connected on the water
Really, you have two choices. You can rely on your cell phone or you can choose a marine satellite system It’s up to you, and there are benefits to both choices. Of course, you don’t have to choose only one, but let’s say for a second you did. Let’s go over the benefits of both and why you might choose one over the other.
Cellular communication
Of course I hardly need to tell you about cell phones. Chances are you bought your first one “just for emergencies” decades ago. It probably never leaves your side. But, there are some details about using your cell phone on the water that are a little different than they are on land.
The good news is that in many cases, the cell signal travels further over water than it does on land. There’s nothing between you and the cell tower in many cases. That means the signal can travel further. Still air also helps, as does the fact that there are no other sources of electrical interference out on the water. It’s very possible to get service even 5 miles out. Compare that with on land where you really only get service about 1.5 miles from a cell tower.
It’s possible to extend that out to 10 miles sometimes, too. Marine cellular booster systems take weaker signals from outside, massively amplify them, and pump strong signal inside the cabin. That means you can stream and shop right from your bed! Sounds like the lap of luxury to me. Choosing the right booster isn’t always easy, but then that’s why Signal Connect is here to help.
Satellite communication
There are several options out there if you want to choose satellite communication. Most are a little pricey and there’s one — Starlink — which is very promising but still in its early stages. With satellite communication, you get the same experience you would get at home. You get high speeds, you can stream video, and you can connect all your devices. You can use the Wi-Fi calling feature of your phone to text and call anywhere that the service is available. Most satellite services will work as far as 100 miles offshore, so unless you’re planning a trip to Europe, you’ll always be connected.
The downside to satellite systems for your boat is, of course, cost. Since it’s impossible to just run a cable to the boat, it’s a lot more expensive to provide you that service. Satellite systems for marine are a bit of an investment, and the monthly charge is higher than if you were to get the same service on land. There can be data caps depending on which plan you choose as well.
Which should you choose?
Honestly, that’s your call. You may find that cellular serves you really well because you never go that far from shore. Or, you may want the convenience and luxury of satellite. Either way, there’s really only one number to call. The experts at Signal Connect have been outfitting boats like yours for over 20 years. We do more satellite and mobile activations for marine than anyone else. That’s why DIRECTV calls us their dealer of the year and DISH has named us a Premier Local Retailer. We work with all the cellular and satellite internet companies — including Starlink — and we can create a solution that’s custom-tailored for you.
When you’re ready to get connected, call us! We’re here at 888-233-7563 during East Coast business hours. You’ll reach our US corporate offices… we don’t believe in overseas call centers. Call, or if it’s after hours, fill out the form below. We’ll get back to you, usually within one business day.
