Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, our DOME routers are fully 5G compatible and have a backwards compatibility with 4G and 3G.

Yes, the DOME was initially designed for 4G and by eliminating the need for coax cables plus allowing the use of way more antennas it significantly increases 4G speed, performance, reliability and offshore coverage.

You will see average speeds ranging from 100-300 Mbps.

That said, the speed greatly varies from location to location. It depends on how good the onshore infrastructure is (and cellular coverage, hence) in the area you are measuring speed. Thus, it may also depend on how far the nearest tower is, whether the tower has a high load to manage due to a lot of users nearby, how updated it is technically, the tower’s elevation, your SIM data contract, and so on.

See some real life examples here.

We offer an X4 DOME router and X2 DOME router.

X4 offers a 4 modem solution and can accommodate larger internet load that yachts above 40 meters typically have. It is also the best solution if your guests work onboard / remote study, do a lot of Zoom calls, streaming etc. Besides accommodating more load, 4 modems in X4 model makes connection extra reliable.

X2 offers a 2 modem solution and is more suitable for smaller boats that have less users / internet usage. It would still offer a good reliable connection. Just think of it as a 2 lane highway vs 4. The more traffic you have the more lanes you need not to have congestions and slower speed.

The performance of both is identical, it is virtually the same system.

The DOME system is very easy to install.

If you are installing the panel version all you need to do is glue the bracket holders for the panels onto the inner sides of the existing VSAT or TVRO dome and snap the panels in. Then mount the control router and connect the system to power.

If you choose the standalone solution you will need to mount the dome to the base of your mast. In either case, your onboard engineer should be capable of performing the task without the need for any outside help/cost.

You can find more information about installations here.

Yes, it supports eSIM technology, also known as a virtual SIM. This technology allows changing SIMs without having to change a physical SIM card. It is being adopted by more and more carriers worldwide with most European and US carriers supporting it already.

Yes, you can use SIM cards from any provider with our DOME router.

Yes, we provide SIM data and make sure we offer competitive pricing. Contact us for latest pricing available.

No, the cost of SIM data depends on your usage. It does not matter how many modems you use. One exception would be if you buy unlimited cards in the US. But you can always choose to buy and use only 1 card if you don’t need more.

If you are cruising solely in the Mediterranean you should not need to change cards as virtually all SIM data providers offer one card that covers multiple carriers and countries within Europe, and doesn’t need to be changed if you used up all GB previously purchased. You can just top up.

If you are cruising in other areas like the US this may hold true as well (lets say you may have 2 ATT and 2 Verizon cards in that wont need to be changed unless you decide to change providers or carriers.

If you cruise in the areas / work with a provider that can’t offer one sim for all, and you have to change SIM cards frequently you can purchase our remote SIM extender. It would allow you to change cards in a convenient for you location inside the boat.

In order to be able to achieve optimal reliable 4G/5G performance you need to be able to utilize latest available cellular technological improvements. One of those is being able to have way more antennas. If you install a Pepwave you have to add up the cost of the device, the cost if the antennas, the cost of running coax cables, the cost of installation and possibly the cost of amplifiers if you want to extend range offshore.

Our DOME system is a package – you have no extra costs – you have the router and all antennas you need included in the cost. Plus you do not need to pay a fortune for running extra coax cables. It is an easy self-install solution that doesn’t even require extra space if you have an existing VSAT or TVRO dome.

Too often integrators sell you a cheap device and make money on running those coax cables and other labour instead. Be aware of that.

PS: you would need to run 1 network cable to install our DOME system (from the dome to your ship’s network) if you dont have a spare one there yet. We will send you the cable at no additional cost, and it is very easy to run as it is way more flexible than coax.

In addition, if you also take coverage offshore extension into consideration you would likely need amplifiers with a Pepwave to extend coverage offshore (especially if the coax cable run is long and you end up loosing 80-90% of signal in those cables). Amplifiers are expensive and cover limited bands. Versus our DOME extends coverage without the need of amplifiers.

The line of sight that you can observe from shore at sea level to another object at sea level is 6 miles. However, the dome installation and the height of the tower / location are not at sea level. You can find real life examples of tower and mast elevations, and more information on how we can increase offshore coverage here.

We have a dedicated 24/7 support team trained to understand superyacht-specific needs.

We offer a premium support package that provides 24/7 assistance with any issues related to hardware, firmware, settings, carriers, and other connection troubleshooting.

In our experience, it is worth it for many yachts to have someone very knowledgeable to call who can quickly help to find a reason of why the internet isn’t working or slowed down. 99% of those issues are non-hardware related.

Most support cases arise due to an issue with a network (SIM data related). Oftentimes, those can be solved by tweaking settings, looking closer into the configuration, identifying the cause of the issue, and resolving it by addressing it directly with the carrier.

Support also helps to dramatically increase the performance of the router as an engineer with specialized knowledge can adjust settings to find the most optimal setup in any given area. That may include bands or combination of networks available, as an example.

As a result, we can extend coverage offshore, increase speed or ensure more bandwidth in congested areas.

For example, we can do that by reconnecting you to a less congested cellular tower (otherwise, by default a cellular network assigns a tower to you and locks into it).

Using connection bonding is not mandatory, however it is highly recommended to ensure the stable and fast connection. Get to know more about the connection bonding here.

Proprietary omnidirectional antennas that have no signal interference.

Set up in 4×4 MiMo design. Sufficient isolation between the antenna modules is taken care of. Frequency spectrum 600MHz-6GHz. Peak Gain 5dBi.

Here are the base guidelines:

• You must not mount the dome in the radar beam.
• You must not install the system closer than 1 meter horizontally close to any other antenna operating in the similar frequency spectrum as the dome does (600 MHz – 6 GHz, eg. avoid GSM antennas for DAS systems etc).
• Same for any solid metal obstacles (minimum 1 meter distance horizontally).

Please feel free to send us the general arrangement plan of your mast / any questions you may have, and one of our engineers will get back to you with a suggestion / options on the installation location.