You are on board, in conversation with the land, but as you move away from the coast, the quality of the network deteriorates and you give up the possibility of phoning or receiving information via the Internet. To overcome this inconvenience, you can use a GSM signal booster which, once you are out of French waters, will give you a much better connection quality on your mobile phone.
Why doesn't it work?
Our phones have a tendency to become extremely miniaturized. Their components are more and more condensed to allow us to have, in the palm of our hands, real computers, powerful and available. The antenna is also reduced to its simplest expression, most often a few millimeters, enclosed in a sometimes metallic shell, itself in the pocket of a watch jacket. This means that our peripherals are rarely in good conditions to pick up weak radio signals.
The principle of the amplifier
When we arrive in international waters, the signals from the GSM networks are getting weaker and weaker, whether they come from our home country or another. So weak that our phone will not receive them. On the other hand, a device whose antenna is located high up (at the head of a sailboat mast, for example) offering increased sensitivity will be much more likely to pick up a signal. And this signal, this amplification equipment will distribute it locally, on your boat.
Access point for mobile phone
That's the secret of these amplifiers. They offer your phone the access point with better coverage because it's over your head. Not only will you regain the ability to make and receive calls, but you'll also be able to go online to retrieve emails or weather files.
Beware of roaming
When you reach international waters, when you turn on this amplifier ( it is not allowed to use it in French territorial waters ), it is likely that you are connecting to a network outside your own. So check that your subscription allows you to use your phone in a third country to avoid disappointment. Most modern phones will alert you if you are on such a network.
Security gain
If the possibility of using a mobile phone on board "as on land" is not your main objective, having the possibility of receiving a weather report, calling a doctor or contacting the authorities represents a real gain in terms of safety, which the installation of a GSM signal amplifier when you are outside French waters will allow.
No use in territorial waters without authorization
In France, whether on land or at sea in territorial waters, the installation and use of such a system requires that you seek permission from the relevant operator (yours) to install and operate such a solution. This makes sense as you become a part of the mobile network and offer connectivity to others who expect the full quality of French operators and the ability to, for example, alert emergency services. Failure to comply with these provisions exposes the offender to the criminal penalties provided for in Article L 39 - 1. Furthermore, the same offender may be notified of a tax of 450 euros, introduced by article 45 II of the amended 1987 finance law, for intervention costs incurred by the administration.
Which product?
Only one product is available and complies with French and European standards. It is the Stella Doradus Repeater R4, proposed for less than 900 euros by Office Easy. Its installation is simple, an antenna in the masthead, a relay in the cockpit, powered by 12 volts and one or more broadcast antennas on board the boat, to provide the whole crew with a correct mobile coverage (voice, SMS, 3G Internet, 4G Internet) in international waters.
Addendum:
The National Frequencies Agency has provided us with some clarifications. If, on land, it is strictly forbidden to operate such a device, its use is authorized from 2 nautical miles from the coast, including therefore in French waters, with inland transmission antennas only. Beyond the 12-mile limit, use is free in international waters.
