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TeleSea is a new name in marine
communications, with an ambitious and unique nonsatellite broadband
technology. It’s based on the hot 802.11b wireless protocol, sometimes
called Wi-Fi, that you may have seen being used by über geeks in
airports or Starbucks. In those places, Wi-Fi offers super-fast 2- to
5-Mbps Internet speeds using modest equipment, but only at ranges of
a few hundred feet. Somewhat more powerful transceivers are being installed
to cover marinas these days, but somehow TeleSea has managed to legally
ramp up Wi-Fi range to about 30 miles over water and has built its own
antenna networks covering a number of boating areas like South Florida,
Long Island Sound, and San Francisco Bay.
While TeleSea’s
Gold program offers an around-the-clock network operations center with
concierge service, its main appeal is unlimited high-speed Web surfing
for $500 a month— relatively inexpensive compared to other marine
systems. However, the initial hardware cost is $7,500, and the coverage
area is quite limited…so far. TeleSea intends to soon extend service
along the coasts and into the Caribbean and also plans to introduce
a worldwide flat-fee satellite service this spring.
TeleSea Phone:
(800) 747-9946. www.teleseawireless.net.
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