Boeing’s VSAT Offering Suitable For Smaller Boats?

A detailed look (pdf) at current VSAT offerings by bdp1 Consulting, triggered by Boeing’s Connexion announcement. It is very much focused on the off-shore and cruising industry, but at the end comes a very important statement for the owner of yachts that can not be characterised as megayachts…
“Part of the (Boeing) vision includes overcoming a frequently heard objection to VSAT -the size of the onboard footprint- and will be offering users an antenna that is approximately 0.6 Meters in diameter, in contrast with the more typical 2.4 M sizes.”
“Boeing will be offering what it calls a �seamless global VSAT network� to the maritime industry, according to Mr. Sean Schwinn, Vice President of strategy and Business Development, one which will use the same satellites serving the international airlines. With continuous worldwide coverage, Boeing expects to be offering what it describes as �Bandwidth upon demand,� as contrasted with a fixed size of presently available VSAT links. The bottom line will be a service available to the main mass of the maritime market at price points that maritime industry users of Inmarsat are already accustomed to.”