Fleet Broadband

Fleet Broadband is Inmarsat's maritime mobile broadband service operating through the L-band Inmarsat-4 geostationary satellite network, providing simultaneous voice, fax, and IP data services at speeds of up to 432 kbps on a standard terminal and higher on enhanced variants. It replaced and extended earlier Inmarsat services such as Fleet 33, Fleet 55, and Fleet 77, offering always-on internet connectivity for vessel operations management, electronic chart updating, weather routing, and crew welfare communications. The service covers all ocean areas between approximately 76°N and 76°S, consistent with GMDSS Sea Area A3. Fleet Broadband terminals are approved for GMDSS use and can transmit distress priority calls, connecting automatically to the appropriate maritime rescue co-ordination centre when the distress button is activated. The antenna is an omnidirectional stabilised unit requiring unobstructed sky view, and its performance can degrade in heavy precipitation or when the satellite elevation angle falls at high latitudes. Communications officers manage data usage through account management portals, prioritising operational traffic over crew internet access where bandwidth is limited. The ITU Radio Regulations and SOLAS IV performance standards apply to the Fleet Broadband installation as a GMDSS component.