Sat phone rental
Submitted: Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 16:11
ThreadID:
48427
Views:
2260
Replies:
8
FollowUps:
8
This Thread has been Archived
Austravel
Hi,
Is there much call for sat phone rental ie do travellers off ExplorOz rent them regularly?
I have one that sits at home and costs me the plan amount even though I rarely use it. Just thought if there was enough demand I'd look at hiring it out just for my cost, plus calls of course. Would help both parties.
Does someone here do it already that might give me a few hints.
Regards
Reply By: Member - Mike DID - Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 16:28
Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 16:28
That depends on whether it's an Iridium or Globalstar phone !
AnswerID:
255922
Follow Up By: Austravel - Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 16:29
Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 16:29
Iridium.
FollowupID:
517048
Reply By: Member - Rob S (NSW) - Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 16:39
Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 16:39
I hired one 4 weeks ago,all up it cost me $400 for 2 weeks including calls and postage.
$40 postage.
$60 in calls
As for calls it was useless ,Globstar about 3 successful calls the rest just drop-outs which you get charged for pathetic!
The serice would have to be a lot better before i hired one again.
Rob
AnswerID:
255923
Follow Up By: Austravel - Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 16:46
Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 16:46
Damn that's dear, if I do it I'll just make it what it costs me plus postage and calls. So less than a quater of what you paid for a month plus calls. I'd have to write up something to cover me for replacement if it was lost or damaged.
Actually what did they charge you if you lost it or damaged it?
Thanks
FollowupID:
517050
Follow Up By: Member - Rob S (NSW) - Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 17:11
Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 17:11
Insurance was extra few dollars a day more at a guess with out going through the paper work again.
You would have to pay the repair or replacement cost.if no insured.
And they have your credit card details as deposit, that's fair to me.
We never let it out of our site, I was so happy to see it go back, and made sure i had a recipt from the
post office to say posted.
FollowupID:
517052
Follow Up By: Andrew from Vivid Adventures - Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 21:32
Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 21:32
You should ask for your money back... they would know there is no way you would get a respectable service from Globalstar.
Cheers
Andrew.
FollowupID:
517115
Reply By: Mike Harding - Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 16:50
Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 16:50
I hate to put a damper on things but you may wish to check your legal position? You're hiring a device which people would, reasonably, expect to serve them in an emergency - not sure where you would stand if it didn't? Bad battery, connections, cables, you forget to pay the bill etc? Some sort of disclaimer may be in order.
Mike Harding
AnswerID:
255929
Follow Up By: Member - Rob S (NSW) - Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 17:17
Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 17:17
Don't for get the service provider,I wouldn't put my life in the hands of Globstar again!
FollowupID:
517054
Follow Up By: Mike Harding - Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 17:21
Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 17:21
Don't think you're going a bit over the top with the hyperlinks do you David? Do we _really_ need the fuel price disclaimer linked to the above? :) (And now to this message too I suspect).
Mike Harding
FollowupID:
517055
Reply By: Bonz (Vic) - Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 17:13
Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 17:13
I have borrowed a sat phone for around Oz travel and also arranged thru a mutual friend another loaner. It helps ease the cost of it sitting doing nothing but its not a commercial arrangement, just a friend loaning for another and a little money changes hands to cover costs etc. A good arrangement.
AnswerID:
255935
Reply By: Member - Duncan W (WA) - Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 18:28
Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 18:28
I've thought about offering my Sat Phone as a lender for the cost of the rental & calls, but it's a beeping Telit 500 on a Globalstar plan. Costs me a small fortune and only ever made 1 call from it, tried 2 minutes later to make another call and could I get a satalite link up - not bloody likely. No wonder the bloke was selling it cheap when I bought it. Oh
well you get what you pay for.
AnswerID:
255944
Follow Up By: Andrew from Vivid Adventures - Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 21:34
Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 21:34
Ask for your money back Duncs...
FollowupID:
517116
Reply By: stocky - Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 21:25
Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 21:25
Yes - the Telit handsets are cr@p
Yes - the GSTAR service has been less than optimal for a while - the reasons are publicly available and ARE NOT the fault of GSTAR Australia - stop blaming them!
Yes - any dealer/hirer that has *misled* people should get a kick in the arse
Yes - I regularly trust my GSTAR Qualcomm handset as an emergency comms device.
Yes - the service is getting better again now the new sats are up and gradually being positioned
Yes - I get times it doesnt work for a couple of minutes - thats fine - if that means the diff between life and death in the middle of the outback I'm stuffed anyway!
Yes - I have a Telstra/Iridium as
well - give me the GSTAR for voice quality ANYDAY!
Q for all - who here carries an EPIRB??? I'f your SO concerned about emergencies I hope you all have a 406Mhz GPS Enabled EPIRB in your car as
well!
Stocky
AnswerID:
255984
Reply By: Member - Bob K (SA) - Monday, Aug 06, 2007 at 22:37
Monday, Aug 06, 2007 at 22:37
Austravel
Give me a call I'm interested in renting it
0421847353
Bob
AnswerID:
256165
Follow Up By: Austravel - Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 17:08
Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 17:08
Hi Bob,
Thanks for the interest but will need to do a bit more research and thinking about how I'll go about lending/hiring it out so to cover myself for some of the items raised in this thread.
Sorry if that's a pain but due to the cost and potential for loss, damage or unpaid calls I'll need to think about how to manage it. Certainly not saying you'd cause any of the above.
Thanks
FollowupID:
517472
Reply By: Austravel - Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 17:05
Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007 at 17:05
Thanks everyone for their thoughts.
AnswerID:
256430