BLUECOM+: Cost-effective broadband communications at remote ocean areas

TLDR

The ocean and the Blue Economy are becoming global priorities, yet there is currently no cost‑effective broadband solution for remote ocean areas beyond expensive satellite links. This paper introduces the BLUECOM+ maritime communications system developed to address that gap. BLUECOM+ combines standard wireless technologies (GPRS/UMTS/LTE, Wi‑Fi) with TV white‑space radio, tethered balloons, multi‑hop relays, and conventional access networks to provide broadband connectivity over the sea. Simulations demonstrate that a two‑hop land‑sea chain can achieve ranges over 100 km and data rates exceeding 3 Mbit/s.

Abstract

The ocean and the Blue Economy are increasingly top priorities worldwide. The immense ocean territory in the planet and its huge associated economical potential is envisioned to increase the activity at the ocean in the forthcoming years. The support of these activities, and the convergence to the Internet of Things paradigm, will demand wireless and mobile communications to connect humans and systems at remote ocean areas. Currently, there is no communications solution enabling cost-effective broadband Internet access at remote ocean areas in alternative to expensive, narrowband satellite communications. This paper presents the maritime communications solution being developed in the BLUECOM+ project. The BLUE-COM+ solution enables cost-effective broadband Internet access at remote ocean areas using standard wireless access technologies, e.g., GPRS/UMTS/LTE and Wi-Fi. Its novelty lies on the joint use of TV white spaces for long range radio communications, tethered balloons for lifting communications nodes high above the ocean surface, multi-hop relaying techniques for radio range extension, and standard access networks at the ocean. Simulation results prove it is possible to reach radio ranges beyond 100 km and bitrates in excess of 3 Mbit/s using a two-hop land-sea communications chain.