Satphone Reliability
Submitted: Wednesday, Jul 08, 2009 at 17:25
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Member - Trouper (NSW)
Couple of weeks back I had a need to call the NRMA/RACQ on their 13 number, using my Iridium motorola 9505a satphone. I was on the Donohue Hwy 150 clicks from Boullia QLD, I kept getting a recorded message from Telstra "service not connected,
check No. and dial again". So I did and got the same message. I then tried 000 and got the same message, only by dialling 112 did I get the assistance required. Was this a glitch in the normally reliable Iridium system?? or have others had this problem.
Telstra say that you can dial direct all 13 and 000 numbers. I even tried +61 131111 and +61 2 `131111but no nothing worked.
Regards............ Trouper
Reply By: Lex M (Brisbane) - Wednesday, Jul 08, 2009 at 18:11
Wednesday, Jul 08, 2009 at 18:11
What sim are you using in the sat phone?
AnswerID:
373644
Follow Up By: Member - Trouper (NSW) - Wednesday, Jul 08, 2009 at 18:48
Wednesday, Jul 08, 2009 at 18:48
Lex
The sim card is set for international roaming, I have made plenty of calls on the phone previously without problems.
Regards..............Trouper
Maybe I was unlucky on the day??
FollowupID:
640772
Reply By: Robert HL (SEQ)(aka zuksctr) - Wednesday, Jul 08, 2009 at 18:50
Wednesday, Jul 08, 2009 at 18:50
Trouper,I had the same thing almost, a couple of months back when i got us into a bit of a situation even though i was not connected on a plan but had it just for emergencies,dialled 112 got answer straight away, they told me when i hung up to call 000 to give them the details also.I could not get 000 to work so called 112 again & it all worked out ok after that.The wife & i both tried both no's on our out of service mobiles & they did not work either,though telstra & other co. say they will.
Cheers,
Bob.
AnswerID:
373650
Follow Up By: Lex M (Brisbane) - Wednesday, Jul 08, 2009 at 19:07
Wednesday, Jul 08, 2009 at 19:07
I would think that as the satphone call by satelite is same as an international call that you would be unable to call 13 or 1800 or 000 numbers, as you can't call them from oversea.
Colud be wrong though, don't have a satphone.
FollowupID:
640777
Follow Up By: George_M - Wednesday, Jul 08, 2009 at 19:25
Wednesday, Jul 08, 2009 at 19:25
Now I'm confused, Bob.
I thought that a call to 112 from a GSM/Next G/Iridium service was automatically translated to 000 (in Australia), and answered by a Telstra 000 operator.
An "out of service area" GSM/Next G mobile can only connect to 112 (not 000) if you are in range of some other carrier's network.
George
FollowupID:
640784
Follow Up By: Robert HL (SEQ)(aka zuksctr) - Wednesday, Jul 08, 2009 at 21:10
Wednesday, Jul 08, 2009 at 21:10
George,when i called 112 i was in nth qld & the call went through to melb. emergency centre.when called it again as was directed by them, it went emergncy centre in
brisbane.t he telstra gsm & ng was out of range on my next g phone & it did not work.On the wifes phone she had vodafone it too was out of range (of course) it did not work either,when they tell you, you can use these no's for emergencies when there is no signal is crap.
Incidently my next g sim is international roam configured & it won't work in the sat phone, but the sim that came with the phone which is not enabled to anything at all will work in an emergency.
Cheers,
Bob.
FollowupID:
640809
Follow Up By: Trekkie (Member - WA) - Wednesday, Jul 08, 2009 at 22:45
Wednesday, Jul 08, 2009 at 22:45
I dont think any Mobile service provider (GSM 3G Satellite or anything else) has ever said 000 or 112 will work "always" or "anywhere"
Its simple - IF there is a signal then you might be able to make a call - IF THERE IS NO SIGNAL THEN NO CALL
The ACMA site is good - everyone who drive in remote areas and takes a mobile phone should look at it
ACMA
FollowupID:
640827
Reply By: George_M - Wednesday, Jul 08, 2009 at 19:39
Wednesday, Jul 08, 2009 at 19:39
Just to really confuse things, I just stepped outside with my Iridium satphone and dialled 131111 and 1800 333300. Got through to NRMA and RACV roadside assistance without any difficulties at all.
George
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Bob of KAOS - Wednesday, Jul 08, 2009 at 20:05
Wednesday, Jul 08, 2009 at 20:05
I've diallled NRMA and got through OK.
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - The Bushwhackers -NSW - Wednesday, Jul 08, 2009 at 21:14
Wednesday, Jul 08, 2009 at 21:14
Hi Trouper, there was a thread on this a little while back, and the general concensus was that sat phones are classed as calling from 'overseas', so an international call, and 13 or 1300 or 1800 won't work. One of the contributers to the thread supplied a list of NRMA /RACQ etc local numbers from different states, just in case you had trouble. Would be worth finding that list of phone numbers, very handy indeed. Suggest you do a search, it was only a couple, maybe 3 weeks back. Having said that, a couple of replies here have said they get through, got me beat!
Good luck, safe travels, Dave
AnswerID:
373678
Follow Up By: Member - Mike DID - Wednesday, Jul 08, 2009 at 23:31
Wednesday, Jul 08, 2009 at 23:31
Don't confuse a Motorola Satphone within Australia using a Telstra SIMcard with any other satellite phones.
To access an Australian number you just dial 02 ..., 03 ..... etc so it's clear that these calls are NOT routed like international calls.
FollowupID:
640831
Reply By: Member - Trouper (NSW) - Thursday, Jul 09, 2009 at 17:20
Thursday, Jul 09, 2009 at 17:20
Thanks all for the reply but Tesstra state that you can connect to 000 and 13 numbers via a satphone.
I may have chosen a inconvenient time to have my incident;?=_8&6%4.,l;p[??
will speak to RACQ and NRMA re local phone numbers
Cheers all...........Trouper
AnswerID:
373789
Follow Up By: Gone Bush (WA) - Thursday, Jul 09, 2009 at 20:15
Thursday, Jul 09, 2009 at 20:15
May or may not be relevant, but if your Next G SIM is barred from making 1900 calls you will have trouble with it in a Satphone.
However, that doesn't expalin the phone's inability to connect to 13... numbers if the SIM can do it in its normal handset.
It's a mystery.....
FollowupID:
640975
Follow Up By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Friday, Jul 10, 2009 at 18:33
Friday, Jul 10, 2009 at 18:33
What Telstra tell you and what is actual fact differs greatly.
If you ring and ask them they will tell you that a satfone wont work with a GSM sim card when we can prove it will.
The info you get on here beats anything they will tell you as its from people who have and use them not unknowing sales staff who recite a mantra.
Cheers
FollowupID:
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