London Startup FrontM partners with Inmarsat and VIKAND to Develop COVID-19 Healthcare Information Hotline for Maritime workforce

FrontM, a collaboration software provider to the maritime and aviation industries, announced their collaboration with global satellite telecommunications giant Inmarsat and VIKAND, a global, maritime medical operations and healthcare solutions provider, to provide seafarers with immediate access to a COVID-19 healthcare hotline. This service will deliver vital frontline medical information to the shipping industries and seafaring workforce at a time when they need it the most.

The London based startup was approached by their partners Inmarsat and VIKAND to provide a telemed collaboration platform that would enable medical staff to provide remote and isolated maritime workers with access to COVID-19 related medical advice and support. This will help more vessels and shipping firms navigate the uncharted territories that their workforces face. In order to facilitate the hotline key development staff were directed from new projects to develop a scalable, secure and reliable web based video-conferencing solution that runs over a dedicated connectivity allocation connecting seafarers across the Fleet Xpress Inmarsat fleet with medical experts within a 2 week timeframe.  

“I am sure you are all aware of the battle the maritime industry has waged against COVID-19 to ensure that vital medical supplies and food shipments reach our shores whilst we all adhere to ‘Staying at home, to ‘Protect the healthcare system and Save lives' said Pradeep Roonwal, VP delivery and operations at FrontM. “That is why we are proud to announce the collaboration with our partners to provide seafarers with this hotline to ensure the immediate well-being and safety of our mariners. This is also a remarkable achievement for our development team who went above and beyond in order to meet the tight delivery timeframes”.  

Technology can sometimes be seen as having a detrimental impact on people’s well-being, however, FrontM focuses on building solutions that have a positive impact on society and the world at large, actively promoting tech for good. 

“By answering the call to arms by our partners Inmarsat and VIKAND we have been able to develop a powerful telemed solution that will help provide commercial seafaring vessels and their employees with quick and easy access to the COVID-19 medical information they need during these difficult times.  The longer-term collaboration with Inmarsat and VIKAND will help to provide a stable platform that will allow mariners to connect with expert telemed services, in order to improve the quality of their care and life whilst at sea.” said Kiran Venkatesh FrontM’s CEO. 

“We are delighted that FrontM and VIKAND will join Inmarsat in delivering this timely, relevant and requested information service to our Fleet Xpress clients,” said Marco Cristoforo Camporeale, Head of Digital Solutions, Inmarsat Maritime. 

“This is fully in line with our wider partnership vision to help resolve medical concerns quicker and allowing companies to respond earlier in case of medical emergencies,” said Mr. Camporeale. 

Brief Summary Bio about VIKAND & Inmarsat 

“By urgently providing this information hotline along with Inmarsat and FrontM we will offer vessel owners and Captains all over the world easy access to information to help give relevant medical information around COVID-19 at this difficult time. Over the longer term, our shared vision for the partnership with Inmarsat is to ensure a healthier environment onboard ships, early intervention when seafarers are not well and a rapid support system in the event of an emergency, utilizing the communication strength of Inmarsat.” said Peter Hult, CEO of VIKAND.

VIKAND is a leading global maritime healthcare solutions provider offering 24/7 medical management, consulting, biomedical equipment maintenance and sales, case and claims management, medical escort service, and air and surface decontamination solutions to the industry. 

VIKAND’s vision is to be the world’s leading expert in Maritime Health Care and VIKAND’s mission is to provide the highest quality, timely and most cost-effective Maritime Health Care possible. VIKAND strives to provide reliable services by skilled professionals supported by the most current technology. For more information, visit http://www.vikand.com.


Inmarsat is the world leader in global, mobile satellite communications. It owns and operates the world’s most diverse global portfolio of mobile telecommunications satellite networks, and holds a multi-layered, global spectrum portfolio, covering L-band, Ka-band and S-band, enabling unparalleled breadth and diversity in the solutions it provides. Inmarsat’s long-established global distribution network includes not only the world’s leading channel partners but also its own strong direct retail capabilities, enabling end to end customer service assurance.

The company has an unrivalled track record of operating the world’s most reliable global mobile satellite telecommunications networks, sustaining business and mission critical safety & operational applications for more than 40 years. It is also a major driving force behind technological innovation in mobile satellite communications, sustaining its leadership through a substantial investment and a powerful network of technology and manufacturing partners.

Inmarsat operates across a diversified portfolio of sectors with the financial resources to fund its business strategy and holds leading positions in the Maritime, Government, Aviation and Enterprise satcoms markets, operating consistently as a trusted, responsive and high-quality partner to its customers across the globe.

Soon Satellite Phone Service for All Citizens in India

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It's 2017, but unfortunately, mobile phone network issues still persist in the Indian subcontinent. In order to bail its citizens out of the constant network troubles that they run into, state-run BSNL is considering on extending satellite phone services to all Indian citizens. The phones, which can be expected to be made available in another two years, will be capable of working in every nook and corner of the South Asian country and will be safe from any network breakdown whatsoever.

According to a statement given by BSNL chairman and managing director Anupam Shrivastava to PTI, the company has already the first official step and applied to International Maritime Organisation. He said, "It will take some time to complete the process. In 18-24 months, we will be in a position to open satellite phones service for citizens in a phased manner."

While traditional mobile networks cover around 25-30km around towers and can transmit signals to phones placed equal to or below the height of the tower, Satellite phones, on the other hand, are capable of working in any part of the country as they on function directly from satellites located about 35,700km above the earth. They can even function from inside flights and ships.

The state-run telecom company is making use of INMARSAT to provide the satellite phone service. The service will be initially rolled out to government agencies, but will soon be extended to the citizens of the country in an organised manner.

Government agencies handling Border Security Force, state police, disaster, railways, and other government agencies will be provided with the satellite phone service in the first phase.

The phone service will be able to cover areas where currently no networks are present and INMARSAT's 14 satellites will help BSNL in its mission.

According to Shrivastava, currently the number of satellite phone connections in India are very less but once BSNL starts with its satellite phone for every citizen initiative with full force, the whole dynamics of the market can be expected to go through a massive change. He also added, that the huge volume of phone connections might even help in bringing down the overall cost of the service. BSNL has decided to charge only Re 1 over the cost that the satellite firm will billing to them.

In the first phase, call rates on satellite phones are expected to be in the range of Rs. 30-35 since there are only about 4,600 connections present in the country.

He further added, "Satellite phones also cost Rs 40,000 and more. All the satellite phones are imported at present. Once we open it for citizens, the volumes will drive down the cost of calls as well as handset. Even, huge volume can attract satellite phone manufacturers to set-up their unit in India. We expect it to create a new ecosystem of satellite services in the country."
Tata Communications Ltd. is currently providing satellite phones in India. The company inherited the licence from Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited.

According to the plan chalked out, TCL services will be phased out by June 30 this year with all its connections getting transferred to BSNL service

At present, India has 1,532 authorised satellite phone connections functioning. In addition to this, Tata Communications Ltd. has also issued 4,143 permits to maritime community for usage of these phones on ships at sea.

Though satellite phones might offer smooth connection promise, but they all carry security concerns. According to India's telecom regulator TRAI, communication done through satellite phones can be monitored by foreign agencies as their gateways are located outside India. This is the reason that Indian Defence forces have declined to use satellite phones from the foreign operators. In fact, several security agencies have time and again been voicing their demand for establishment of a new gateway in the Indian subcontinent which is capable of supporting new generation handsets for land mobile connections.

The demand of these security agencies seems to have finally been met, with a new satellite phone gateway being set-up in India with legal interception and monitoring system (LIMS).

According to Shrivastava, there are no more security issued related to satellite phones anymore in India as BSNL has set-up a gateway with INMARSAT to address security concerns among government agencies. The company will be rolling out satellite services once their registration process is completed and all the necessary approvals are in line.