Following a recent news item, the Met Office MarineCall service ceased at the end of October 2011. Unfortunately, the firm that ran the Marinecall service, Boungiorno, seems to have failed to advise their customers despite being given 6 months warning by the Met Office.
As a result, Marinecall telephone numbers appear in Reeds, CA and other almanacs foe 2012. In addition, anyone with a contract to receive MarineCall has little option but to try to get refunds from Boungiorno. It is clear that the Met Office and Marinecall customers have been badly let down by Boungiorno. The Met Office has “contact” telephone numbers for Boungiorno but says that these do not function.
Although I never thought that Marinecall was a particularly good service it had its uses and was valued by some. Given the advent of Smartphone, tablets and Internet access generally, there are many other sources of information that are just as useful. There are links on my site for UK and NW European waters and for SW Europe . See, also Cruising Association pages.
I hope that this "background" information will explain what happened when Marinecall ceased.
PS I have just been given contact details for Boungiorno in case anyone wishes to claim a refund or make a complaint
Tel: 020 7613 6125
weathercall@buongiornouk.com
marinecall@buongiornouk.com