Satellite Phones

[Ryan Ruck]

A while back I remember speaking with someone on here about satellite phones but don't remember who it was. We had talked about their use and prices. If that was you, speak up! I've got some questions!

[samizdat]

Bump. It twas not I, Ryan. However I'm also interested. I understand that the old brick sized "cell" phones were actually satelite and I often go into rural areas with no "cell coverage".

I have no sure grasp on the difference between a cell or satelite phone, but it's probably comparable to the difference between a 64 Pontiac GTO and a 2009 Pontiac Matiz.

[Ryan Ruck]

Well, from what I remember reading about the old brick style cell phones was that since cell towers were far and few between back then, they operated at a much higher power than today's cell phones do. Something like 4 watts for the old phones versus 1/4 watt for these newer ones. At least that's what I remember hearing...

Differences between cell phone versus satellite phone... Cell phones will only connect to terrestrial antennas thus you are limited to using only when you are in range of one of the antennas. Satellite phones will connect to terrestrial antennas but when none are available, will connect to an overhead satellite to communicate.

[American Patriot]

Charges for satellite phone is pretty high, on the order several dollars per minute.

Prepaid charges are less, but we're still talking a buck a minute minimum.

http://www.go2marine.com/product.do?...F&WT.mc_id=gb1
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs...&ci_sku=223483

http://www.vodafonerental.com/satell...e-phone-rental

[Phil Fiord]

I believe it was me who was discussing Sat phones last summer as i did buy one, prior to a trip I took out of country, and maintain service on it, along with 2 Blackberry phones, a VOIP connection and a land line.

Yes, its a tad much. Let that aside as I have reasons for such multiple means of communication, not the least of which is being a tech toy geek.

I bought a relatively large phone, the Qualcom 1600
http://www.readysatgo.net/index.php?...aa391735629902

I have it connected to Globalstar http://www.globalstarusa.com/en/

Iridium is the other main carrier and is much more costly.

The issue with having Globalstar at this time is they have spotty coverage times as a few years ago the relays started to burn out on the sats. They launched spares and it helped, but there are 'windows' of when you can and cannot use it, due to coverage.

The reason I went with them is I do not need the sat daily and it is not meant to be like a cell phone as you need line of sight to the sky. Some models can be setup for cell service as well and that will cover places not in sky view.

Last summer I found that Globalstar had a loyalty program that is VERY cheap, though i can no longer find it listed. I pay like 30 bucks a month now for unlimited use. They have improved the positioning as well as being in prep for the gen 2 sats constellation. That will launch this fall and be operation early 2010. I am grandfathered in.

One must understand that a sat phone is not instant on like a cell phone and has to handshake with a passing satellite to connect. The voice quality is as if i were on an excellent land line.

So, if you are looking at a Sat phone, consider Globalstar, but not if you need it all the time and as if it were a cell phone, unless you also had cell coverage on it.