Sat phones suggestions?

[JackBurton]

Anyone here have any experience with satellite phones, either a rental or owning them outright? Service plan hidden costs, features I should look for or makers that I should avoid? My company needs one for travelling and I've been asked to research them. Pole to pole coverage is necessary. I've looked at some websites but its confusing.

Anyone?

 

[fuji]

Anyone here have any experience with satellite phones, either a rental or owning them outright? Service plan hidden costs, features I should look for or makers that I should avoid? My company needs one for travelling and I've been asked to research them. Pole to pole coverage is necessary. I've looked at some websites but its confusing.

Anyone?

If you really must have polar coverage I believe Iridium may be your only choice. I could wrong but I think theirs are the only satellites in a polar orbit

If you only need service as far north as Iqalit, etc., there are probably more choices.

 

[thumper18474]

If you really must have polar coverage I believe Iridium may be your only choice. I could wrong but I think theirs are the only satellites in a polar orbit

If you only need service as far north as Iqalit, etc., there are probably more choices.

When my S/O went to Guyana the medical team she was with took an Iridium Sat Phone...bitch dialing all the # just to send a text!!cost was up there too!..$500+
When she was in Tanzania and Zambia...we conversed with just regular cell phones....her rogers plan covered all locations that rogers could piggyback off of....even Sierra Leone was good reception ...and their infrastructure has been non existent since the civil war...

 

[blackrock13]

It's been 3 years since I used sat phones, but it was in the high arctic. Pole to pole is expecting a lot of you and your equipment. but the only one for anything above 70° Lat, is Iridium. I have been within 500 miles of both poles and there was no problems except for wind noise. Unless you plan to use it monthly, rent. You get the latest and greatest equipment and not paying for down time. Your airtime packages are potentially more expensive, but unless your plan to be up there for extended periods and on it every day for a couple of hours don't worry. Let your 'buds' know that in coming calls can be expensive for them.

The best unit I can suggest now is the Iridium 9505A, if you can get one.

 

[bandit2238]

Check out Radioworld they will have a few options for you and i believe you can even rent from them also.

 

[blackrock13]

Check out Radioworld they will have a few options for you and i believe you can even rent from them also.

Use Roadpost if you plan to go outside cAnada, which you do, as they have a better support network should anything go kablooie.

 

[JackBurton]

Ya it will be far outside Canada. Mostly the Bengal sea, South America, the Antarctic and others. Thanks for te tips, are you sure it costs people to receive incoming calls from the phone? Also, anyone know if you an piggy back a wifi onto a sat phone?

 

[blackrock13]

Ya it will be far outside Canada. Mostly the Bengal sea, South America, the Antarctic and others. Thanks for te tips, are you sure it costs people to receive incoming calls from the phone? Also, anyone know if you an piggy back a wifi onto a sat phone?

No, it costs them to phone you on your sat phone.

 

[JackBurton]

Oh ok. That's easier

 

[wetnose]

Ya it will be far outside Canada. Mostly the Bengal sea, South America, the Antarctic and others. Thanks for te tips, are you sure it costs people to receive incoming calls from the phone? Also, anyone know if you an piggy back a wifi onto a sat phone?

Hope you don't mind me asking...but what kind of work do you do that takes you to all of those places? Are you a climate research scientist?

 

[JackBurton]

Oh it's for the company research team. I'm just the lacky in charge of looking up the best phone/plan. My life isn't nearly as exciting as the geologists that work for the company

 

[chuckparker]

I had to use the irIdium 9505a, from what i recall the phone was around $1200 and there was a $500 yearly fee that gave you Minutes at Around $1.29 per minute.

The service was flawless and i was never left without service, although i was nowhere near the north pole (thank God)

 

[blackrock13]

Oh it's for the company research team. I'm just the lacky in charge of looking up the best phone/plan. My life isn't nearly as exciting as the geologists that work for the company

Shop monkeys are important as well.

 

[JackBurton]

Shop monkeys are important as well.

You got it, that's me! On the upside, I won't be shot or chopped to pieces in some shithole country in Africa. I get to come home to a nice warm bed and Xbox every night

It's all about priorities baby...

 

[blackrock13]

You got it, that's me! On the upside, I won't be shot or chopped to pieces in some shithole country in Africa. I get to come home to a nice warm bed and Xbox every night

It's all about priorities baby...

Now you're getting it, but it's a little the top. After three years as a shop monkey, I got my chance and spent 15 years never looking back. Had such a good time that after a few years following another dream, I went back and do it part time, when there's something that catches my eyes. I can't say I've never been shot at, but i've been shot at in the bush during hunting season in N. Ontario. The good news is they were lousy shots. I can confirm i've never been chopped up.

 

[JackBurton]

Now you're getting it, but it's a little the top. After three years as a shop monkey, I got my chance and spent 15 years never looking back. Had such a good time that after a few years following another dream, I went back and do it part time, when there's something that catches my eyes. I can't say I've never been shot at, but i've been shot at in the bush during hunting season in N. Ontario. The good news is they were lousy shots. I can confirm i've never been chopped up.

. Like I said, its all about priorities in life and I like my comfort level where I am. A year before I joined this company, one of the geologists camps had been raided in Africa and one of the canadian workers had his hands chopped off, mostly because the security guard was shot.

Yep, I'm good where I am thanks! Xbox awaits each and every night and I'm paid decently.