Satelite Phone Costs

Hi Kevin

You said "It's all Inmarsat, everyone else is just a reseller".

Does that mean that if we have an Isatphone with Inmarsat we can change to Iridium etc?

Sorry Kevin. I just found the other post about the Isatphone

Bruce you are quite correct. No Satellite phone will work on multiple networks (Other than the XT-Dual which will work on Thuraya and GSM).

If you have an Iridium phone it will work only on the Iridium network, Globalstar on Globalstar etc.

There are only 4 useable networks in Australia and they all rely on very different technologies. So once you've chosen your handset you have to stick with that network.

You, are however, not stuck with the reseller of the network. That's where you can shop around for the best deal, the best price and the best service.

Kevin

Also have the Inmarsat phone which initially came with a 2yr. expiry on the prepaid units, then became 180 day expiry, now 30 day (min. recharge)
I think that prepaid vouchers can be purchased also, but what commenced as a top value for money lifesaver device is now no more than a typical US rip off.
mike

I have been down the same path as you Mike
I just recharge before each trip and let it expire, is there a better option available?

Hi Alby ,
If you renew with talk time still available before the date has expired the unused talk time will be added to the new credit. In my case I have $82 left and expire Sept 15 so if I add say another 50 units I will have approx $165 for six months and so on Teago

Hi Teago.
I had 159 units expiring 15th of this month (now gone).
I spoke to my provider (Marlec) who advised that if I topped up with 25 units the expiry of 184 units would extend to 17th. Sept. and so on in 30 day increments.
This is the same as having to pay a monthly access, the only benefit being an ever increasing credit for calls (which can be all lost by not topping up before the 30 day expiry).
Anyone contemplating making a landline call to an Inmarsat phone beware. The call cost as published is around $20/min.
Alby.
I will do similar to you unless someone (provider) comes up with a better solution.
We do spend a lot of time in remote locations where a satphone is pretty much an essential. Our previous one was a vehicle installed Westinghouse unit using the Optus geostat system but now off air.
mike

We have an Isat-Pro which we purchased for emergencies, initially we kept it topped up to allow us to make calls of urgent matters, which wasn't much.
Since the new upgrades that allow 000 calls, you can carry your phone for emergencies and make 000 calls even if you don't have any call time.
So the phone is kept charged and ready in our vehicle all the time!

Cheers Gary

Alby just to qualify once again
25 units are valid for 30days cost equals $1.46 per day
50units are valid for 90 days cost equals $0.92 per day
100 units are valid 180 days cost equals $0.79 per day
Cheers Teago

My main requirement is the ability of others being able to reach me, with a small amount of talk time available if required

That sounds like a plan, when you say expensive is that for incoming and out going calls and was there an additional charge to be able to use it in the sat phone?

have only sent a couple of texts and haven't got the bill yet but the plan we were initially on it cost us about $12 for a 5 minute call. Believe the smaller sim cards from the iphone won't fit though.