Orkney Ferries leading the way with satellite WiFi trial

Views are being sought on the ongoing trial of ultra-fast internet access on three Orkney Ferries vessels.

The trial – which got underway last year – has seen thousands of passengers benefit from free access to the advanced satellite based service on the Earl Sigurd, Earl Thorfinn and the Varagen – enabling them to work while travelling, download movies, stream music, shop online and browse the web.

The crew on board have also benefited from enhanced operational efficiency, including improved back-office functions, maintenance tasks and electronic transactions.

Improved connectivity has also allowed the ships’ Masters to access the latest information on weather conditions while at sea.

The initiative marks the first of its kind in the UK and is funded by the Scottish Government and managed by the Scottish Futures Trust in collaboration with Orkney Islands Council, Orkney Ferries, CloudNet IT Solutions – who installed the kit required – and HIE.

A survey is now underway to gather data and views about the trial – which will be used to plan for its ongoing availability.

Details of how to take part in the evaluation survey will be available onboard the ferries.

Running for nine months, the pilot aligns with the Scottish Government’s efforts to provide better services to island communities, ultimately encouraging community growth, repopulation and greater resilience in rural areas.

The project aims to showcase the advantages of high-speed internet access for marine public transport, advocating for its adoption on other longer ferry routes across Scotland while also assessing the performance of satellite antennas under challenging northern maritime conditions.

The service leverages low earth orbit (LEO) satellites, delivering speeds of at least 200 Megabits per second, with Wi-Fi technology distributing the signal throughout the vessels.

The satellite network consists of over 7,000 satellites in various orbits around the Earth, each passing overhead every 10-15 minutes. The ferries’ terminals automatically connect to the nearest satellite, positioned about 800 miles above the Earth and traveling at approximately 17,000 miles per hour.

Councillor Mellissa Thomson is Chair of Orkney Ferries.  She said “With journey times of up to three hours, the new internet service has been a fantastic edition to the passenger experience allowing them to access a range of digital services for entertainment or work purposes.

“I’d encourage those that have been using the service to take part in the survey in order that we can evaluate its use, its effectiveness and its impact.”

Business Minister Richard Lochhead said: “The technology behind this pilot has a tremendous potential to improve travel for island commuters and visitors.

“By trialling advanced connectivity on our public transport, we are not only making journeys much more enjoyable and productive, but also taking a significant step towards bridging the digital divide in our rural and island communities.

“This initiative strengthens the Scottish Government’s commitment to ensuring that every citizen, regardless of location, can access improved public services and opportunities.”

Scottish Futures Trust

Established by the Scottish Government as a centre of infrastructure expertise, the Scottish Futures Trust performs an active leadership role to improve infrastructure strategy, investment, delivery and management, and does so through its unique combination of skills, working collaboratively across the public and private sectors.

CloudNet 

Cloudnet, an innovative internet service provider (ISP) based in Orkney, Scotland, has emerged as a pioneering force in the telecommunications landscape. Established with a vision to enhance connectivity in the remote islands of Orkney and across Scotland. Cloudnet has positioned itself at the forefront of technological advancements by leveraging unique geographical attributes to test and deploy cutting-edge solutions. This use case highlights Cloudnet’s experiences in delivering robust and flexible communication services via technologies like TV White Space (TVWS) and 5G, Fibre-in-water FTTP programme, while collaborating with various organisations, including the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology