MariTEL Wins Nine FCC Maritime Licenses

MariTEL, a nationwide provider of VHF marine wireless telecommunications, has won all nine Federal Communications Commission maritime licenses for an aggregate cost of $6.8 million. After eight days and 44 rounds of competitive bidding, MariTEL won sole rights to 20 channels in the spectrum range 156-162 mHz. The nine territories cover 43 states and 100 percent of U.S. navigable waterways. The licenses will enable the company to create a single nationwide system. Expanded channel coverage, the newly acquired spectrum and amended regulations also allow MariTEL to offer land mobile systems on a secondary basis to approximately 235 million people. In conjunction with its acquisition of VHF licenses, MariTEL will begin construction of MariNET, the marine wireless local loop. The MariNET system will provide fully encrypted and automated dax, email and voice transmission capability. MariNET's seamless coverage will be fully integrated with the Public Service Telephone Network (PSTN), as well as the Global Marine Distress Safety System (GMDSS). Through the network, a user can place a call to any phone in the world.