Please find questions from customers and answers from Operators related maritime communications:

• In what way using Inmarsat-C on the vessel will help reduce communication expenses to the maximum?

You can use our "e-mail exchange 5-bit" service from the Inmarsat-C terminal to Internet addresser and vice versa. This service makes economy up to 30% comparing with the standard Inmarsat operators' service. The reason of such economy is obvious: using 5-bit in a character instead of 8-bit in a block lets transmit about 30-40% characters more, while block's cost remains the same...

• Is it possible to reduce expenses by registration miniM, as well as Inmarsat-A,B,M terminals through your company?

For working with the lowest possible ratescompany Operators  offer SIM-cards for miniM terminals with its delivering by an express-mail to your ship or office. Cards are delivered for free, our company takes mail expenses as well. Besides, using mentioned cards gives you right to receive the lowest rates for phone negotiations, fax, database. We register also Inmarsat terminals of all other standards - with the lowest tariffs for all communication modes. When coming through registration each vessel gets separate modem number and e-mail with the access to all our services (telex, graphical fax, e-mail).

• What is "multiaddressing"? In what way does it differ from standard Inmarsat operators' service?

Any Inmarsat Land Earth Station gives you opportunity of sending several copies of messages for lower rates, but ONLY in one media - that means you can't send message to e-mail with copies to, say, telex and fax. Company-Operators provides such service, what's more, it maintains Cyrillic either for Internet messages (mind, Internet copies are for free), or for fax ones. So using this service lets you easily economize on traffic payment and provide suitable system of notices' sending.

• What is "vessel monitoring" in your understanding?

It's a good question. Yes, in our advertising we declare free service "vessel monitoring", but we don't mean taking vessel positions (this service surely requires payment), but possibility of receiving daily utilization of your vessels to your e-mail as FAST as possible - so that you could clearly see where, when and how many messages your ships have sent. No doubt, it is very helpful in questions of control and settlement of incidents with radiooficers.

• Your tariffs aren't that low. Why should I take your services?

Question of tariffs level - especially in Inmarsat-C - is complicated enough. A lot of operators and Inmarsat LESO's declare low and even damping rates. But there's no miracle, and tariff situation should be considered in complex, taking settled communication technology in your organisation into consideration, for example:
• Are rates through your current operator low indeed?
• Are there service lines added to the message, that lead to rising costs of block transmitting from advertised "0.18 usd" to "0.30" or even more?
• How much percents are added to Accounting Organisation accounts?
• Where to and how many messages in e-mail, telex and fax modes are sent from the vessel and vice versa?
• How many multiaddress or duplicate messages are sent?
• What information can be compressed when sending?
Optimizing communication technology with our help gives you possibility of real traffic economy and quality improvement of communication in your company WITHOUT considerable money investments or serious changes in the settled communication system. There is one more important aspect to it: you can get the FULL complex of marine communications at "one-stop shopping", with the possible reservation of different communication channels.

• Transmitting Russian (Cyrillic) through the current operator is very uncomfortable (initial text comes in DOS-coding in an attached file, besides, sending itself is complicated enough for an inexperienced user). What are your suggestions concerning Cyrillic?

Company-Operator took peculiarities of Cyrillic Inmarsat\Internet transmitting into consideration. That's why we provided automatic convertation of Cyrillic files in Land Earth Center, so that user received already readable e-mail letters with usual Windows Cyrillic. The same scheme works in a "shore-ship" -direction: user can transmit Cyrillic letter right in the text or attach file with DOS Cyrillic - our system will automatically decipher letter's type and deliver it to the ship in a readable form. Obviously, faxes are also sent in Russian from Inmarsat-C terminals, and from the shore to Inmarsat-A,B,M,mM.

• Do you provide all kinds of marine communications? What is Internet-telex?

Company-Operator  provide nearly full service of marine communications, including telex-fax service through Internet for land users, e-mail to Inmarsat-C, access to all Inmarsat standards in different modess, all kinds of "ship-shore" communication through all Inmarsat standards. Internet-telex makes possible transmitting telexes through standard Internet programs like Outlook, as well as receiving telexes from your personal UK (English) telex number to your e-mail address. So, this service needs no hard- or software for telex communication.

• Is pre-payment obligatory when subscribing to your services?

Now Company-Operator take small initial deposit when starting a new account. In the future Operator 'll possibly be able to do without it, so work will be paid on fact.

• How can I organize data compression on the vessel in practice?

Data compression can be organized in two ways: by delivering software for the vessel, or setting-up existing program means of Inmarsat-C terminal. The first variant makes operator's work entirely automatic, but requires separate computer on the vessel. The second variant doesn't suppose any additional means, but makes ship operator's work just a little bit more complicated. Also, we offer for today new progressive compressor for miniM, A/B/M/Iridium terminals.

• Ours is a small company, we possess one vessel with GMDSS and Inmarsat-C. Is it profitable for us to take your services?

We think, it is. Company-Operator deal either with big ship owners, or small companies. Simplicity of accounting, really low rates and local support - isn't it profitable?

• How fast will information about my company's utilization (current statistics and accounts) come?

You will receive statistics daily on your e-mail (including ships). On 2nd day of each month you will also receive detailed electronic invoice on your e-mail. Account originals will be coming till 15th day of the next month.

• Is it possible to receive invoices via Internet?

Yes, it is. You can order receiving invoices service via Internet in a suitable for you format, say, Word. You can print your account down and make payment.

•••••

You can ask any question concerning work and starting to our communication system, as well as any question concerning marine communication and data transmission systems. We hope that our answers will help you understand working principles of existing systems and make optimal choice for settling all communication problems.