Satellite communications
Submitted: Monday, Jan 10, 2005 at 17:25
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Member - Penny V (WA)
Information please on web connections whilst travelling - we are still to buy sat phone and already own sat dish, but believe Telstra offer 1 hour free web use per day for emails etc. Can anyone advise best deals for phones and usage package?
Reply By: David Au - Monday, Jan 10, 2005 at 21:19
Monday, Jan 10, 2005 at 21:19
The free 'My Hour' finished late last year. I thought every man and his dog signed up to that deal. Sure is a beaut deal. You can phone any number fixed or mobile for up to 20 minutes at a time free. As long as you start the call before the hour starts, you still get your twenty minutes, so it is better than a free hour. I clear my e-mail all the time using the free time. I have two phone on the free 'My Hour'.
You can get 10 hours a month Internet mobile plans for $29.95 but the downside is it is charged in 15 minute blocks. I am hoping there will be a review of this crazy policy. There is no data charge and where CDMA1X is available you get 152kbps which is fabulous.
Overall you need to be on Telstra CDMA for coverage and have a decent Korean phone like the Hyundai TX60B and a 5dB external aerial and USB data cable. The software and operation of the TX60B is awesome. Telstra do have some Bonus Options and the 20c for 10mins Nightsaver is pretty good. It says voice calls but you do not get charged so far for using the calls as data even though they appear on your phone bill as data.
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Follow Up By: Member - Penny V (WA) - Wednesday, Jan 12, 2005 at 17:27
Wednesday, Jan 12, 2005 at 17:27
Thanks for your help David. Very informative and most useful. We are thinking of getting the latest Globalstar sat phone but will now investigate your suggestion of the Hyundai TX60B - never heard of it before now. Being a new member of Exploroz we are rather ignorant of all the advantages, but my aim is to access the web as much as possible whilst travelling, thereby not only updating emails but getting info on fuel and road conditions etc. as
well as trip notes and destination suggestions.
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Follow Up By: David Au - Wednesday, Jan 12, 2005 at 18:50
Wednesday, Jan 12, 2005 at 18:50
Penny Telstra only have around fifty of the Hyundai TX60B left and Hyundai Australia have nil stock. The phones go direct to Telstra on a drop shipment as Hyundai do not keep stock. I just bought another two today for friends. Looking at the phones on plans there is nothing that comes close to the TX60B for your needs. It is damn sad these phone companies keep updating all the time to the latest and greatest features instead of keeping a 'standard' model phone that works so
well and so easily. There must be thousands of
grey nomads that have bought these Hyundai TX60B because of their great range, speaker phone built in, external aerial plug, awesome software to use on your laptop and works as a modem better than any other phones we have come across. If you cannot find one of these phones, drop me an e-mail direct. I buy them on my corporate account straight out buy for $265.00 landline_equipment at the hotmail company
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Follow Up By: Midge - Thursday, Jan 13, 2005 at 12:52
Thursday, Jan 13, 2005 at 12:52
David Au, Is this Hyundai TX60B for $265 a satelite phone, it seems cheap could you give me more info on it
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Reply By: Member - Alan S (NSW) - Thursday, Jan 13, 2005 at 15:45
Thursday, Jan 13, 2005 at 15:45
The Hyundai TX60B is a CDMA phone and not a Sat phone.
I think David is talking about using 1xRTT on the CDMA for Internet access. 1xRTT is the standard for data transmission over CDMA networks. Some good deals out there but you have to be in coverage.
I imagine that Internet access using a Sat phone coule be very expensive but I have never looked into it.
Maybe Sat Phone for remote (Voice only in emergency) and CDMA (voice and data) when in coverage might be affordable...
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Follow Up By: Alan S (WA) - Thursday, Jan 13, 2005 at 16:01
Thursday, Jan 13, 2005 at 16:01
Alan
It looks like Penny is in WA, which the coverage of CDMA is better than Digital is still very restricted. Unless you in the the South west and
Perth areas CDMA coverage is based around towns and
population centres. Some mining companies also pay to have coverage near and around their operations.
Unlike the EAst where
population centres are fairly close togethor here there are large gaps and therefore poor coverage.
I would certainly recommend CDMA but not rely on it, all depends where you go.
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Follow Up By: Member - Alex & Penny V (WA) - Thursday, Jan 13, 2005 at 17:07
Thursday, Jan 13, 2005 at 17:07
Hi Alan
Thanks for your input. As stated previously, the Globalstar phone we are seriously looking at is a Sat/CDMA combined, which is obviously the answer if you are in remote locations and need emergency help. Their costs are not astronomical but I wouldn't be sending emails enquiring about the health of the dog!
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Reply By: Member - Alan S (NSW) - Friday, Jan 14, 2005 at 14:36
Friday, Jan 14, 2005 at 14:36
Not sure if you are interested or not but there is a new add in the trader section of EO:
FOR SALE - Radios & GPS
QUALCOMM SATELLITE PHONE
QUALCOMM GSP-1600 Trimode Satellite Phone. Ability to make either Satellite & Cellular (CDMA) calls. Includes 240v & 12v Battery Charger and Leather Case. Only Six Months Old, Hardly Used and in Excellent Condition.
Price: $1,300
State: NSW City:
SYDNEY Suburb: LOWER NORTH SHORE
Name: Cam Small
Phone: 0422002718
Email:
Send Enquiry
Submitted: 14 Jan 2005
AnswerID:
93055