Sat phone question

yep, the 9505 can do SMS though it may need the firmware to be at a recent level to support it.

SMS on my 9505 which I purchased from Telstra in 2004 works fine using a proper Telstra Satphone SIM, I don't know what happens if you're only using a Telstra mobile SIM in the phone though.

Be aware that in the past if you had an Optus or Vodafone mobile, that you couldn't 'send SMS' to a Telstra/Iridium Sat phone - and this is most probably still the case - it was explained to me that there are no interconnect agreements with Telstra, so if you want to send SMS to a Telstra SIMed 9505 then you have to use a Telstra mobile or the Telstra website facility. You can receive SMS from a Telstra/Iridium Sat phone if you are with Optus or Vodafone though, just can't reply.

I don't believe the differences between the 9505 & 9505A are significant, the 9505A model has a smaller connector on the bottom of the phone for charging (small round socket like a mobile phone where as the 9505 has a large block connector) and it uses a slightly different battery - other than that features & capabilities are the same it seems.

ciao

Jeff

The 9500 can ONLY receive SMS.

The 9505 and 9505A can send and receive SMS.

The 9505A adds support for a security mode required by the Military.

If you have a Telstra Mobile phone SIM card (04xx xxx xxx) then it appears to any network as a Mobile phone (except for the delay). You just send an SMS to the mobile number.

That's why you have to pay for incoming calls - Telstra receives the call from any carrier and gets no call revenue, but has to pay Iridium for the satellite link.