Satellite Phones: What have you got and are you happy with it

[Desert lover]

Sorry about the long winded topic but we are seriously looking at Sat Phones and seek advice please.  So can anyone assist with type of phone, what plan or prepaid, good or bad coverage etc .  Any info you can offer will assist us in our decision.

Thanks,
Sue
aka Desert Lover

[JCOJ]

ToxicTech are apparantly very good and they are a member on here.  Check out the Showroom Floor section.

[GGV8Cruza]

We hired a Motorola 9505a over the past couple of weeks and there were not too many times it dropped the signal, even held it inside the camper. We were in the Murray River area

GG

[D4D]

All you need to know http://www.campingaustralia.org/showthread.php?t=157

[GregS]

We have a Motorola 9505 or 9505a (can't remember now but we can txt with it) and we have had no dramas with it. We bought it through a Telstra shop back in 2008 for our 3 month trip. They had a payment plan in place at the time where we could pay it off over 2 years with no interest and it came with a $30/month plan. I used to travel on roads that will probably never receive mobile phone coverage so it was great for that as well.

Maybe do as GGPatrol has done and look at hiring one if you are only needing it for a short holiday.

Cheers

Greg

[GGV8Cruza]

Maybe do as GGPatrol has done and look at hiring one if you are only needing it for a short holiday.

Cheers

Greg

It only cost me $150 for 14 days, cheap insurance and the wifes work paid as she needed to be on call 24x7

GG

[macca]

I have an Isatphone pro (Iridium) and has been great, never not been able to make a call, had a great prepaid plan but they have just screwed us over by putting expiry on the prepay coupons, comes in from July 1, but we were able to buy coupons that need to be activated by the end of the year, then they will stay valid for two years from activation. the phone has been great but the way they went about this means that when my coupons are finished I will change just as a matter of principle

macca

[areyonga]

I have an Isatphone pro (Iridium) and has been great, never not been able to make a call, had a great prepaid plan but they have just screwed us over by putting expiry on the prepay coupons, comes in from July 1, but we were able to buy coupons that need to be activated by the end of the year, then they will stay valid for two years from activation. the phone has been great but the way they went about this means that when my coupons are finished I will change just as a matter of principle

macca

X2, my Isatphone has been used in a couple of emergencies and has not let me down and the great part is the kids can send me emails or SMS at no cost from their website.

[macca]

X2, my Isatphone has been used in a couple of emergencies and has not let me down and the great part is the kids can send me emails or SMS at no cost from their website.

Hey areyonga, do you get people to send SMS to their via email, much easier than going to their website and still free . (use your number as follows)  87077640****@message.inmarsat.com and type the message as normal to a max of 169 characters

Sorry to hijack

macca

[Grunta]

We have a thuraya dual band great unit no probs

[Tim - Stratford]

We've got the 9505a - mainly used for SMS comms. In camp I always use the external aerial - never had a drama with it.

At work I use the 9555 - was great last week in the High Country but strated to lose signal and drop out whilst in Licola township...may have been due to terrain or lower battery power....not sure - wasn't using the external truck aerial then.

Having said that - still happy with either.

[areyonga]

Hey areyonga, do you get people to send SMS to their via email, much easier than going to their website and still free . (use your number as follows)  87077640****@message.inmarsat.com and type the message as normal to a max of 169 characters

Sorry to hijack

macca

You can send direct with email or SMS but with SMS there is no cost if using their website

[GeoffA]

We have a 9505a for emergencies.
I throw my Telstra 3g sim into it when we get out of network range (prepaid sims can't be used for this).
No additional plan needed, but calls are pricey.

[Desert lover]

Thanks for the replies so far.... just the info I am seeking!  Anyone else out there with advice or comments? 
Cheers,
Sue

[JGM]

I bought a second hand Motorola 9505A from Ebay in America.  Came with an external aerial, spare battery in a bomb proof Pelican case.

I only want it for emergency use so I bought a Telstra 3G sim card which costs $10 a month. . That way you get a different phone number from your normal mobile so you dont get phone calls coming in on the sat phone when people think they are ringing your normal mobile.  Incoming calls cost a bob too.
You need to get international roaming activated on the sim card for it to work on the Iridium system.
As GeoffA said, calls are a bit dear, but I dont use it for chatting on.

JGM

[rodw]

Another vote for the Isatphone. Have not used it much but nice to have on board! Prepaid. Always works.

[Tjupurula]

I have a Thuraya, which operates as a satellite phone and works on any mobile network in a town.  I could have got it half price, with a government rural grant, but paid for it anyway.  Works really well for me no matter what, never had a problem getting a signal.
Regards
Tjupurula

[Patr80l]

I bought a second hand Motorola 9505A from Ebay in America.  Came with an external aerial, spare battery in a bomb proof Pelican case.

I only want it for emergency use so I bought a Telstra 3G sim card which costs $10 a month. . That way you get a different phone number from your normal mobile so you dont get phone calls coming in on the sat phone when people think they are ringing your normal mobile.  Incoming calls cost a bob too.
You need to get international roaming activated on the sim card for it to work on the Iridium system.
As GeoffA said, calls are a bit dear, but I dont use it for chatting on.

JGM

Can you put any SIM card into these phones?    What about pre-paid?    I've heard Telstra's satellite charges are high.

[Patr80l]

I have an Isatphone pro (Iridium) and has been great, never not been able to make a call, had a great prepaid plan but they have just screwed us over by putting expiry on the prepay coupons, comes in from July 1, but we were able to buy coupons that need to be activated by the end of the year, then they will stay valid for two years from activation. the phone has been great but the way they went about this means that when my coupons are finished I will change just as a matter of principle

macca

I thought Isatphone was geostationary and Iridium was Low Earth Orbit i.e. different systems.

[D4D]

Can you put any SIM card into these phones?    What about pre-paid?    I've heard Telstra's satellite charges are high.

Has to be Telstra post-paid with global roaming enabled.

[areyonga]

Isatphone pro is Inmarsat, not Iridiam as Macca mistakenly said and they are Goestationary.  I have used them for many years and never had a problem as once you are linked they hold the connection well, but have had problems with Iridiam in the changeover between sats due to the orbiting sats.

Areyonga

[heath74]

Another vote for isatphone pro.  Reliable, and affordable.

[rossow]

It only cost me $150 for 14 days, cheap insurance and the wifes work paid as she needed to be on call 24x7

GG

Hey GGPatrol,
can I ask where you hired this from please?
We are off on a 3 week trip and want to hire one for saftey.

cheers

[GGV8Cruza]

Hey GGPatrol,
can I ask where you hired this from please?
We are off on a 3 week trip and want to hire one for saftey.

cheers

I am pretty sure it was from here

http://www.oneplanetcommunications.com.au/

GG

[shanegtr]

Has to be Telstra post-paid with global roaming enabled.

And just to add to that, needs to be the iridum network for the sat phone as well. I've got a motorola 9505a and just use my standard telstra SIM if I ever need the phone when travelling. (the 9505 uses the full credit card size SIM) If I need to send any updates where we are I just use SMS. They where selling for around 1200 in Aus at the time, but I brought mine from the UK for 7 or 800