Germany

Orenstein & Koppel

What do&nbsp;the 82.9-metre&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/824" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Orenstein & Koppel (Company)">Orenstein &amp; Koppel</a>-built conversion yacht&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/5820" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Falkor82.9m (271'12&quot;)Orenstein & Koppel1981">Falkor</a>&nbsp;and the 40.05-metre 2014&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/354" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Sunseeker (Company)">Sunseeker&nbsp;</a>superyacht&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/5803" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Thumper40.05m (131'5&quot;)Sunseeker2014">Thumper</a>&nbsp;all have in common?&nbsp;Although it may not immediately be obvious, there is an answer: These diverse and distinctive vessels are all equipped with high quality reliable radio frequency solutions, provided by Gent-based company, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/6495" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="All Communications (Company)">All Communications</a> NV, which exists under the successful HAM International brand. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/23714/image/large-1670469a5efb09430ee52a534ea2ea18.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/23714">Here we catch up with company founder, Frans Van de Velde to discover how some of the industry’s coolest superyachts stay connected on board in an age where keeping up communication with family, friends and colleagues ashore is more important than ever. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/207732/image/large-304f0de1f2b16099f3cc5e9380ea0bc9.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/207732">What sparked your passion for radio, antennas and wireless communication? When I was 14, I built my first transistor radio in a cigar box. And then, just a few years later, I built my own radio transmitter from an old radio with recycled lamps. Ever since then, I have felt this passion for radio transmitting equipment, which led to the founding of the company in 1969.What does your company offer the yachting industry?Since 1994, we have been focused on GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) amplification for indoor coverage of 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G. This has developed into our main product line, offering unique equipment which is unlike any other solution in the world and enables those on board to benefit from reliable and strong coverage. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/204263/image/large-4f17518ef0c5c336b7448fab5edc43e2.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/204263">What are the problems faced by crew and owners with signal on board? There are many. Inconsistency in signal strength is one, as it depends on the height of the smartphone above sea level. If the vessel is not too far from the coastline, the signal might still be reasonable on the flybridge – as it can reach the operator antennas located on the coast – but it will still be too weak on the lower decks.&nbsp;With this lower signal strength, the data performance of smartphones and routers will gradually decrease, resulting in a small bandwidth that is unusable for many applications.&nbsp;The signal is also often unstable, even when travelling only a short distance from the coast, and can go from good to weak every few kilometres. This is because operators install antennas where they can lure in customers, meaning that many areas along the scarcely habited coasts have no antennas at all!&nbsp;Finally, most vessels have a steel hull with wooden accommodation, as well as windows protected against heat loss. This means they are almost completely shielded against signals from outside, including incoming GSM signals. In this case, you would have to go outside on the highest deck to make contact with the rest of the world.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/183870/image/large-a394b549a1bb192715be95593c7c5d8b.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/183870">How do your products address these issues?We offer two main solutions for superyachts: the Hotel Solution (Router Connect), which consists of two omnidirectional antennas installed as high up as possible on the mast.&nbsp;This signal is conducted to a MIMO amplifier and range optimiser system to filter and regulate the strength and stability for all operators on all available frequency bands. In short: this signal is usable up to 35km from the most nearby operator antennas on the coast – more than enough range to meet the needs of today’s superyachts. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/207731/image/large-4ccc064e1c50ae4fe65271d17fd9957b.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/207731">This signal is then fed into routers equipped with a series of modems with SIM cards from different operators, which deliver data bandwidth depending on the local geographical situation. The bandwidth from the modems is bonded together, providing one broad and stable internet connection.&nbsp;Our second solution is the GSM Connect indoor coverage solution. This is similar to the first, but the adjusted and filtered signal from the amplifier is distributed over a coaxial network with small antennas installed where coverage is needed. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/207730/image/large-3b695f57d51c7b7d65d3c0417daae6e2.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/207730">The big advantage of this solution is that those on board do not need to connect to the Wifi, they can just continue to use their own device without changing any settings, and will pay for their own usage when they get home (as a major bonus for the yacht’s owner!). This also means there is no limit on the number of simultaneous users of the system, and no influence on the available bandwidth if more users are active or not.&nbsp;The result of both systems is a very substantial diminution of the VSAT cost, as well as a huge increase in the flexibility of the communication possibilities on board.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/577/image/large-ea1296089209ec45bcc85f23a2bb0099.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/577">It would be remiss to end the article without some name dropping. Can you tell us about some of the yachts which have your systems on board? Of course! We are proud to be on board <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/49" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Stormborn46.7m (153'3&quot;)Heesen Yachts2007">Stormborn</a>, motor yacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/5820" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Falkor82.9m (271'12&quot;)Orenstein & Koppel1981">Falkor</a>, motor yacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/5803" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Thumper40.05m (131'5&quot;)Sunseeker2014">Thumper</a>, motor yacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/591" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Clio72.6m (238'2&quot;)Lürssen Yachts2004">Clio</a>, motor yacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/208" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Kogo71.71m (235'3&quot;)Alstom (Aker Yards)2006">Kogo</a> and motor yacht <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/2484" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Nirvana88.5m (290'4&quot;)Oceanco2012">Nirvana</a>. We can also be found on the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/29" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Feadship (Company)">Feadship</a> motor yachts <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/5598" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Savannah83.5m (273'11&quot;)Feadship2015">Savannah</a> and <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/291" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Utopia71.6m (234'11&quot;)Feadship2004">Utopia</a>.&nbsp;To discover more about the latest solutions from <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/6495" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="All Communications (Company)">All Communications</a>, contact the company directly using the details below:

All Communications and staying aboard on your superyacht

SYT chats to the team at All Communications about what it takes to stay connected onboard.