Free WiFi on every boat...?

[LondonRascal]

Just popped on to Richardson's to look at possibly taking my Dad away for a break since it is about time he got on the Broads again - and saw on the homepage 'photo slidshow' thingy (see attached photo) 'new for 2014 free WiFi on every boat'.

Very curious about this now because that sure is some undertaking to do and surprised (but pleased) it is on every boat not just platinum ranges – I also believe this may be a first?

Anyway look forward to learning more about this since.

[NorfolkNog]

We trialled wi-fi with Swancraft in December, it worked really well. I believe they are rolling it out for the whole fleet. Good idea. As Jonzo says it is a hefty investment though, particularly with a large fleet.

[LondonRascal]

The thing that surprises me is the urm free part of it all.  Because you may have one party who just uses it to check the odd email and update Facebook, and another who streams NetFlix movies all holiday and thus would use a lot of data.

 

Of course we are clutching at straws as to what the actual working system will be – perhaps free for 30 minutes then pay as you use such as hotels often offer, still certainly looks like something the competition will need to look into as I am sure many a customer would prefer a way to get online than a bow thruster.

[C.Ricko]

Yep, it is true, well, almost all of it, it is for every customer, it will be handed over and so the holidaymaker can wander round with it on walks or cycle rides, or sit in the pub away from the boat.

There was no need to put it on just our Platinum boats as they book well so we put them on the whole fleet.

 The kids need to keep in touch with their friends while on their hols too so hopefully they will be a big plus point.

 

There is the option of not taking the unit so no need to worry if you want to get away from technology.

[Dan]

Great news.... I'd seen the odd thing with Faircraft doing something with it but good to see it launched and without the expected initial limitations/restrictions (such as only some boats, free for so much useage etc etc) that so often then get broken down and removed only over a period of time.

 

Until everyone gets on the bandwagon this will be a great competitive advantage and will be dead useful whilst one is partaking in a little boating

 

Dan

[C.Ricko]

I will in the morning, it begins with a 'H' but cant remember..

could be Huawei.?

[MauriceMynah]

Oh dear !!!

That really does sound like the noise someone might make after a few to many beers !!

 

Still, if it's free, Huawei we come!

[Janice]

I work for the fire service and there are discussions going on at the moment with the government to replace all the radios on the emergency vehicles with good quality mobile phone services voice and data.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-emergency-services-mobile-communications-programme

The project is called ESMCP Emergency Services Communication Programme. If this happens its likely to be in 2016, I think, and I would guess that there will be advantages for users as well as emergency services, if there was good coverage 3G/4G in Norfolk I would be happy with that - which this project may achieve.

Long way off but a light on the horizon, maybe.

Not sure how the boating companies would offer wifi on the move as you would need a conduit to provide connection (phone line/broadband or wireless access points strategically placed as they are limited on reach). Satellite phones are finicky and expensive, the Broads are quite open, without the mobile phone masts how can you route the traffic. Maybe I have misunderstood?

[LondonRascal]

@ Janice:  I use something that may be similar in set up to that which Richardson’s will use – a rechargeable battery operator unit about the size of a pebble that takes a SIM card and uses a mobile phone signal which in turn it uses for the transmission of data. 

 

Further, it creates a mini ‘WiFi hot spot’ that has a about 20 or so metre range enough to cover the boat.

 

This is a simple affair as it means no hardware is needed to be installed on the boat and it can be re-charged just as a mobile phone would be onboard.  Like with TV reception, getting a mobile signal on the Broads is not always easy but with the unit I use there are only a couple of places I can’t use it reliably and one of those (Salhouse Broad) the last time I was there went from no signal to 2 bars and 3G coverage – not sure if that was just luck and weather conditions of because of something Three (who I use) had done with a local cell tower.

[Mowjo]

Robin! I have the same problem! Salhouse, signal hit and miss, Horning, no chance, I might get one bar, when I was on Vodafone nothing, I now use the Three one below I get good coverage everywhere apart from those two places and love it, always pretty fast for loading stuff, we normally have a laptop and two tablets running off it with no problems,

THREE Huawei E5220 3G Mobile Broadband - 3 GB preloaded – Pay As You Go Mobile Wi-Fi
http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/phones-broadband-gps/mobile-phones-and-broadband/pay-as-you-go-mobile-broadband/three-huawei-e5220-3g-mobile-broadband-3-gb-preloaded-pay-as-you-go-mobile-wi-fi-21479079-pdt.html

[Janice]

Have your heard of a Manx Sim, it auto uses a number of mobile networks

https://www.manxtelecom.com/business/mobile/services/strongest-signal-mobile.aspx

There are different companies offering a similar service but Manx were one of the first.