Even in 2022, when Starlink is launched for commercial operations, the Internet is still expensive for people on sea voyages. There is no mobile connection on the open seas because it's too far from the shore.
The ship crew usually uses satellite internet. Thuraya, Iridium, or Inmarsat, but it's still not cheap. It is clear that the navigator and captain definitely can use the Internet for navigation, and it is paid for by the company, but the team usually has limits, and they are very strict and expensive. Usually, on dry cargo and tankers, ordinary sailors use only paid Internet, and therefore they are online only when they are in the city or port. And even then, most people go to the supermarket to shop and call their relatives instead of wasting time on the Internet.
It happens that during the six months of traveling, merchant sailors may never go ashore, and many of them would be happy to change their profession. But communication and live communication are not only for work but also for the fa, when there is time to relax on the ship.
On cruise liners, the situation with the Internet is usually completely different. People can't live without Instagram photos. But your closed unlimited chat, however, will be useful there as well.
The chat for sailors in the ocean
All crew members have smartphones, and only WhatsApp, Telegram or Viber will not work because there is no Internet. But there is usually a marine server where you can run your messenger server. Yes, you can :)
Wi-Fi routers are also usually available at least on the officer decks.
Sometimes, even LAN networks are available. Ordinary cables, the ancient coaxial (when the link is more than 100 meters), or the usual twisted pair, UTP. But Wi-Fi is, of course, cheaper and easier.
Download the MyChat Server installer from the developer site, a free version.
Install MyChat Server on the ship server with Windows, everything is simple. Step-by-step instruction.
Applications for phones are better to download when on the shore. MyChat for Android, and MyChat for iPhone.
To connect, you need to specify the IP of your ship's server, then you can register a user directly from your smartphone.
There are other programs for computers and laptops, but mobile devices are the main tools.
PUSH services in the open sea
They will not work, because, as said before, there is no Internet. To see the message, you have to open it on your smartphone. But for Android there is a small trick, you can turn off push notifications in MyChat settings for a while. Depending on the device, the program will continue working work "in the background". Such a trick will not work with iPhone, but it's better than no connection at all.
In the chat, you can also transfer files and photos. This is a full-fledged messenger.
Video connection inside the ship
Yes, you will have chat calls with very good quality. You are, in fact, on a local network, with a high-speed connection. So you don't have to run from the hold to the deck or speak via walkie-talkie while on watch, you can just turn on the video call to show or see what you need.
There are no time limits.
There is an additional interesting feature. If you install MyChat Client on a Windows computer or laptop and specify in the settings that the program automatically answers when you call, it's easy to organize a kind of CCTV camera on-demand, at any time.
You can also record calls to disk, using regular video files, automatically.
What's the price?
Basic version of MyChat messenger is free with 20 concurrent connections. When it's not enough, you can always extend your license. 10 connections cost $40. You purchase a license for 1 year, then you need to prolong it, otherwise, the server turns into pumpkin free version.
The license includes technical support in Ukrainian, English languages. It's worth it.
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