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Connecting Fishermen to shore: first application for Inmarsat Fleet One now available
[October 31, 2014]

Connecting Fishermen to shore: first application for Inmarsat Fleet One now available


(ENP Newswire Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) ENP Newswire - 31 October 2014 Release date- 27102014 - Fishermen on board Chinese coastal fishing vessels can now keep in constant contact with friends, family and colleagues thanks to a brand new application developed exclusively for Inmarsat's Fleet One service.



Created by Beijing Marine communication and Navigation Co. (MCN Beijing), Inmarsat's largest Distribution Partner in the People's Republic of China have launched a bespoke chat application for fishermen called ???, or Fish Chat.

Fish Chat is the first Fleet One application for the Asian fishing market that has been tested and certified by Inmarsat.


'We are delighted that MCN Beijing has developed an application which is fit for purpose for the needs and requirements of the local market and optimises the Fleet One service for their customers' said Ronald Spithout, President, Inmarsat Maritime.

The application fits the particular communications requirements of crew on board Chinese coastal fishing vessels, providing texting and picture exchange capabilities, and push-to-talk voice services. The application is available for both Android and iOS devices, enabling fishermen to chat with their friends and family or colleagues using their own smartphones via WiFi.

'Fleet One has made access to voice and data services more accessible and affordable for small vessels. With the introduction of the Fish Chat application by MCN Beijing, Chinese coastal fishing vessels are better positioned than ever to make the most of this connectivity.' said Guy Sear, VP Business Development and Communications, Inmarsat Maritime.

Fleet One has already been installed on fishing vessels globally since August; feedback from captains and crews continues to be very positive.

'We have been doing intensive research and evaluation in recent months on how Fleet One could be optimised for use by coastal fisheries. In the past, this market has been perceived as being on the low end for data communications and extremely price sensitive - to counter this and make it more appealing to the target customer, we designed a tailor-made and user-friendly application,' said Cao Desheng, President of MCN Beijing. 'We tried other pre-existing smartphone chat apps in the market however all of them had difficulty with controlling background data volume. As a result we concluded that there was a distinct gap in the market that called for a unique application developed with the needs of these customers in mind.' Chinese fisherman can order Fleet One plus Fish Chat now via MCN Beijing and its local distribution partners in fishery ports.

About Inmarsat Inmarsat plc is the leading provider of global mobile satellite communications services. Since 1979, Inmarsat has been providing reliable voice and high-speed data communications to governments, enterprises and other organizations, with a range of services that can be used on land, at sea or in the air. Inmarsat employs around 1,600 staff in more than 60 locations around the world, with a presence in the major ports and centres of commerce on every continent. Inmarsat is listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE:ISAT.L). The Inmarsat press release newsfeed and corporate updates are on Twitter @InmarsatGlobal.

About MCN Beijing Beijing Marine Communication & Navigation Company is under the Ministry of Communication in China, and is the leading operator providing Inmarsat satellite services, total solutions and on-going support in China. It has more than twenty years of experience, market knowledge, and technical expertise in various market segments that include Maritime,Land Mobile, Aero of various industry segments in China. Visit www.bjmcn.com.

MCN Beijing Contact Xianglun Kong, Vice President, Satcom Division, MCN Beijing Tel: +86 10 65293529 Email: [email protected] For further information Jonathan Sinnatt Head of Corporate Communications Inmarsat +44 (0)20 7728 1935 [email protected] Katie Potts PR Manager Inmarsat +44 (0)20 7728 1492 [email protected] (c) 2014 Electronic News Publishing -

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