Answering the Call

There’s a digital disconnect offshore. The communication standards we take for granted on land are cut adrift at sea; hampering data transfer for businesses, while severing individuals’ lifelines to social media networks. What’s to ‘like’ about that? Frode Støldal, CEO of MCP, has had enough.

“We think it’s time for a new mobile communications reality,” says a steely eyed Frode Støldal from his seat at the Offshore Technology Days conference in Bergen, Norway. “The offshore community suffers, on both an industry-wide and personal level, by having limited access to the modern standards of connectivity that we all take for granted on land. The result is business processes that don’t enjoy the levels of efficiency, speed and accuracy they could with higher performance data connections, and crews that don’t ‘feel at home’ when they’re at sea. This impacts upon satisfaction and retention levels.
“We can change that,” he argues, slowing his pace to emphasize every word as he adds: “good communication unlocks potential.” …And Støldal, it seems from his meeting with Maritime Reporter, believes his firm has the key.
 

Faster, further, first
Maritime Communication Partner (MCP) is currently known for its mobile services and solutions in the cruise and ferry segments, where the business, headquartered in Norway with an additional office in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., has a 12-year track record of ‘at sea’ expertise under its belt. Owned by Norwegian telecoms giant Telenor, MCP operates a proprietary mobile network – CellAtSea – that last year connected some 16 million users, enabled by a collection of over 330 international roaming agreements. It’s established, financially strong and hungry for fresh opportunities. Offshore, it appears, is now the main item on the menu. MCP’s plan is simple, yet technologically challenging. It aims to roll out LTE base stations in the North Sea, creating a 4G network across the entire Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS) – the first offshore network of this kind, on this scale, anywhere.
In theory this will connect all operating vessels, platforms and rigs on the NCS to high-speed, reliable 4G mobile services. Offshore crews, workers and businesses will, for the first time, be able to enjoy levels of connectivity directly comparable to those on land.
“MCP and Telenor see offshore as a real ‘greenfield’ opportunity,” Støldal explains, using telecoms terminology for a completely new development market – something that, in an increasingly connected world, is a rarity. “I’ve been involved in the roll out of 4G on land in Norway (he was formerly Telenor Norway CTO) and the speed and capacity of the networks is revolutionary. 4G enables and enhances innovation, and the offshore community, the eco-system that serves it, and all additional maritime traffic will benefit hugely from that.
“Of course it’s ambitious, and a substantial investment in spectrums and infrastructure,” he concedes, “but the market demand is definitely there.”

Platforms for success?
The scale of those ambitions is seen in the network infrastructure required.
To deliver Støldal’s “new mobile communications reality” MCP must install a latticework of 4G base stations and control systems across the entire territory, situating the technology on existing offshore infrastructure, such as oil and gas platforms. This will facilitate high capacity networks (which can be closed/internal for companies transferring business critical information) close to installations and activity hubs, while quality, real-time broadband services can be pushed further to the very remotest parts of operating fields.
“This isn’t a completely new proposition for us though,” the MCP chief is quick to impart, stating that the firm already operates a GSM (2G) service on the NCS, connecting offshore vessels for firms such as Subsea7, Gulf Offshore and DeepOcean.
But GSM isn’t 4G. Surely that incurs new agreements, new technology and a new installation strategy?
“Yes,” Støldal admits, “there will be a greater need for new infrastructure, but that’s already started moving.”
Originally, he explains, MCP had planned to begin LTE roll out in 2015. However, the industry appeal of the service has fast-tracked initial agreements, with the first 4G base station being installed – potentially as you read this – on Shell’s Draugen platform, 150 km off the coast of Kristiansund. All work there should be finalised before the end of 2014.
“They (the owners) see the benefits,” Støldal opines, “and that openness, that appreciation of the potential here, will help us as we build the network.”
But are those benefits worth the costs?
Readers will be able to appreciate that modern business processes and technology will perform better with better channels of data exchange – working together across secure, reliable networks for improved efficiencies and understanding. Similarly, everyone can relate to enhanced personal quality of life through better connectivity, especially if you’re reading this online.
However, the words ‘mobile at sea’ have the ability to strike fear into any cost conscious service consumer. Prices often have a reputation for being on the vertigo-inducing side of high. So, will this service be any different?
Støldal smiles. It’s too early, he intimates, to give away exact details of the pricing structure, but it will be in keeping with standard Telenor mobile roaming costs, which, he says, are “very competitive” (Telenor’s website shows packages such as Feriesurf EU, which allows 40mb of data a day for $4.38).
“If you compare it to the cost of using satellite services,” he continues, “which is the current standard, it’s a significant price reduction… just a fraction of the cost.
That will enable companies to rely more on communication, data transfer etc., meaning, for example, they could carry out tasks onshore in the future that have to be done offshore today. There’s huge efficiencies there. “I think customers will see the value in that, don’t you?”

New frontiers
On the subject of rolling out 4G beyond the NCS, Støldal is equally enthusiastic, yet coy. “If you look at our position in cruise and ferry we’re a global business,” he states, “and of course we’d like to emulate that in the offshore market. And I think we can. But this is the first project of its kind and we’re going to take it step by step to ensure everything is in place and the service is of the optimal quality.  “After that,” he said, “well, we’ll see…”
There’ll be plenty of vessel and rig crews globally that should ‘like’ the sound of that.

 

Talking MCP Frode Støldal


•    Established in 2002

•    Owned by Telenor, a major global mobile operator (with 176 million subscriptions)

•    Building offshore proposition but already well-established in cruise and ferry segments, providing services to over 170 vessels and maritime assets across the world

•    Currently has 16 GSM (2G) installations in the North Sea

•    MCP’s CellAtSea network recorded 16 million users in 2013

•    In the same year data traffic over the network grew by 105%, while the business grew 39%

•    Headquarters in Arendal, Norway, additional office in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

(As published in the February 2015 edition of Maritime Reporter & Engineering News - http://magazines.marinelink.com/Magazines/MaritimeReporter)