Planning My First Bareboat Charter in January 2025 - Need Advice on Internet Options

[Tippingpoint]

Hi everyone,

I’m gearing up for my first bareboat charter in January 2025 BVIs (Tortola), and I’ll need reliable internet access while I’m out there (unfortunately, work calls!). I’m curious about the internet coverage in the area – has anyone here had experience with it? How’s the connectivity, and are there specific options you’d recommend?

I also have Starlink for my sailboat, and I’m debating whether it’s worth bringing it along. It’s easy enough to take with me, but if coverage or performance won’t be great, I’d rather leave it at home. Any insights would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

[Zanshin]

The charter companies in the BVI offer connectivity packages and they work quite well. If you bring your US StarLink to the BVI it might not work (officially, StarLink doesn't work there yet, although I know some people with land-based systems that are still working).

How fast does your internet need to be? Videoconferencing speeds, or just WWW access, online Teams/Skype/WebEx without full video?

[barnakiel]

Mobile networks work pretty well closer to islands. Further off it is Starlink territory.


b.

[Zanshin]

Currently, officially, Starlink doesn't work in the BVI because they haven't signed the ITU agreement, so odds are that a U.S. roaming Starlink won't work there. Go with the charter company's package. It'll work everywhere, except perhaps on Anegada. I'd recommend checking out the traveltalk online BVI forum and asking there for recent experiences.

[leboyd]

We found that using our ATT cell phones worked just fine throughout the BVIs (but I can't remember for sure about the sail to Anegada). The ATT International plan is a midnight-to-midnight per day charge. If you use it once during the 24-hours, it's the same price as if you used it for four hours. It was $10 a day, but in the back of my mind I recall seeing the price recently went up to $15 a day. We used our phones as hotspots and could do video. It seemed very reliable and plenty fast enough for what we needed.

[dlj]

Originally Posted by Zanshin

Currently, officially, Starlink doesn't work in the BVI because they haven't signed the ITU agreement, so odds are that a U.S. roaming Starlink won't work there. Go with the charter company's package. It'll work everywhere, except perhaps on Anegada. I'd recommend checking out the traveltalk online BVI forum and asking there for recent experiences.

My starlink worked fine there.

dj

[EmeraldCoastSailor]

I have successfully used my ATT devices for $10 a day, including tethering. Most of the charter companies can rent you an internet access device that I assume will work fine as well. I am guessing the rental internet devices use the same cellular networks as your phone.

[Tippingpoint]

Thanks for your reply, all. very helpful. I am a risk taker and planned on a couple of days at Anegada so perhaps I will drag it along.