Sattelite Phone , Sleeves ,Hot Spots

Do a search on Satellite phones and Thuraya Has been discussed endlessly on here and all the details are in previous threads.

You can forget Thuraya if you want US or Canada coverage. It has no coverage outside Middle East, much of Europe, Southern half of Asia and most of Australia.

Maybe you want to sign up for Fon world wide hotspots. In Australia that is Big Air.
Do you need out of mobile area coverage?

As to the issue of sat sleeves. IMHO they sound like a great idea but have one major issue. You expect a sat phone to last many years. My Iridium must be 12 years old I guess. But mobile phones often change every year or so. Do you want to be tied to your old mobile phone just because it is the only thing that fits your sat sleeve?

Iridium Go is a good solution to this issue.

All Sat phones providers are done by area, so while Immarsat will work everywhere you will need to register for that region
Immarsat zones

Iridium will cover you globally Iridium coverage but may have some restrictions

Thuaya, as stated above, will cover you for all of Europe most of Africa all of Asia and Australia, but not NZThuraya coverage

As for cost, in particular overseas, you will need to talk to providers or check out companies like Pivotel.

Hi Tuck

I wrote this piece on my findings and thoughts...

Satphones - Don't get hung-up on costs

Cheers, Baz - The Landy

Has anyone looked into these people ... pivotel satellite ???

Have a chat to Kev from satphonesales.com.au
In queensland i think.
I just bought a refurbished sat phone from him. Very happy with service.
He does all the sat phone services.

Wizzer

Tracking and tabulating the costs would be well worth doing and a big job! There are lots of variables and the values change regularly.