IEC Telecom is an international company with 12 subsidiaries abroad. It is a French company created in 1995 by Breton shareholders. It offers satellite telecommunications solutions (telephony - Internet access) in all areas not covered by terrestrial networks (commonly known as white zones). You can find the whole range at your usual resellers or on the company's online sales site.
This company, which supplies major groups internationally, also offers services adapted to yachtsmen. Indeed, it is able to offer the complete package to equip a boat with telephone and internet access for safety or comfort needs.
On board a boat, safety comes first and foremost through weather reception. Keeping in touch with family and friends by phone or by message (SMS or email) is also a common need. IEC Telecom provides the equipment and the flat rate and also takes care of the installation, especially for the IT part. Its advisory role is very important in order to offer the best response to customer requests.
A new application always involves answering 3 key questions:
- Where do you sail?
- How long does it take to sail?
- What are your transfer needs (data volume)?
Where do you sail?
This question is used to define which is the best operator, the one that best covers the navigation area. If the boat sails around the world, but never to the poles, the English operator Inmarsat may be recommended. If it also sails to the poles, then the American operator Iridium should be chosen. Finally, if it stays in the Mediterranean, the Thuraya network will be the most suitable.
How long does it take to sail?
This question will define the package adapted to the navigation. There are rechargeable prepaid packages with a duration of 1 month, 3 months, 6 months or 1 year. To get the weather forecast during a transat for example, you can choose a 1 or 2 month package.
What are your transfer needs?
A crew that is going to use its satellite connection only to download one Grib file per day to plot its route according to the weather does not have the same needs as a person who uses this access for professional reasons. In the first case, a simple Iridium connected to a tablet will suffice, in the second case, a fixed installation with a much more expensive external antenna will be necessary. This solution will nevertheless offer a better internet speed.
The importance of service
Official distributor of all satellite telecommunications networks, IEC Telecom has the complete knowledge of the market offers and the IT skills to respond carefully to all the demands of the yachting world. It has thus developed its own OptiACCESS software which has 3 main functions:
- It compresses emails to limit loading time
- It compresses web pages (always to save time)
- It offers a weather service (based on Predict Wind)
IEC Telecom has also developed a service offer with the possibility of distance training for the installation and use of the products. A guarantee of seriousness and security when you find yourself with problems on the other side of the world.
