NEWS – For Immediate Release

Global Marine Networks supports ship-to-shore communications to Plastiki, nominated as one of Time Magazine's "50 Best Inventions"

Award Winning Plastiki Crew Shares Their Message with support from Global Marine Networks' Ship-To-Shore Satellite Communications Solutions for Satellite Email, Vessel Tracking, Web Browsing, Social Networking, Voice and Video

MARYVILLE, TN JANUARY 12, 2011 – Global Marine Networks, the leaders in advancing satellite data speed and services, provides satellite communications solutions for the Plastiki, a boat made out of 25,000 plastic bottles and one of Time Magazine’s 50 Best Inventions for 2010. David de Rothschild, the creator of the Plastiki, along with a team of innovators, architects, engineers, sustainable designers and material scientists built the pioneering catamaran to raise awareness of the health of our oceans.

“We needed to get our message out while we were on the water. We wanted voice, satellite email, web browsing, social networking on Facebook and Twitter, and video, all from anywhere. By working with Inmarsat and Global Marine Networks, we were able to determine the best communication solutions for this important mission.” The Plastiki expedition completed its epic mission on 26 July 2010 spending 130 days at sea, having sailed 8000 nautical miles across the Pacific from San Francisco to Sydney.

Global Marine Networks supported the communications outfitting of the Plastiki as the system designer and integrator. Plastiki was sponsored by global mobile satellite communications Inmarsat as a showcase for its state-of-the-art FleetBroadband satellite communications and tracking equipment for connectivity and safety. The Thrane & Thrane Sailor FleetBroadband 500 terminal delivered fast data speeds and reliability, essential to support the high-bandwidth requirements to send store-and-forward video from the boat back to the project website and to the world's media, including weekly updates broadcast on CNN and a documentary in late 2010 from National Geographic Channel. Voice services allowed the crew to speak with journalists onshore. Just as important were the frequent updates over satellite phone, email, Facebook and Twitter used to publicize the issues and stories from the crew. A Global Marine Networks XTracker device let people onshore follow the adventure with real-time updates during the entire trip, keeping up the awareness of the expedition.

“By working with both Inmarsat and Global Marine Networks we assembled reliable satellite phone communications enabling us to tell our story live from the ocean, keeping the mission exciting and fresh.” said Jo Royle, Plastiki Skipper. “During the expedition the crew conducted over 150 media interviews from the vessel using satellite communications, resulting in global awareness of both the issues as well as some of the solutions, including the Oprah Winfrey Show. Tens of millions of people are now aware of the Plastiki and her message, there are over 800,000 search terms relating to Plastiki and 52,200 related images on Google.”

“Dr. Luis Soltero, Chief Technology Officer of Global Marine Networks noted that, “GMN was pleased to support the highly visible satellite tracking of Plastiki. Their experience shows how valuable XGate Satellite Email services and reliable XTracker satellite tracking can be to anyone offshore. The assistance it provided to the crew helped them stay in stay in close communication with land-based support organizations and serve important functions for safety.”

“One of the founding principles of the Plastiki was to create a global conversation around both the issues and the solutions needed in order to beat waste, especially the plastic pollution that plagues our oceans. Without the support from Inmarsat FleetBroadband service and Global Marine Networks, the Plastiki wouldn’t have been able to reach the global audience it did, and in turn create such an immense global voice of change,” said David de Rothschild.

About Global Marine Networks, LLC.

Global Marine Networks (GMN), the leaders in advancing satellite data speeds and services, helps Fixed and Mobile Satellite Services providers and their customers by offering the industry’s fastest, most reliable and easy-to-use email, web, and other hardware and software services to maritime, oil and gas, first responder and business continuity users. The company’s products include high-speed satellite email, weather and oceanographic data software, satellite data control routers, vessel tracking systems, and ship to shore communications solutions for users of satellite and wireless data services.

GMN has numerous awards and certifications for technical innovation and holds pending patents on its products. For more information on how GMN is Making Airtime Count™ - whether ship to shore, or in remote or emergency communications environments visit www.globalmarinenet.com.

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