An experimental data acquisition system (telepack) was interfaced with a multivariable moored system in order to transmit physical and biooptical data from a coastal mooring site to a shore-based work station. The study site was located off the coast of Los Angeles, California, and the telepack provided two-way communication via the Los Angeles cellular telephone system with a work station at the University of Southern California, approximately 20 km away. Data were obtained from the system on a call-up basis at intervals of approximately 8 h. The present work demonstrates the utility of a relatively inexpensive communications system for near-real time data acquisition in coastal waters. In addition, this study represents an initial step toward development of a worldwide environmental data collection and distribution system that could exploit existing and planned communication resources, including satellites, to provide near-real time two-way, high data rate communications between researchers’ work stations and remote, unattended sensor platforms such as buoys and drifters.