Calling an IsatPhone
Submitted: Friday, Jan 06, 2017 at 09:45
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Sigmund
Members will know that using a landline for this is extortionate.
Wandering through my Telstra prepaid mobile Long Life plan T&Cs I found that calling an Inmarsat number should be $2.20 a minute.
You can use Skype too, at around $2.80.
Hope you never need to in anger, and happy travels for 2017.
Reply By: PeterInSa - Friday, Jan 06, 2017 at 10:02
Friday, Jan 06, 2017 at 10:02
I have an Isatphone would never buy one again. What I intended to do in the future is buy a voucher ( from memory $85 for 1 month) and if needed activate the voucher I think the unused voucher is current for a year. I understand that you can still call 000 emergency numbers for free up to 6 months after last paid period.
My thoughts, reality may be different.
Peter
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Friday, Jan 06, 2017 at 10:26
Friday, Jan 06, 2017 at 10:26
Hi Peter
We have the very same phone and have never ever regretted buying it. It has worked everytime we have used it and in a life and death situation, it would be your best investment.
Yes the long life credits are now disappearing which is a real pitty, but keep it as a life saving divice.
Cheers and safe travels for 2017
Stephen
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Follow Up By: Sigmund - Friday, Jan 06, 2017 at 11:08
Friday, Jan 06, 2017 at 11:08
You can buy varying amounts of airtime (vouchers) and activate them when needed - from the keypad, out woop woop. They have a shelf life which I think is called the validity period, and then once activated an expiry period - which is longer the bigger the airtime block.
In general calling out has been costing me about $2.30 a minute.
It's not a cheap thing. Neither is getting a satellite into orbit.
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Reply By: TomH - Friday, Jan 06, 2017 at 11:25
Friday, Jan 06, 2017 at 11:25
Dont buy an Iridium Satfone then as using a Telstra sim in it costs over $4 a minute both in and out for calls.
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Follow Up By: Sigmund - Friday, Jan 06, 2017 at 11:45
Friday, Jan 06, 2017 at 11:45
Previous posts about this option indicated that it was no longer possible, or is my memory wrong?
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Follow Up By: TomH - Friday, Jan 06, 2017 at 12:57
Friday, Jan 06, 2017 at 12:57
Was a long thread some months ago that indicated it was
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Reply By: PeterInSa - Friday, Jan 06, 2017 at 13:05
Friday, Jan 06, 2017 at 13:05
Re (Dont buy an Iridium Satfone then as using a Telstra sim in it costs over $4 a minute both in and out for calls.)
I understand that with a Telstra Iridium Satphone, you can put in your Telstra Sim with Global roaming to make calls. ie No 3 months term for $85 now 1 month.
For the last 4 or 5 years I have purchased a 3 month Isatphone connection for $85 only used it to confirm it works and arrived
home with the 40odd minutes still unused.
With a Telstra Iridium satphone for the check that it goes .that would have cost $4. Whats more my Isatphone to me at $1200+ when new it does not have the same resale value second hand as an Iridium Satphone..
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Friday, Jan 06, 2017 at 13:33
Friday, Jan 06, 2017 at 13:33
Hi Peter
You do not need any phone credit to check your IsatPhone. You can call the test number and it will cost you nothing, and is the same as the 000 number.
As for the price you paid for the phone, where did you buy it to cost that much?
When I purchased my phone, they were only selling for just over $800 and with the Government rebate, it cost me only around $400, which is very cheap insurance and hope that we never have to use in in an emergency.
Cheers
Stephen
FollowupID:
876993
Follow Up By: TomH - Friday, Jan 06, 2017 at 13:35
Friday, Jan 06, 2017 at 13:35
Yes that is true. I had mine for 2 years and it cost me $8 for the two calls it only ever made. Also I sold it for what I originally paid for it S/H
However some use them to keep in touch frequently and I was referring to the minute cost against what Isatphone charge.
Depends whether you take them soley for an emergency or for a regular communication phone I guess.
Its up to the owners to choose which method is the most cost effective.
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Follow Up By: Sigmund - Friday, Jan 06, 2017 at 14:59
Friday, Jan 06, 2017 at 14:59
Why complain when you haven't had an emergency?
I've carried one for years and only had to use it once - for someone else's emergency.
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Follow Up By: TomH - Friday, Jan 06, 2017 at 17:50
Friday, Jan 06, 2017 at 17:50
Nobody is arguing You started the subject with a post about extortionate charges and some of us offered alternative pricing which in the short term may be higher per call but lesser over time if having the phone but not making calls.
I was very happy with mine and the fact that 2 years of carrying it only cost the $8 even after selling it..
Obviously some who paid a monthly fee and didnt use it are perhaps not so happy.
All subjective to each user.
In fact if a cellfone user or a fixed line user calls an Iridium satfone with a Telstra sim in it the Satfone cops the charge for the diversion from the cellular network to the satfone
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Reply By: Member - Scrubby (VIC) - Friday, Jan 06, 2017 at 22:06
Friday, Jan 06, 2017 at 22:06
Prior to every trip I take my Iridium Sat Phone (to which I have fitted my mobile phone sim enabled for international roaming) outside and ring
my home number, if the
home phone rings..... bingo, yep its working but don`t answer it.
I then reverse the procedure and ring the sat phone from the
home phone same again but don`t answer it.
Remove the sim, ensure the sat phone is fully charged, then pack it with the other emergency stuff.
Too easy,
Scrubby
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Follow Up By: TomH - Friday, Jan 06, 2017 at 22:38
Friday, Jan 06, 2017 at 22:38
Ditto with what I did cheaper that way eh.
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Follow Up By: Member - Boobook - Saturday, Jan 07, 2017 at 09:59
Saturday, Jan 07, 2017 at 09:59
I used to do that, the problem with using your existing number is that everytime someone calls your phone and leaves a message it costs you $1.50 for the text. One time was on a trip across the simpson, and told everyone on that trip that they could get friends and relatives to call my number and leave a message BUT ONLY in emergencies please.
I turned it on and got about 10 messages one day, all from the wife of one of the guys.
"Where are you"
"Just ringing to say I miss you"
"Are you ok, I haven't heard from you"
etc.
Those emergencies cost me about $15.
I won't be doing that again.
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Follow Up By: The Explorer - Saturday, Jan 07, 2017 at 10:15
Saturday, Jan 07, 2017 at 10:15
Reminds me - Once upon at time I got a message on my sat phone from my mates girlfriend (to him not me) that cost in excess of $40. In total, by the end of the 10 day trip he had to cough up about $250 in sat phone cost to me - two morals of this story - 1: beware sat phone costs, 2: Stay
home if being separated from your girlfriend/boyfriend requires at least two phone calls a day to remind each other how much you miss each other.
Cheers
Greg
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Reply By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Saturday, Jan 07, 2017 at 08:56
Saturday, Jan 07, 2017 at 08:56
We just carry a voucher but not activate it - they are usually valid for a year.
I've noticed the Inmarsat phone will still receive the free SMS service so our family can still contact us, and if a call is required, I then activate the voucher. And of course it always works for the emergency calls without credit.
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Follow Up By: Sigmund - Saturday, Jan 07, 2017 at 09:45
Saturday, Jan 07, 2017 at 09:45
'fraid the voucher validity periods have been reduced Phil. Maybe check with your airtime supplier.
I got one a couple of weeks ago on the more generous conditions applying to this run-out batch. Has to be redeemed by the end of March. (100 units; then with 6 months expiry after redemption).
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Follow Up By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Saturday, Jan 07, 2017 at 10:06
Saturday, Jan 07, 2017 at 10:06
Yeah my current voucher expires March too. It is annoying then when they shorten the time. But still better than a fixed plan when we only tend to do the remotes travel in winter. But I was pleasantly surprised when I found it still receives SMS without credit.
FollowupID:
877023
Reply By: Member - Ross N (NSW) - Saturday, Jan 07, 2017 at 10:32
Saturday, Jan 07, 2017 at 10:32
I use a Telstra Mobile Accelerate Casual plan at $10 a month with global roaming in my Iridium. As previously stated call cost are high but it gets around the incoming call costs of using my normal mobile sim.
Only used for emergencies as my Spot allays the fears of my family at
home as to my wellbeing.
Ross
AnswerID:
607310
Follow Up By: TomH - Saturday, Jan 07, 2017 at 11:17
Saturday, Jan 07, 2017 at 11:17
That is fine if you are constantly travelling and using it but if only going away for a week or so twice a year the swap sim option is the cheapest. Just tell friends and family NOT to contact you unless its life or death.
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