Does anyone have any experience with the new generation of packet data
services offered via Inmarsat (i.e. their "Fleet" service)? They are billed
by the byte instead of by elapsed connect time and theoretically would be
cheaper than existing Mini-M service or Iridium service as well as many
times faster. Apparently the small antenna version ("F33" - meaning 33 cm
antenna dome) has just come out in the past month. From reading the
literature it looks like the coverage area is the same as Mini-M (i.e.
limited to spot beam). This is slightly marginal in part of the South
Pacific where I have had trouble with my mini-M between Hawaii and the
Tuamotus. I'm quite curious if F33 is at least as good in this area and any
other observations that early users may have.