We would like to inform you about preventing high satellite communication charges based on recent issues.
1.Summary
For Inmarsat F77 and Inmarsat C, changing the connection to a ground station other than the contracted one can result in communication costs being 5 to 10 times higher than usual.
As a countermeasure, ensure that your crew is thoroughly informed not to change the ground station settings on the ship’s Inmarsat equipment unnecessarily.
2.Details
We understand that shipping companies have contracts with various carriers to reduce satellite communication costs. However, on board Inmarsat F77 (and C), it is possible to change the connection to a ground station other than the one contracted. This mechanism is in place to ensure necessary communication in regions where the specific ground station cannot be used. However, there have been cases where changing the ground station unnecessarily has resulted in charges 5 to 10 times higher than usual. Carriers offer lower communication rates to contracted customers but increase the rates for ships that connect without a contract.
Example:
F77 MPDS rates (per Mbit) as of September 2015
Company A: USD 46.49 (for non-contracted customers)
(Reference) Company B: USD 6.86
Inmarsat C rates (per 256bit)
Company A: USD 1.67 (for non-contracted customers)
(Reference) Company B: USD 0.25
The company names are omitted, but these are actual tariff prices.
In this example, a customer usually communicating with Company B who selects Company A without a contract for F77 (MPDS) will be charged approximately 8 times the contracted rate. This can result in a charge of $16,000 for sending and receiving about 50MB of emails in a month.
Similarly, Inmarsat C charges are nearly 8 times higher without a contract. Changing the ground station without knowledge can lead to enormous charges.
This trend of increasing connection fees for non-contracted customers is likely to be followed by other carriers. Therefore, be aware that connecting to a ground station other than the contracted one can result in very high charges.
As a countermeasure, clearly inform your crew about the ground stations your company has contracts with and instruct them not to change connections to other ground stations unnecessarily. Additionally, there is a risk that crew members may bypass firewall equipment and connect directly to F77; we strongly recommend updating to FBB or similar systems as soon as possible.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the prevention of communication issues on your vessel, please feel free to consult with us. We are here to assist you with preventive measures.