Willem posted:

Footy

What is the advantage of having a Telstra Sim card in the Satphone?


Cheers

Member - Footloose posted:

Willem. you can use your "normal" Telstra account. One phone number thats billed by Telstra and you don't need to be on a Telstra Sat phone plan. Works out cheaper for occasional useage.

Member - Graham H (QLD) posted:

The advantage is you dont have to pay the ripoff merchants any more than necessary as You can just put your sim in it and use it when you need to.
The disadvantage is if you have it in the phone and someone rings your mobile you get charged for the diversion to the Iridium network.
This only applies when you use a sim from your mobile.

Member - Paul W- Esq (VIC) posted:

Don't you hate that Graham, i only put the Card in the Sat phone when out of range of normal network and only turn it on when i need it, problem solved hehe

Willem posted:

Thanks Footy and Graham,

Hmmm.......penny wise pound foolish.


I'll stick to my $360 a year access plan with $120 free calls thrown in.
No big deal. When I retire from travelling and sell the satphone I will probably recoup enough to buy a small car....lol

One day a long time ago I used Global Roaming freely. Nearly fainted when I received the phone bill after a three week stint overseas.


Cheers

Member - Graham H (QLD) posted:

Yes Paul true but is a bit hard to change sim cards if you are hanging upside down in your seatbelt with a broken arm.

Hope it doesnt happen but when i put mine in the sat I intend to tell all friends to ring my wifes cell phone.

I have an old grab bag from my boat which has the sat and a medical kit in it in the seat console.


Cheers

Robert HL (SEQ)(aka zuksctr) posted:

G'day Footy,glad to hear from you.You are doing well i gather.
Thanks for the link,i did all that was on there.I will see what other answers i will get.
Take care,


Bob.

Member - Footloose posted:

Obviously not quite all :))
The sim must be on roaming...
The sim must belong to a phone on a plan...Not a prepaid.
Then and only then can you start looking for problems beyond yor control.
There is only one reason for an invalid account message ...and guess what it is ? LOL

Robert HL (SEQ)(aka zuksctr) posted:

Jim,it looks like the thing is roaming, a little world thing is swirling around on my nextg mobile screen.I am on a plan unless i come off & they have told me.
My bill is up to date too.
I'll see what tomorrow brings.:(
Cheers,

Bob.

Robert HL (SEQ)(aka zuksctr) posted:

Hey there Mr Bush,How you keeping?
I will try this tip thank you.
Take care,

Bob.

Robert HL (SEQ)(aka zuksctr) posted:

G'day/Night Graham, I am still on a plan till later this yr so is good there,i rang T last night to have roaming activated & again tonight it had not been done,so will try later & see what happens.
Thanks for you input.
Take care,


Bob.

Member - Graham H (QLD) posted:

Or try someone elses sim in it

Robert HL (SEQ)(aka zuksctr) posted:

Hi George, thanks for your input.
Pardon my ignorance but, what is 'imie'stand for.
Take care,


Bob.

Gone Bush (WA) posted:

Bob, the IMEI number is a unique serial number that belongs to your SIM, and therefore to your account. It is transmitted every time you make a phone call. That is the way your account is recognised by Telstra.

The number is usually on the SIM. On full size SIMs it is there in full, on the small pop out SIMs, like you see all the time now, I think it is abbreviated.

From memory it is a 15 digit number (I'll stand corrected there. I've forgotten most of that cr&p that used to be swirling thru my head).

cheers

Robert HL (SEQ)(aka zuksctr) posted:

Steve, thanks for clearing that up.

Cheers,

Bob

George_M posted:

Hi GB.

I think that the IMEI is a unique number that is coded to the device, not the sim. If you get your mobile phone stolen there is a process where you can arrange for your carrier to block the IMEI so that the person who nicked it can't use it simply by changing the sim. The stolen phone is blocked across all Australian networks.

Not sure what happens if the stolen phone goes overseas - a new sim will probably work.

If Iridium blocks the IMEI this is done globally and you're pretty much stuffed.

George

Member - Graham H (QLD) posted:

Correct it is the unique identifying number for hardware .
It is a 15 digit number and is usually on the sticker under your battery in your phone.
They can be blocked internationally.

I have an old Nokia I found in NZ 3 days before I came over here.
It works here but not back in NZ.

Be aware they can track where you are if you try to use one by triangulation from the towers.

Sims can only be blocked by the providor whereas IMEI's get blocked across all networks.

I suggest you get a sim off a friend and try that.

Robert HL (SEQ)(aka zuksctr) posted:

Hi RosscO,thank for your tips,looks like will have to wait a while(tomorrow) & try again along with all the others.
How's your travelling going?
Take care,



Bob.