Satellite Phone
Submitted: Sunday, May 14, 2017 at 15:29
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veight
I currently own a Iridium Extreme 9575 Satellite Phone connected to the Telstra $35 month plan, thinking of switching to the Optus Satellite’s Thuraya SatSleeve Hotspot $15 a month.
I have never used the Sat phone for a call only a sms once or twice every 3 months. Has anyone got any good or bad points on the Satsleeve Hotspot ? Will be used with the current s8 Samsung phone.
Reply By: IvanTheTerrible - Sunday, May 14, 2017 at 17:15
Sunday, May 14, 2017 at 17:15
Sat sleeves are basically the same price as a Thuraya phone so I really cant see the sense. You then have two items to do one job and if either fail your screwed.
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Follow Up By: IvanTheTerrible - Sunday, May 14, 2017 at 17:17
Sunday, May 14, 2017 at 17:17
Just checked and the Satsleeve is $110 dearer than the Xt lite
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881115
Reply By: Glenn M8 - Sunday, May 14, 2017 at 21:27
Sunday, May 14, 2017 at 21:27
Hi Veight
I just took delivery of a Satsleeve hotspot last week. Had my first chance to use it today as a
test and I am very happy with it's ease of use and clarity of incoming call. I tested both receiving and making calls and it was great. The speed of satellite acquisition was good. Some reports of difficulty with satellite connection on the east coast of Australia ( QLD Sunshine Coast) wasn't evident.
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Reply By: Baz - The Landy - Monday, May 15, 2017 at 07:41
Monday, May 15, 2017 at 07:41
Hi Veight
I have an Iridium Extreme connected with Pivotel at $40 per month. I also have a 4G $30 a month mobile plan via Optus. My total mobile cost is $70 per month.
Each time I go bush I use my Satphone by simply diverting my 4G mobile to my Satphone, any incoming call to my Optus mobile is automatically diverted at no cost to me, either for the diversion or for the incoming Satphone call.
If I want to speak to someone I usually just send them an SMS (50 cents) and ask they call me back. For most people this is free as the Pivotel Iridium is simply a mobile number and most phone plans these days allow free mobile-to-mobile calls. If I am travelling without Mrs Landy, she calls in most days and that even saves me the SMS message cost.
Now this won’t suit everyone, either the $70 per month total cost, or the fact you are constantly accessible (if you want to be – when I don’t want to be I turn if off!). But I have gleaned from many discussions over the years that there is a perceived lack of value for what is often seen as an emergency device only.
For us the Satphone is part of our communication package ensuring we are accessible at all times no matter where we are. Noting, we have an external antenna and in-car kit.
We get great value from ours, just need to think about how you want to use it.
Blog - Satphones, Don't get hung-up on costs
Cheers, Baz – The landy
AnswerID:
611109
Follow Up By: duck - Monday, May 15, 2017 at 08:42
Monday, May 15, 2017 at 08:42
I also have the iridium extreme with pivotel & use it much like Baz, but I have had several travellers ask me when using it am I getting out with my Iridium as they are not with their sleeves that seem to work
well out west or at sea but on the coast & in the mountains they do not work as
well as my iridium
E.G. on cloudy days, in broken line of sight to sky (trees) ,in the rain, valleys etc., I grant you all Sat phones have problems in these conditions, but my extreme has worked better in all cases against those using a sleeve that I have travelled with & the iridium can give out your GPS position as
well
On the iridium extreme you also have the option to set an emergency message that will go out to 3 selected numbers by pressing the red button,
mine is set to National Response Centre & 2 friends & when overseas I change it to the closest Australian embassy
Good luck on what you decide
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881124
Reply By: veight - Tuesday, May 16, 2017 at 22:19
Tuesday, May 16, 2017 at 22:19
Thank you everyone for replying. I forgot to mention that I was thinking of selling my Iridium and switching to using the Hot spot only.
I will do some more thinking.
Thanks Again . Matthew
AnswerID:
611150
Reply By: Malcom M - Thursday, Jun 01, 2017 at 06:48
Thursday, Jun 01, 2017 at 06:48
I have a SatSleeve and love it. The HotSpot is the same thing just with a different carrier that can be swapped out to a sleeve carrier.
We love the fact that the unit is used just like the phone that we already know how to use. Don't have to learn additional devices.
Also the account can be suspended when you don't need it so you don't have to keep paying monthly fees for nothing.
AnswerID:
611580