Isle of Man ferries offer full mobile phone coverage on sailings

Passengers taking the ferry to the Isle of Man are now able to make mobile phone calls and send text messages at all times during the crossing, thanks to the introduction of new technology.

Previously, passengers using mobile phones were liable to lose their reception for around 40 minutes per crossing as the signals from masts on the island and mainland England were insufficiently strong to guarantee blanket coverage.

However, the Man Steam Packet Company is now rolling out new telecommunications technology, with Manx Telecom installing new antennae on board the ferry company's vessels and working to upgrade software on land.

As a result, passengers using normal phones can now receive full reception for the duration of the Liverpool to Isle of Man ferry crossing, while 3G users are likely to be offered the same service by the end of the year.

Welcoming Manx Telecom's work, ferry company chief executive Mark Woodward said: "The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company welcomes the improvements that have taken place which have resulted in increased telephone coverage for passengers on our Heysham and Liverpool routes."

This comes soon after the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company announced its support for a new children's centre on the island, with the company set to fund excursions for young people to Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Written by Mark Robinson