ZTE and a regional division of China Mobile launched satellite broadband proposition Heweitong, heralding the move as creating a new era in marine communication systems.

The solution, created by the vendor and the Zhejiang branch of China Mobile, offers offshore mobile broadband and has already completed a test phase using more than 50 ships and 300 connections in the Bohai, East and South China Seas.

Heweitong offers internet access through an app and is now entering the “commercial trial” stage where seafarers are able to use the service for free.

At full commercial launch, the companies said it would be priced at 90 per cent lower than current marine communication systems.

In a statement, the partners added it would: “Effectively solve the common problems of marine communication, such as poor coverage, slow data rate, and high cost, thereby enabling people at sea to communicate and access the internet in a stable and timely manner.”

ZTE said it planned to continue to work with China Mobile to expand use cases of the system to other topographies including desert and forest regions. It added the aim was to construct an “integrated space, sky and earth communication solution.”