Satelitte Phones and internet access

Several options for net access include:

- Public Libraries (generally free, bookings may be required, short time use)
- Internet Cafes (variable, normally <$8/hr, can be free with food purchase)
- McDonalds (need a laptop and WiFi, ~$12/hr pro-rata sent to Telstra phone account, slightly more if not)
- Friends (free, just need to make some and ask :-))

Cafes and libraries are probably the best for technology challenged individuals ;-)

The sat phone will be useful, like most things, once you have it, you will tend to use it more than expected :-)

Andrew

A satphone is a must if you can get subsidy..
Most decent caravanparks have an outlet of which you can plug in your notebook..

Hi Jennifer,

I have a Globalstar Sat/CDMA Qualcomm phone under the subsidy scheme with a in-car kit. Works well, acquires signal really well but does occassionally drop out. The internet connection is 9.6k, real slow and even with compression would just handle emails and is an expensive connection. Globalstar don't have access to the Telstra technology at present which we have used with a Kyocera CDMA phone. Excellent service and you can purchase data only at $29 or $49 per month where you can access up to 163K speeds in burst mode but get charged 15 mins for each call. You need to be organised with your pre-written emails waiting in the outbox. CDMA will eventually go and there is a void waiting to see what G3 service supercedes it.

Out here at Mt Dare and much of the remote areas, there is no other cover than satellite. On the bitumen track around Aus to CDMA cover is extensive.

Hope this helps.
Regards
Ian@Mt Dare

Hi Jennifer,

Do not want to hi-jack your post, but as we intend to do a similar trip hopefully before too long would you mind letting me know just how you worded your application to enable you to get the subsidy.

I am aware that the application is online and that the offer will close within the next few months.

I really need to apply soon but do not want to 'muck it up'

--and I will watch the rest of this thread with interest....

Cheers
Michael

Hi Jen,
You will find the Satellite fantastic. Not for its features etc but just for the peace of mind it brings. I have been with Globalstar for over 5 years and pay $25.00 per month. You can get an exemption for up to 3 months but you have to nominate which months. I have found them great to deal with and reception has been excellent wherever we have been. ( others will tell you otherwise).
For my internet, I pay $5/month to my ISP and have a dial up connection anywhere in Australia for a local call BUT have to plug into a phone line (not always readily available!!) but useful for the cost.
You can also contact Tesltra who have a range of option plans for hooking up to your phone and downloading. Some are quite reasonable and can be done regularly in towns with reception with CDMA coverage. As commented above, to do this with Sat phone is slow and expensive.
Regards

The satphone options for internet and email are really too expensive and slow to be bothered with. I gave up on proceeding down this track.

The most affordable way of owning a satphone for infrequent calls and emergency peace of mind is to pick up a second hand Motorola 9500 or 9505 and put a regular Telstra digital SIM card in it which has been set up for international roaming (free service you ask Telstra for).

This means you can have either your normal phone SIM card with no need for a new account and no charge unless you use it, or you can do as I do and set up a $10 plan to get a new number which you can leave in the phone.

Far cheaper than Satphone plans which start at $30 a month and for the $240 a year saved you can make quite a few calls at the slightly higher call rate charged ($3 a minute) and still be well in front. (You pay $2 a minute on the $30 satphone plan.)

Depending on what you get by way of second hand price this is still cheaper than the subsidy the way 9500 prices are going.

The only downside is paying to recieve calls but this can work out cheaper also. If the kids are calling from home for example and they don't have a home phone with Telstra (eg. AAPT, Primus, etc) the calls to the variety of Satphone providers can be as high as $20 a minute. Calls to the method I'm suggesting are charged at normal mobile rates and you pay to receive the call at the same rate as if you made it.

If you really want a Satphone for emergency/infrequent use this is definately the way to do it.

Dave