Thuraya Satphone experienced

Hi Richard,
Yes I do currently have a sat phone/sat sleeve on the Pivotel network. (Thuraya)
For $15 pm I stay connected, calls are roughly $1 per min (cheap).
If you draw a line form the NSW/Vic border across to Perth anywhere above that line I have have great connection/signal strength, the further south you go from that line (depending on terrain & weather) the signal can diminish.
I have an iPhone 6 that I use in conjunction with the sleeve & I love it, especially being able to use the Bluetooth feature up to 30 meters away from the 'sleeve'
Hope this helps.

G'day Richard,

I have a Thuraya on an Optus plan. Doesn't cost my anything when I'm not using it but then $15/month plus call when I take it out bush. Has worked very well except when down the bottom of valleys with the line of sight to the satellite blocked. Then I just walk to a better view point. Mostly I just send texts, usually including my GPS location (which the phone provides for you) so the recipient, using Google Earth or similar, knows precisely where you are. Its not expensive at all.

Cheers,
Mark

Many thanks for the replies

It does look a viable option, price wise and usage wise

Richard

Until you upgrade your phone then it doesnt fit and you have to buy a different sleeve Whereas with a dedicated satfone it will work for ever (sort of) and possibly cost less for a second hand one

I recently purchased my Thuraya xt-lite from Sat Phone Sales on $15 plan. Very happy with the service, the phone and the calls. You are given an Australian mobile number and anyone calling you pays standard mobile call costs.
regards

Richard bought one a couple of months ago for our trip up to Cape Leveque and across the top.

No issues at all. When on the dash have a signal but that diminishes when you pick it up. (Line of sight)

Always had a signal when needed.

John

Has anyone looked at the hotspot device as well

Not sure it has any additional benefits to the sleeve.

What I like about the sleeve or hotspot over the phone is that you can position it to point in the right direction while you talk on your phone.

Richard

Richard

I have a Sat Sleeve Hotspot, and whilst only having to use it a couple of times whilst out of range of normal phone reception on the Eyre Peninsula it worked well.
The good point is that the device itself is left pointing to the satellite and the phone (in my case an iPhone) is connected by bluetooth.
This is useful for those souls who walk about in circles whilst using a phone as the satellite link is fixed.

Also on the $15 p/m + calls on Pivotel.

Doesn't matter when you update your phone, it just has to have the app and a bluetooth connection.

Cheers,
Jim

Richard,

I would still get the Hotspot over the sleeve, as I said you can change your phone from time to time and not have to spend anymore on the sleeve change (if available) to suit.
Just download the app and do the log in stuff.

I leave mine connected all the time at $15 p/m and don't have to pay the $25 connection fee and also keep the same incoming number.
I am not sure whether the number would change following a cancellation and a reconnection but would assume so.

I know the website (Pivotel) is lacking with respect to these questions.

Cheers,
Jim

Hi Rich,
we were running 3 of them for work for about 5 years and they were a disaster for about the last 3. Apparently you have to update the software every year (Cost about $130) but they forgot to mention that to us. There was also a heap of other issues that I cant remember the details of other than when I desperately needed to use them they wouldn't work. For some reason this would happen around December.
The boss is currently researching some replacements.