FINAL REPORT - Stakeholders - Ofcom

The further development of GSM and IMT-2000 will certainly have an impact on voice
telephony in particular with leisure vessels operating in coastal waters. Given the
international aspect of transport, major growth can be contributed to GSM cellular digital
communications. On the other hand it is recognised that GSM is inappropriate for ships
trading internationally. These ships need globally available satellite links.
Regarding satellite communications further growth in the implementation of satellite
telephony systems for public correspondence is expected. At this moment however,
satellite telephony communications is only a relatively small part of the total
communications pattern of a vessel for operational ship-to-shore communications, due to
the high cost of the equipment and air-time. For public correspondence, satellite
telephony has already played a significant role in this type of communications and further
growth is likely.
Although GSM and satellite communications have caused a decrease in the use of
maritime frequencies, they will never be a complete alternative for the maritime
radiotelephone since a large proportion of maritime services require “point-to-multipoint”
communications instead of a “point-to-point” mode of operation.
This leaves a dilemma for mariners, there obviously remains a requirement for public
correspondence especially on passenger and leisure vessels yet there is no maritime
service. An additional consideration is that with perhaps the exception of the Straits of
Dover, ships sailing near to the United Kingdom coast-line can normally not use, as is the
case in the MF bands, VHF coast stations of other countries. However by accident or
design GSM coverage is often adequate at times of greatest need, at the start and end of
a journey.
Much of the above was predictable from a survey of CEPT administrations carried out by
the European Radiocommunications Office (ERO) of CEPT in 1996. Administrations were
asked their views on how current maritime use (in 1996) would develop in the future
including the impact of PCS. Within the responses from administrations two trends were
evident. Firstly, there was an indication that a move towards the usage of satellite
communications was generally foreseen. This was due to the implementation of GMDSS
systems in vessels and the widespread use of the Inmarsat-C system for GMDSS.
Inmarsat-C could also be used for data communications purposes, which would in turn
tend to decrease the usage (in 1966) of radiotelegraphy and Morse in the MF band and
would also decrease the use of HF bands for ship to shore communications.
The second trend was the application of personal communications systems (either by
cellular services or by satellite communication systems). It was foreseen that this would
have a major effect on public correspondence provision.
However administrations also reported an increasing number of ship movements and
cited a need for additional VHF channels for short distance maritime and inland waterway
transport in ship-shore communications. It was suggested that the net result would be that
some channels in the VHF band used for public correspondence would be re-used for
ship-to-shore communications, whilst certain services in the MF and HF bands, (i.e.
radiotelegraphy and Morse) would diminish but not disappear in the coming years.
6.8.4 Regulatory and Standardisation issues
Coast station equipment for general and for distress and safety use has to comply with
the R&TTE Directive.
The shipborne equipment has to comply with the R&TTE Directive for equipment used for
non-SOLAS purposes and with the Marine Equipment Directive concerning equipment for
distress and safety under the SOLAS Convention; compliance with this Directive
guarantees automatic compliance with the relevant requirements in the SOLAS
Convention.
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