any experience with satelite phones

P.S. Just got my Iridium in
Make: Motorola 9500

Comments:
-) Bulky and heavy for everyday use
-) Looks perfect for Travelling
-) Beware of prepaid credit which EXPIRES!
-) Get yourself an external antenna
----) if you feel like spending money
----) if you will be using the phone from INSIDE the car (needs a clear sky to operate)
----) if you like gadgets like I do! LMAO

Price for an Iridium phone in the UK on eBay.co.uk should be around £350 -> £450 for the 9500 model (which is the the older/oldest one). Anything above that is too much for a used phone. I got 2 for £350 each plus shipping.
There is one roaming around from France starting at £100, but not sure of conditions. LINK HERE
And it does not come with all the accessories mine came with (International plug kit, spare battery, manual - manual is pretty much useless since it is VERY easy to use!)

Jonathan

ADHA2 said:

In towns or where there are phones you are better off using your mobile phone and changing sims but if you are off the beaten track you maybe limited to a sat phone. cheers Arthur

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Comment in this...
Actually a Sat phone might be bulkier than a regular GSM Phone,
but it might actually be (believe it or not) cheaper than a GSM to make call from Remote countries.
Price of a Sat call is around $1.20 (Dollars) and charged every 20 seconds. Connection time is pretty good... just 1.5 times / twice a GSM call...

Jonathan

I am interested in the costs of transmitting data across a sat phone network. Any ideas anyone?

My Bro uses one in South Africa/Botswana/Mozambique when he's in the bush - which is normally from early May until early September says they can be a lifesaver (literally in his job) but be prepared to have deep pockets and a direct line to the National Mint if you intend to use it for more than a couple of minutes at a time ! ! I ran up a bill ringing him of £200 for 5 calls so be warned.
:mil34:

Ryder said:

I am interested in the costs of transmitting data across a sat phone network. Any ideas anyone?

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I have looked into it as myself am e-mail dependant!
My conclusions were the following:

1) Works EVERYWHERE, BUT Slow and with loads of effort:

• Use an Iridium phone with Data Kit.
• Setup a Linux machine (Ubuntu is Friendly) with a command line email client (pine could do the job) using IMAP (not POP3 since IMAP consumes less bandwidth for this application)
• Download only headers with it and save time and money
• WILL work even on the Polar Ice Caps!

2) Works in several places, faster, little less effort.
NOTE: Inmarsat actually works everywhere except the polar caps I think. Look HERE.

• Setup a laptop (Windows/Mac/Linux) and disable ALL services which use internet at start-up
  • All Instant Messaging Apps like MSN Messenger, AIM, Yahoo! Messenger, etc...
  • Gmail Notifier
  • All program updates like Adobe Reader, Windows Updates (Very important to disable this), etc...
  • All remote drives
  • Check your pc specifically for anything else
    • Look in msconfig (From Start -> Run -> Type "msconfig" -> "Startup" tab) And disable unneeded Services at Startup (careful what you do here if unsure!)
• Use a Thuraya or Inmarsat phone with Data Kit (see below for more details)
  • Phone is cheaper
  • No idea about cost per minute
• Use Outlook perhaps, or the program you are most comfortable with
  • Using IMAP might save you time AND money
  • Using the command line + Linux + pine setup above might save you more money...
    • if you are geeky and
    • like to play around and
    • email is not critical

I am happy to write a proper guide on this if people want it... Hope this answer helps

Speed concerns:
Here is a speed comparison chart from outfitterssatellite.com

[FONT=Helvetica,Arial,Times][/FONT]Iridium - 2.400 bps (2.3 Kbps)
Thuraya - 9.600 bps (9.4 Kbps)
Inmarsat - 462.848 bps (452 Kbps)

As you can see Inmarsat is almost 200 times faster than Iridium! I have no price figures on handsets and Call Prices, so look into it if you are interested!

UPDATE: Inmarsat Data Rate: 2.4 kbps (I-4 satellite); 9.6 kbps (GSM)
SEEMS like Inmarsat Data rate above is on GSM network!!! Careful!
If I were you I would CHECK also what Thuraya says about Sat/GSM Data Speed Differences!

NOTE: All speeds are MAXIMUM THEORETICAL and i doubt they would guarantee any minimum speed!

the nowed sepent said:

My Bro uses one in South Africa/Botswana/Mozambique when he's in the bush - which is normally from early May until early September says they can be a lifesaver (literally in his job) but be prepared to have deep pockets and a direct line to the National Mint if you intend to use it for more than a couple of minutes at a time ! ! I ran up a bill ringing him of £200 for 5 calls so be warned.
:mil34:

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Oh yes, receiving is very expensive,
I reckon it's cheaper to call from a sat than to receive calls which can go to $7 a minute!

Hope this helps!
Jonathan

Excellent update J. I have just been looking on the Vodaphone website and they do the Iridium on a hire basis for £5 per day for average hire periods of 30+ days. Also the 3G data card and kit for I think £2 per day to provide email and internet. Says, easy CD install 'out of the box'.
Might be worth looking into for short-term trips - don't know. Have put a call in for someone to call me back so I can find out more.

Cassie said:

I have just been looking on the Vodaphone website [...] the 3G data card and kit [...] Have put a call in for someone to call me back so I can find out more.

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Regarding that bit... beware that 3G is NOT a satellite protocol, but a GSM protocol

GSM runs over land base Stations
Sat runs direct to satellite (hence the big antenna! )

So yes they are offering 3G, but that will ONLY work in towns/villages... and not in the wild... But for checking email I guess... it's enough

£5 a day is £150 a month... for 300 you get your own phone just to let you know... so if you might use it again... might be worth buying perhaps? Not sure... weight the options before diving in

I use sat phones a fair bit in remote parts of Scotland only though, have tried the Thuraya network which is very hit or miss when your this far north, we'r now using Iridium which is the best we'v come across so far, theres quite a delay in speach which can make it tricky when you both try to speak at the same time although you will get use to this, it picks up a signal straight away most times, I beleave Iridium uses a constilation of satalites as against Thuraya which just has one over Europe (although I maybe wrong) Also I'm told that Iridium is so good that even Bin Laden uses it

Being on a budget This sat phone business seems really expensive so have been looking into alternatives.
How about a Satelitte Personal Tracker as an alternative? Have been looking at a website called www.findmespot.com and there are a couple of dealers in the UK.
Instead of phone, the trackers allows you to check in to say your OK as well as plots GPS co-ordinates as you go on google map, allows you to call for help re: friends/family else you can press a button for emergency to despatch relevant services within 20 mins. Still works on Sat tech but seems alot more practical.
Us, for example - we will have standard roaming Vodaphone mobiles and in areas of no coverage - if an emergency - think this would suffice as well as detail exactly where we are for friends and loved ones. What do u reckon? Seems alot cheaper.

Gave Spot a look, and it really seems like a nice service!



Though I would look at the coverage map if I were you... which cuts out all of southern Africa and South Asia...

Coverage :: Explore SPOT

Jonathan

Thanks J - will have a better look into. Meantime that sat phone on eBay in France went for £563! But what price safety and need for comms wherever hey! Just seems like such alot of money - plus need to buy simm and minutes etc. Think if we do decide - it will be the spot thingy for us I reckon - press a button - job done. No expensive bulky things to worry about - hey - what if sat phone got nicked for instance - would it stay in car as too bulky to carry everywhere? - spot looks much more portable and useful so far. Suppose we're thinking a bit different with kids and paraphanalia we'll need for each excursion - water, cameras, tissues, food etc. We'll be on-road rather off mostly and those little areas of non- coverage (excepting Morocco, we're not doing Africa for instance and would feel more confident travelling S Asia) so reckon we could cope with confidence without service. Appreciate though that everyone different and all dependant on need.

Everyone to his own opinion, and of course your point regarding bulkyness is VERY valid!
getting stolen and not carring it around makes a lot of sense...
my reason for not getting it would only be that i would mainly travel where there is NO service, so would be pointless for me... hence Iridium... which yes... is more expensive

For your purpose... that little box seems perfect ;-)
Oh, and if you get it, let us all know how it works,
we want to know (at least I do... )

J

Anyone interested meantime, there is a live version in action on www.jollyfollies.com website. You can get idea from a friends and family perspective, see actual route, get last known location, also last check-in instance and status. Also zoom in closer using the google map to location. Will keep you posted.

the phones that the army use out in FOB's in afghan are good and seem to last well. the only bad point is the anntena in them can brake off easy but if you get a external antenna you wont have this problem. thay all have a 2 second delay when chatting to someone.

Not kept up with this entire post, and whilst I agree that Sat phones are a good idea. Just who are you going to call in an emergency?

Think long and hard before calling relatives back home because they are probably in less of a position to help than you are. This can put a lot of pressure and burden a loved one at home when they dont know the conditions of where you are and will assume the worst. They may also not be familiar with how thinks work abroad and not have a clue where to start. For that reason Im not sure if i would want to carry one. You can let people know your ok when you get to towns etc and use a landline or your mobile (with country sim). In most cases, yourself and the aid of locals will be far better prepared (mentally and resourcefully) to get you out of trouble and to a safe place (should the worst happen) than a relative sitting at home in the UK.

Just my thoughts.

G

Update on sat tracker as alternative to sat phone:
We bought the findmespot satellite tracking device for £135 including postage from a company called PRS Communications in the UK. Device arrived next day - weighs only 1lb, uses 2 x small lithium batteries which should last a year without the need to change (but we'll bring spares just in case). Price includes VAT and delivery plus a voucher to provide enhanced tracking (normally £40'ish according to website). Device looks like a minature baby monitor and fits comfortably in hand - can carry comfortably in day pack alongside standard mobile phones. More than anything else, we are mostly looking forward to being able to use this device to plot our locations on a google map linked to our website as a record of the 'actual' route of our trip. In turn, any interested parties can see our route progress, direction and distance covered so far. The unit also provides $100K worth of rescue cover if required (don't think you have to take it if you don't want this service). If taken, the device provides a button which, if pressed - calls 911 in USA. The call centre there responds within 20 mins by calling local emergency services on your behalf. As we'll have children with us and being as yet unpractised overlanders - we thought this facility could serve as a last ditch emergency facility for us only (i.e. no mobile coverage, in the middle of nowhere etc.) - suppose really for peace of mind and that final piece of added security. However, we hope that our routes will be very well planned & prepped and that we'll never require. And, have to hand any essential contacts. As mentioned in a previous post there is also a button to alert family and friends for help but agree with Griff about this - not sure we'd want to be worrying F&F which we could probably sort locally for ourselves - AND - we'd still need a phone to verbalise the problem in any case. And, rather than do this expensively, we can phone using standard mobiles at next village/town for instance if we have any issues we would need to discuss for any reason. We have just received the device - still in the box and needs to be registered and played with - so will provide a further update on how we get on with it 'live in action' later. For our purposes - i.e. cost and weight and usefulness - so far so good. Just wanted to bring to your attention too another device we read about last week called Traakit in anyone interested - i.e a credit card sized satellite tracking device - you can find out more by copying and pasting the following link Mother fits teenage son with GPS tracking device on gap year - Telegraph
Best regards

Sorry - meant to say - click on the link (not copy and paste)

We managed to set-up device with no fuss. In addition to £135, we subsribed for 1-year at additional cost of 110 Euros to provide unlimited number of check-ins and the emergency facility cover. Everything registered on line and you need to set-up password to your own account etc. Part of registration includes listing emails and mobiles of family and friends just to check and say OK every so often (we tested and all works fine). You can edit and change these contacts as appropriate. Provides the waypoints/date/time also in each communication. Also register two emergency contacts in the event 911 ever contacted. The call centre then calls these guys on your behalf to alert them emergency declared. Also have to fill medical and health and any useful information about ourselves so they have some idea about us. All we have left to do now is work out how to link Google map for progress checking to our website. More detailed update on our blog including PRS website here Overland With Kids | » Emergency Communications & Personal Satellite Tracker

Having seen the recent post about GPS for Google Maps - thought would resurrect this thread to give an update re: Find Me Spot device we took with us during summer:

We used as alternative to Sat Phone where we could hit a button to send in the troops if we needed and not so much GPS device but the GPS capabiltiy was much more valuable to us day-to-day as it enabld us to plot locations anytime/however much we wanted via Google Maps.

We loved:
Reliability. Excellent - battery lasts about a year. Very robust - can drop on floor - rubberised heavy duty outer.
Portability, bright orange colour - easy to pack - hard to lose unless a complete divvy.
Ability to press a button which would plot our location to Google Maps via website. Hit another for emergency - local services (100K worth of cover).
Easy to use - became part of normal routine to check-in to log co-ordinates - no hassle and left in the dash of the car while on the move.
No cables/wires/re-charging/no fuss etc. which - major bonus amongst other comms cable paraphenalia we had with us.
Also like tracking facility - which - if same (plotting) button pressed and held for 5 seconds would track and plot your route while on the move - every so many minutes (20mins I think).
All friends, family and those looking at website could see exactly where we were - night or day - and our exact route.
In more well-known areas - Google Maps would present information to those looking plus photos in addition to our location.
We could password protect if we wanted.
We could nominated 10 x email accounts (could be mobile numbers if preferred or a combination of the two) of those we wanted to receive an auto message each time we checked in with co-ordinates - we included ourselves because - see below

We didn't like:
Co-ordinates only retained for 7 days so no way of keeping permanent record which was a shame. We luckily sent ourselves emails daily with co-ordinates which we still have.

Future Plans:
We found out that Spot developments now include a product called Spot Adventures (see www.spotadventures.com). This is an upgrade to what we have enabling permanent record to be maintained without losing any existing features. Also you can load photos to each location along route. Very handy.

Overall:
Highly recommended as cheap, reliable solution - maybe not if deliberately to very remote areas for very long periods - but if travelling on-road in known areas most of the time like us - reckon it's perfect for that extra bit of insurance and fun!

To add - On a daily basis, we had two mobile phones (one each) in case one broke/lost power or we were separated for any reason. Nominated an emergency contact (chosen carefully for calmness, balance, ability to know what to do etc. without undue fuss) who we contacted via text to let know all OK, general status etc. every few days. This contact plus an alternative also listed as first emergency contact on Spot - would be first to be called. Contact also had access to Google Map in between (we just filled the gaps e.g. why we were in a certain place maybe off route - by text where appropriate). Worked a treat for us.