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sat phones

Submitted: Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009 at 13:24

xr500

Article Overview - Satellite Phone
With the evolution of satellite technology to deliver phone, television, radio, internet connectivity and many other services, travellers today are now capable of sending and receiving fast and reliable video, data and audio content regardless of dis View Full Article...
what is a good sat network and phone to match purchasing in adelaide and using on the gove peninsula ?
cheers
darren
ThreadID: 73345 Replies: 8
Views: 500 FollowUps: 6
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AnswerID: 388977   Submitted: Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009 at 15:13

Member - Trouper (NSW) replied:

The only truly reliable system is Iridium by Telstra, If the RFDS and Remote Area Nursing Service uses it, it has to be good.

Regards..............Jeff
Reply 1 of 8
AnswerID: 388978   Submitted: Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009 at 15:15

George_M replied:

I use a Motorola 9505a connected to the Iridium network.

If you do a search of "satellite phones" on this site you'll get a wealth of data on the experiences that people have had with the various networks.

A lot will depend on how you intend to use your sat phone. I use mine only for emergencies and a limited number of short conversations. As a result I use my NextG sim (global roaming has to be activated). Costs a fortune (about $4 per minute, I think) but I only use it irregularly, and do not have to sign up to a separate Iridium satellite plan.

If you will be a regular user of the sat phone then you may be better off with a separate plan, with a lower per/minute rate - just depends on the usage.

The other choices are new v second hand and buy in Oz or buy offshore (the A$ is good at the moment).

Good luck - they are great bits of kit.

George
The cat
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Reply 2 of 8
AnswerID: 388980   Submitted: Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009 at 15:17

Member - Fred B (NT) replied:

Motorola Iridium 9505A Satellite Phone, that way you can use your Telstra NextG sim card in it, especially if it's only for occassional use. Satelite plans are expensive. I take it you know there is Next G coverage in Nhulunbuy? So it depends where you are going to be on the Gove peninsular.
regards
on the road to Nhulunbuy NT
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Fred B (NT)
VKS 737: Mobile/Selcall 1334
HFOz: HFOZ/Selcall 1334
Reply 3 of 8
AnswerID: 389004   Submitted: Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009 at 16:46

Member - Mike (SA) replied:

The 9505A has the advantage of being able to use SMS (text messgaes) both to and from. That is what we use rather than the chat! Works very well and is relatively cheap.

regards

Mike
VKS Mobile 9542

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Too little time in the bush!
Reply 4 of 8
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AnswerID: 389007   Submitted: Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009 at 17:04

BenDiD replied:

If you use a Next G sim with global roaming, do you get hit with diversion charges when people call you?

I think at one stage that if you had a Telstra Iridium phone, people who called you were charged the usual rate to call a mobile phone, rather than sat phone charges.
Reply 5 of 8
FollowupID: 656718   Submitted: Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009 at 17:28

George_M posted:

Hi Ben

I think that diversion charges apply if someone calls your normal mobile phone, and the sim for that phone is in your Satphone. I think also that international mobile rates apply, but not sure about that one.

What I do is divert my mobile phone to voicemail if I'm going to be out of mobile phone coverage, or if the coverage is patchy. I can then use my Satphone to get messages, and choose which messages to respond to.

A Telstra Iridium phone on an Iridium plan (as opposed to using your NextG sim) charges at much cheaper rates.

George
The cat
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Come any closer and I'll rip your throat out!
FollowUp 1 of 2
FollowupID: 656733   Submitted: Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009 at 18:37

BenDiD posted:

Thanks George

Ben
FollowUp 2 of 2
AnswerID: 389009   Submitted: Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009 at 17:19

RobAck replied:

If you are purchasing in Adelaide go and talk to the Electric Bug team who sell the lot and give better service than Telstra shops by miles.

If you are only planning on using it in Australia then the Thurya system is OK and the plans are cheaper than the Irridium system which is actually run by Pivotel who also manage the Globalstar system as well

Check out the various plans particularly if you only want a satphone. There are dual mode, inclulding GSM not Next G, that can be purchased as well. But the physical size of some of these phones makes them less than convenient to use as your day to day phone.

We operate all over Australia and OS at times so choose the Irridium system for that reason and have not had a problem anywhere in Australia. But you also need to appreciate that satphones don't work as well in the tropics as humidity, rain and cloud cover can dull their performance in talking to the satellites

Regards

RobA
Reply 6 of 8
FollowupID: 656774   Submitted: Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009 at 21:45

Member - John R (QLD) posted:

Hi RobA, I know you were checking out the Thuraya phones at one time. Did you decide the Iridium phones were a better go though? The size, weight (and price) of the Thuraya phones looks attractive for carrying.

Cheers, John
FollowUp 1 of 3
FollowupID: 656840   Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 28, 2009 at 17:35

RobAck posted:

John it was an interesting test and only served to support the fact that the more choice the harder it gets.

Thurya wins on size for sure as well as weight. Pretty much comparable to a normal mobile phone. Performance, acquiring and holding satellites I found a touch hit and miss when compared to our Irridiums. One definite donwside was that you could not see the screen in bright sunlight so making it virtually useless. I thought LCD screens had got over this problem years ago but it seems not all of them.

Irridium was faster to acquire and hold satellites and I like the more robust construction as it suits the work we put them to.

So as usual it always depends on what your exact needs are. For us price was not the issue. Performance and reliability are and always will be. So we are sticking with the Irridium and looking to upgrade to the new spec phones in about a year when we wear the current lot out

Regards

RobA
FollowUp 2 of 3
FollowupID: 656883   Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 28, 2009 at 21:28

Member - John R (QLD) posted:

Thanks, RobA, yes always seems to be a trade off. Pity the new Motorola sat phone is much more expensive than the Thuraya. Hard to see why.

Cheers, John
FollowUp 3 of 3
AnswerID: 389023   Submitted: Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009 at 18:55

Krakka replied:

xr500, check out TR Telecom if you are interested in a plan using the Iridium network. Very well priced and great to deal with. You always speak to a human as soon as they answer the phone when you ring them.
We have had great service with them.

Krakka
If you could kick the person responsible for most of your problems, you wouldn't be able to sit down for six months.
Reply 7 of 8
AnswerID: 389107   Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 28, 2009 at 12:59

slammin replied:

I've got the 9500 Motorola. I'm out on the NE Arnhem Coast and it works fine.

Just did 10,000k road trip across Australia worked everytime. FWIW An external aerial works much better in a moving vehicle.

It also works with global roaming Telstra sim card and can receive sms but not send sms (older model phone).

The calls are exxy but way cheaper than a plan. Also you can dial 112 or 000 without a sim card.
Reply 8 of 8
FollowupID: 656876   Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 28, 2009 at 20:51

Krakka posted:

"The calls are exxy but way cheaper than a plan." Only $30.00 month for a plan, includes $10.00 month in calls @ 99c per 30 seconds. Minimum contract on plan is 4 months and you can suspend your account @ $15.00 month when not in use.
Don't sound too expensive to me!

Krakka
If you could kick the person responsible for most of your problems, you wouldn't be able to sit down for six months.
FollowUp 1 of 1

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