DUALOG: Managing Data Consumption with Starlink Onboard

The 1 TB of data onboard can be spent in 24 hours on Netflix. However, we have a solution that allows you to manage data usage onboard, ensuring that the data package lasts for a full month.

Dualog Quota is a service made to manage internet data consumption and provide fair data distribution onboard.

With New Opportunities Come New Challenges

According to feedback from our customers, the rapid distribution of Starlink in maritime shipping has brought significant benefits to the ship's IT and crew: high bandwidth with up to 300 Mb/s of download speed, happy crew = higher retention, cloud-based solutions are possible and more collaboration comes in.

However, there are some new challenges:

1. How do you make your internet data plan last all month?
2. How can you ensure that high bandwidth is always available for your business operations?
3. How to provide a healthy work-life balance on the ship?

Easy Data Usage Management with Dualog Quota

Allocate volume quota to crew

The system is customisable and easy to set up. Each crew member can keep track of their data allowance directly on their device using our app. Data can be distributed based on volume or time. You can set an allowance per day, week or month. Different quotas and prices can be applied to different internet systems. For example, if you have both Starlink and VSAT.

Easy to admin for captains and shore IT

The cloud-based console offers easy management of the system across an entire fleet. You just need to log in to the Dualog Portal, and the crew only needs to install our app. You can manage how much control you want to apply. For example, you can set up rules for captains to approve people before they are allowed to use their quota.

Manage data usage across devices

Quota service controls data usage on each device. A seafarer can use a smartphone, tablet, and laptop on a ship. A user consumes data within the set quota regardless of the number of devices.

Self-service for crew

Users can buy more data through our app or the slop chest. You can make deductions from the crew salary through integration with your Crew Management System via API.

Dualog Quota is compatible with all providers

You can use Quota with any internet provider, such as VSAT, Starlink, etc. The service is hardware-independent.

Kyriakos Papapolydorou, Regional Sales Manager at Dualog:

• “The maritime industry is one of the last to adopt high speed data connectivity such as the Starlink system. Phone calls, video chats, Instagram, TikTok and other similar applications could soon become standard in an industry that has long been known for isolation. With Dualog Quota, we are able to control and manage the data usage on the vessels in order to make sure that Operation of the vessel is always connected and in uninterrupted communication with the office and at the same time the crew has access to the internet at all times. Dualog Quota is a user-friendly solution which can be easily used on the vessel by non-IT personnel.”

How it Works

Below is an illustration of the most used set-up of Dualog Quota:

By connecting Starlink behind the firewall like any other satellite system, both the crew network and the business network can benefit from Starlink’s speed. The crew is happy, and you can also use the business network on Starlink. This is the approach we recommend.

Easy set-up on a ship:

1. Create a separate network for the crew.
2. Sign in to the Dualog cloud-based control panel.
3. Determine how much quota to provide per day, week or month.
4. Set up a time quota of minutes per day.
5. You can set up multiple quota and price lists for different carriers, ships and user groups.

A Dualog Quota usage scenario

Stalink data package: 1 TB*

20 crew members*

Split monthly data volume 80 crew/20 business*

(800 𝐺𝐵 )/(20 𝐶𝑟𝑒𝑤) ÷ 4 𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑘𝑠=10 𝐺𝐵/𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑘*

Setting up a system like this ensures that the crew receives a new quota of 10 GB every week. It also prevents overspending, so the business network always has enough data left.

What Quota management looks like for users on the ship

1. To browse the Internet, a user has to connect to the ‘Crew Network’.
2. Log in to the Dualog Portal in the cloud if you are using a PC, or through the app if you are using a mobile device. In the account, users can track the current status of their personal quota.
3. To start using the Internet, users need to click the ‘Go online’ button on the start page of the portal. If a user uses multiple devices, such as a laptop, phone or tablet, they have to do the same on each of them.

Each seafarer gets fair internet usage on board by being able to track their data allowance directly on their device and purchase additional data if needed.

You can start a free trial and try Quota management on your ships today! Learn how to protect your fleet’s bandwidth from inefficient overconsumption and how to maintain a healthy work-life balance on your ships.