Maritel story Cont'd
4/24/2003
After over 30 years of service to mariners across the United States, MariTEL is discontinuing Marine radio voice communications service, effective June 6, 2003, citing rising operating costs and declining service revenues. “MariTEL appreciates the opportunity to serve the marine industry over the years.
I sincerely hope that MariTEL service has been useful and regret that this action is necessary,” said Dan Smith, President and CEO of MariTEL. “Over the past decade,
the coastal radio station voice communications market has been eroded by the proliferation of public mobile services (cellular and PCS), satellite communications, and other commercial mobile radio services. These services have improved their coverage, availability, and affordability – they have become the voice communications service of choice for many mobile customers, including mariners.
Marine VHF
radio equipment simply has not evolved to meet market demands.” MariTEL intends to maintain a presence in marine communications by developing new products and services more in step with the communication needs of today’s marine industry. “We see excellent opportunities using VHF radio technology for marine data applications. MariTEL believes it is in a unique position to take advantage of this emerging market,” according to Smith. MariTEL is currently evaluating plans to build a marine data radio network in the
United States compatible with MariTEL’s licensed spectrum. This network will be developed in accordance with standards established and maintained by international standards bodies.
8/8/2011
Sea Tow Services International, Inc. announced it has completed installation of its Automated Radio Check (ARC) boating safety service through its network of Sea Tow franchises, and will make the free public service available nationwide through additional marine outlets. Boaters can now obtain radio checks through the Sea Tow ARC service in major coastal boating markets across the U.S., including the
East Coast,
Gulf of Mexico, and Southern California, as well as in select inland regions. The first boating safety program of its kind, Sea Tow ARC is made possible due to Sea Tow’s ongoing relationship with marine communications specialist MariTEL.
To conduct a radio check through the Sea Tow ARC service, boaters can simply tune their VHF radios to Channel 24, 26, 27, or 28 (depending on the region), key the mic, and ask for a radio check. The ARC system responds to each radio check with an automated reply, and also replays to the boater’s original radio transmission, allowing him or her to assess the strength of the signal and confirm the VHF radio is in good working order. To find the Sea Tow ARC service channel in a particular region, visit
http://www.seatow.com/boating_safety/ARC.asp. The web page also links to an instructional video demonstrating how to use the service step by step.
“It’s the same procedure you would use to get a radio check on Channel 9, but it doesn’t require a fellow boater or watch-stander to answer your hail; it’s automated,” said Capt. Joe Frohnhoefer, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Sea Tow Services International. “A properly working VHF is essential safety equipment on every boat. Equally important to boater safety in general is the fact that the ARC system helps reduce unnecessary chatter on Channel 16.”
The next phase of the Sea Tow ARC program includes offering the service through additional marine outlets in areas throughout the Continental U.S., Alaska and Hawaii where VHF communications are widely used by mariners. Sea Tow ARC will be available for hosting by marinas, boat dealerships, bait shops, and other on-water businesses. The name of each host location will be mentioned in the ARC system’s pre-check message in its area. In addition, post-check messages can be recorded to announce local events. Companies interested in hosting the Sea Tow ARC service can find more information at
Radio Checks | Sea Tow.
Sea-Tow International came up with an automated radio check system to give USCG radio watchstanders a break from the incessant calls for radio checks on Channel 16, and generate a fair amount of market recognition for itself. It was an excellent idea for the dormant Public correspondence channels. Unfortunately most mouth-breathing nitwits dont understand that if you key the mic & the TX icon appears on your radio display, your radio is working & to leave 16 open for distress calls. But thats a topic for another day.
9/21/2007
MariTEL has launched its much-anticipated marine wireless telecommunications network with its inaugural service region in the Gulf of Mexico and lower Mississippi River. When completed, the $300 million network will provide cellular-telephone-like coverage to the entire U.S. coastline and all navigable waterways inland, as well as up to 100 miles offshore. The only wireless telecommunications system built specifically for mariners, MariTEL's VHF network uses Digital Selective Calling in conjunction with strategically placed coastal station towers and a fiber-optic network. The first region offers coverage from Corpus Christi, Texas, to Sarasota, Florida, and up the Mississippi River to Memphis, Tennessee. For more information, visit
www.maritelusa.com.
From this press release it looks like they launched some sort of Vhf voice-data service aimed at the off-shore oil supply & inland towing operations segements of the marine industry in the Gulf & western rivers. Dont know its status at this time.
12/18/2013
Free Marine VHF Check Call Expanding, Seeks Hosts
Sea Tow Services International, Inc., a leading professional marine assistance provider in the USA, says that the number of stations transmitting its free Automated Radio Check service in coastal and inland boating areas across the U.S. has risen to over 130 locations. Claimed to be the first and only service of its kind, Sea Tow continues to seek new host stations in its mission to expand this vital boating safety service. Automated Radio Check, which is provided by Sea Tow in association with MariTEL, lets boaters quickly and easily check that their vessel’s VHF radio is working.
Maritel leased channels 24-28 to SeaTow for this service.
9/26/2020
Tennessee Eastern District Court, on behalf of MariTEL Inc., a radio communication services business, and its affiliates. The complaint accuses Sea Tow Services International Inc. of continuing to use the plaintiff's licensed spectrum for transmission after the expiration of nine-year agreement. Counsel have not yet appeared for the defendant. The case is 3:20-cv-00424, Maritel, Inc. et al v. Sea Tow Services International, Inc.
This is the current state of affairs of Maritel. In early October 2020, Sea Tow shut down its popular & effective Automated Radio Check system. Rumor Control has it that SeaTow & Maritel couldn't agree on the fee for continued use of the channels. I used the station @ captree boat basin on Ch-28 all the time. As of now, the Maritel.Usa web domain is up for grabs at Go-Daddy.
Although the Vhf marine operator system is almost non-existent in the US, Canada still has operations on a few of the PC channels in its major ports, and many are still in use in parts of the UK, Europe, Africa & Asia.
Maritel at one point sued the USCG for failing to return AIS channels A & B in the early 2000's after testing them for suitability for the its Rescue 21 AIS system. The issue was that the ITU had designated those channels for the world-wide AIS system & the US, being a signatory to the ITU, was bound by international treaty to begin its implementation of the US AIS system service on those frequencies. Maritel lost.
The latest ITU useage of the former public correspondence channels are as follows;
All the channels listed below with the exception of the AIS channels, which use the coast side of the duplex VHF radio channels 87 & 88; AIS Ch-A (87B; 161.9750) and AIS Ch. B (88B; 162.0250).
Ch-24 thru 28 & 84 thru 86 are available for VDSMS [Vhf Digital Small Message Service] which is to be some sort of message/data exchange between ships & coast stations and possibly satellite stations. I will post more on that later. There are proposals to knit 2 channels together for a wideband channel. Ch-88A is a commercial ship-ship/Coast station channel.
84A | 84B | 157.225 [Ship] | 161.825 [Coast] | Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). VDSMS |
85A | 85B | 157.275 | 161.875 | Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). VDSMS |
86A | 86B | 157.325 | 161.925 | Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). VDSMS |
87A | | 157.375 | | Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). VDSMS |
24A | 24B | 157.200 [Ship] | 161.800 [Coast] | Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). VDSMS |
25A | 25B | 157.250 | 161.850 | Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). VDSMS |
26A | 26B | 157.300 | 161.900 | Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). VDSMS |
27A | 27B | 157.350 | 161.950 | Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). VDSMS |
28A | 28B | 157.400 | 162.000 | Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). VDSMS |