Satellite phones

Interesting idea Brad, but seeing as there are no other options for those of us who have bought R290 phones I can't see why they would bother...

(Mine's due next week as well...)

Cheers,
Pete

Goodwill maybe....encourage other 4wders to Globalstar rather than iridium.
Regards,
Brad.

G'day Brad, Hedonist, first thanks for the replys and support, I've spent the best part of 24hrs on this computer trying to find us the best deals. I
I've rung Sydney, Adelaide and Brisbane. Now I'm not complaining I've/we've(my wife) bought the phone and i got everything I'm sure, just remember to download the instructions at www.Ericsson290.com it's 70 odd pages but well worth it. If you already have a mobile (mine is with Vodafone) just slip in your own sim card and test out the reception(don't for get to charge your batteries first, they come with a little charging but top them up). By the way don't do what i did and think you don't get an Australian plug, the square white ones pins, twist to fit our sockets. Back to the batteries for a moment, they are Lithium Ion and last longer than the normal mobile ones, more info in the instructions.
Now back to the deals or lack of them, because all of us have bought this particular phone(no longer in production) it was only ever made for the Globalstar network, bad luck for us, great for Globalstar. Unfortunately for all of us we don't get a choice of networks, I mean telstra doesn't do it for me but but giving the yanks my money makes me even morebleep. That being said when i spoke to a women in Sydney, from the Australian Satellite Services she indicated that if I/we hang out until mid April there may be better deals happening.
Keep you posted
MightyQ

Hi MightyQ

I've also got an R290, only recently received, & would appreciate any info on deals especially, as they become available.

Good work.

G'day Graeme, seems like all of us got the same deal without realizung that we'd only have one server, thems the breaks. Anyway, I've been assured that there are better deals on the way but not for a month at least. I'm not heading away until the first week in August(for 3 months)so between now and then I'm not in such a hurry although i would like to know about whether I have to pay connect and disconnect fees. I don't want my phone on permently.
I'm just waiting on an email from Sydney to tell me about the deal, when I hear, you'll hear
MightyQ

Q I also got my phone yesterday seems ok. What sim card did you put into your phone what brand as in optus telstra vodaphone. I knew it was only globalstar system and from all reports it works fine.
Q these deals are through which company for connection I got a quote through vodaphone and it seemed ok.
The fellow at alarm one at cronulla said you can connect and re conect @ $30 each time and you dont lose your number.
He also said its $ 33 per month acsses fee the calls seem cheaper than the telstra system.

Keep us in formed with what you find I wasnt going to connect mine until end of april .

All the best
Eric

G'day Eric, I used my Vodafone sim card but it only operates GSM900 net work(normal digital), as in, until we connect with Globalstar and get the dual sim card ie satellite and GSM900. Telstra do not supply deals or sim cards for our phones,$33 per month is the cheapest at the moment and yes it's $30 to go on and off line.
Globalstar are the only server we can go with and apparently there is a better deal coming in April sometime.
MightyQ

Q who is the better deal through . Can you use the phone with the sim you have and charged normal rates. What im thinking is having 2 sim cards one for every day use then one for satallite or am I having a lend of myself.

All the best
Eric

Eric, only globalstar to connect to no matter who you get to sign up with I mean they will apply to globalstar on your behalf.
Sim card comes from Globalstar, dual operating ones, drive to Big Red in the simpson desert switch to Satellite, drive into Cairns and switch to GSM900(normal mobile).
You can set your EricssonR290 to auto between satellite and GSM900 so there is no need for 2 cards.
The charge will be appropriate rates for either system.
Don't be to hard on yourself it's taken me many, many hours on this thing to get all the info I've downloaded reams.
I finally found someone to tell me that no matter who you sign on the dotted line with you end up signing up with Globalstar

Hi Eric

I believe that Vodaphone provide the GSM part of the Globalstar service ... so with a Vodaphone sim card your R290 should work as a GSM phone - at least I think it would :}.

If you want combined (1 phone number) GSM AND satellite you need to connect to Globalstar. They will issue you with 1 phone number / sim card which will work as either - depending upon how you have your R290 set.

If I'm right, you can always swap sims (as long as you swap to a Vodaphone sim) although you will have 2 numbers for this to work.

Cheers ... & bring on the deals.

Q or graeme Im thinking if you only have the one sim card you will always have to pay the $ 33 per month connection fee so if you had 2 cards with the same number I dont know if its possible you can have the number year round and them just get connected and disconnected from satallite when travelling.
I have also looked at the telstra phone rates for satallite and they were dearer than globalstar.

And now for my blond Question can I store A gps and a mobile phone and satalite phone in the one carry bag does it matter if they are switched on .
I know its sounds blond but I had my mobile phone and gps side by side on the dash and both swithed on and my mobile some how deprogamed it self or is this just a coincident.

All the best
Eric

G'day Dave, Yeah thanks Dave, I've been to their site and downloded all the deals, go to www.globalstar.com.au and download the Call Plans.
There are four Gstar33, Gstar88, Gstar133, Gstar199 with all appropriate charges. It's a pity about the Gstar15 no longer being available, still for me having the phone is security in knowing that in the off chance of anything going wrong I can contact or be contacted
MightyQ