Inmarsat intros voice distress service on FleetBroadband

Mobile satellite services provider Inmarsat has commercially launched a voice distress service on FleetBroadband. The free-to-use service aims to ensure that, in the event of an emergency, all non-priority telephone calls underway on the vessel's FleetBroadband are interrupted, connecting the caller directly to a Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC). The service requires a software and hardware add-on, which provides a 'red button' for one-touch use. The new service also uses the enhanced capability of the FleetBroadband network, as it simultaneously sends an email to the MRCC and network controllers to alert them to a call, providing additional data such as vessel name, identification and position. The development of the voice distress service on FleetBroadband was supported by the European Space Agency and the UK's Technology Strategy Board.