satellite phone info for Willem and any interested members
Submitted: Thursday, Mar 11, 2004 at 17:32
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Member - MightyQ
G'day Willem, recently I sent a post telling you all of our plans for our trip and the intention of aquiring a satellite phone. Initially we had decided to go with a Telit Sat600 phone but after much uming and ahing as
well as a lot of investigation we have moved sideways and diagonally. I spent many hours on the E-Bay site and found an Ericsson R290, new with all accessories,GSM(cdma) capability, able to recieve SMS(but not send). This phone is brand new and only a third of the cost.
We get 12 months warranty and because we own the phone we choose the contract time through Globalstar. I did a lot of reaserch into the satelitte networks and found that globalstar is a little dearer but the phone cost outweighs the the connection fees and anyway we do not intend to be connected to the satellite 24/7.
Hope this may help you all, incedently there are still quite a few phones left on the E-Bay site. The guy selling them seems genuine, I rang him this morning (Manchester England), he'd been in Australia (WA) last year and fond the phones worked very
well.
Reply By: Eric from Cape York Connections - Thursday, Mar 11, 2004 at 20:41
Thursday, Mar 11, 2004 at 20:41
Mighty Q I have also just bought the same ericsson rg290 but have not received it yet only paid for it 2 days ago.
The phone cost new $1995 and you like me probably only paid $ 530 delivered.
I found out you can go of and on plan through vodaphone to do so cost $30 each way.
So if you dont need the phone for 6months you dont have to pay the $ 33 per month.Have you found this.
Have you got the phone yet and have you used it any hints on things to do.
All the best
Eric
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Follow Up By: Member - MightyQ - Thursday, Mar 11, 2004 at 21:10
Thursday, Mar 11, 2004 at 21:10
G'Day Eric, Like you I haven't recieved my phone yet, only paid for it this morning. I'm not sure who?, which or what plan to go with. It may be globalstar or vodaphone( i have a mobile account with them already). I mean I'm only really going to need the phone out in
the desert and being able to go on and off plans is an advantage. Like you i paid $530 and I'm pretty impressed with that. Had discussions with Tech Rentals and were very disparaging of the Globalstar network, said we'd get dropouts and no sms but if we spent $1000 on a ex-rental Sat550 we'd be better of. Suggested that the only satellite network to use was Iridium.
Anyway I'll let you know how it all works out
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Follow Up By: Eric from Cape York Connections - Friday, Mar 12, 2004 at 06:17
Friday, Mar 12, 2004 at 06:17
Q I was talking to a guy the other day when doing my research and as he said both systems use satallites so they should both perform equally the same.
As the fellow said you only hear the bad things dont you and not all the good things.
I look at it this way my cheap little gps only ever drops out when standing under a heavy tree canopy or in a shed or similar,so the phone shopuld be same deal.
All the best
Eric
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Member - Bob - Friday, Mar 12, 2004 at 07:53
Friday, Mar 12, 2004 at 07:53
I've said it before but I bought the R290 recently as
well.
Mine is GSM not CDMA, although I won't be using the switching feature as I already have a GSM. CDMA would have been a bonus but as someone said, Qualcomm is releasing one soon with CDMA and satellite.
The difference between Globalstar and Iridium is that G use LEO satellites that move across the sky like GPS sats. Irid uses geostationary sats at a very much higher altitude, hence the delay when talking.
The R290s being sold by this chap from the UK are from the spare handset
pool, released to the market because the model has been superceded. So it doesnt come with the original Ericsson power supply etc. It does come with a spare battery. The manual is available online. The 240 v and in-car chargers work fine.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Eric from Cape York Connections - Friday, Mar 12, 2004 at 18:03
Friday, Mar 12, 2004 at 18:03
Bob its Eric again what is the ericsson power supply.
have they sent you somthing to replace it.
thanks
Eric
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Bob - Friday, Mar 12, 2004 at 19:33
Friday, Mar 12, 2004 at 19:33
I just checked Eric,
the 240V power supply does have an Ericsson badge, but the 12V one is a generic but looks to be of reasonable quality
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Reply By: Goran - Monday, Mar 29, 2004 at 00:29
Monday, Mar 29, 2004 at 00:29
I think you guys might find my experience with Vodafone usefull. I have Telit SAT 550for around 3 years now. Got it with goverment rebate (1100) total cost 900.00.
NEVER let me down in the scrub,not that i needed it in a hurry. Never experienced drop outs or similar. Vodafone Globalstar satelites are orbiting the earth on a lot lower altitude than other networks. Signal goes from your handset to sat, back to ground amplifier station (Meekethara in WA, Another 4 elsewhere) and to receiver you are calling. That is why there is no ECHO with these units.
To the best of my knowledge this is the only network that does not have echo. Crystal clear.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Jimbo (WA) - Monday, Mar 29, 2004 at 11:28
Monday, Mar 29, 2004 at 11:28
I'll back-up what Goran says. We used a Globalstar phone on the CSR and had good comms the whole way. NEVER had any drop outs, and talking on the thing is like using a normal mobile - ie. no echo etc.
P.S. No affiliation - just a happy camper!
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