Satellite phones

Hi Tezza, that is the plan that we are on and like you when we go out in the bush we have it on 24/7 as well. We find it so convenient not only if needed in an emergency but our kids like to know they can (and they do) contact us when ever they like no matter where we are and we with them. One of the first things that is packed.

Cheers

Deanna

Yes we are on the same plan. Our phone is constantly online when travelling. It is connected to an roof-top antenna for reliability and is located to be grabbed easily in emergency. The HF is now only used to listen to the ABC and as a backup.
Good used Satphones can be bought for around $850.

A list of Outback Phone Numbers can be downloaded from the Members FileSwap.

There are other useful communication links available there also.

Try these threads 82831, 62737,68311, 79167, 79096, 65567.
plus the links contained in several of them

Looked up Activ8 and thought their services were very expensive compared to alternatives.

TR Telecom is a site to try for a Sat plan as I believe you can turn access on and off for periods when you arent travelling.

Telstra have or had a $10 a month casual plan which would enable you to use the sim in a Satfone. However it was a 12 month contract I think.

Was going to use it in a GSM run burglar alarm I have.

have TR and find it good, plan was to "swtich" it off and save money but as with Marc we live, work and basically do everything remote and for the little cost it is to keep connected we proballyy never will switch it off as we never know if we have to go out to find someone or help someone so it is the FIRST thing we check is in the car ......... as Marc has said if you actually live remote you get a very good rebate on the purchase of the phone, up to $1200.... makes living remote even better ......

Hi Graham

Generally what you say wopuld be true, I pay only $75 a quarter and if that is placed in comparison with saving a life, which I have had to do twice when coming across accidents on the Tanami, I do not think there is any comparison. I wasn't the first on the scene by any means, but the other car could not find any contact with their UHF until I responded when I was about 35 km away.

I do agree however if people are only buying them for tempoarry use, they are better off searching for the best plan they can get.

Cheers

Hi Joe n Mel n Kids

I have learned somnething I did not know. I bought my thuraya from Activ8 outright, without a subsidy of any kind, as I did not know about that. I will however advise others that I know that such is available, thankyou for that information.

I use the Thuraya 2520, which is GSM, GPS, Internet and of course a normal Sat Phone as well. IT can be readily connected to my computer, anywhere in Australia, and I have the net and all resources available, except the one I would love to use, Skype.

You are however right, as I go nowhere without my Sat Phone.

Have a great weekend, oh, and stop sending your rain at us.

Cheers

I heard that Thuraya is quite good up in the north especially in WA but is pretty hopeless down south and in places such as outback NSW. Something to do with the actual satellites being over Singapore. Is this correct?
Iridium is used by Telstra and the satellites are over Australia giving better cover. Globalstar have lost some of their satellites and are no good, I think they are now owned by Thuraya?. That is what I've heard, maybe people with better knowledge can enlighten us. Mike

Correction, Thuraya does not own Globalstar. Mike

Hi Mikehzz

You are correct that Thuraya is extremely effective throughout the NW of WA across the NT and in some parts of northern Queensland. This is, as you have accurately asserted, because of the orbit of the Thuraya satellite.

Fortunately for me, the area covered by the Thuraya satellite is the area that I live and travel in, therefore it is ideal for me and others in the appropriate geographical area.

Cheers

Satellite Tv is the same due to the satellite being above New Guinea somewhere When you get down the south or south west the satellite is lower in the sky and harder to tune into.

Hi MH

Now please excuse my naivety, but what the heck is this SIM card thing you are talking about.

Cheers

Hi Marc

SIM card is the tiny card which has the phone number and user details and is fitted to a regular mobile phone. If you put your SIM card into someone else's mobile phone, it works as it if was in your own phone and you pay for the call. With my pre-paid mobile, i have had the same card for years through several new phones and progression of types of networks; this way i have kept the same number and my list of most used phone numbers.

If this SIM card is put into a satellite phone (according to many other travellers - i have not done this), the calls are diverted from your normal mobile phone service to the satellite phone. This way the satellite phone will work on the satellite network for emergencies. The only catch is, to be used on the satellite network, it needs to be international. I do not have international roaming on my phone as it is a pre paid not on a plan. Telstra will not give international access to those on pre-paid, as there is not guarantee that the phone will have credit when they get the bill from another country.

I hope this makes sense.

We paid $2,000 for our Satellite phone, and we were not eligible for a subsidy. It has saved us several hundred dollars in travelling when we had a breakdown, but more than that, it was peace of mind in case of a medical emergency when travelling remote, as well as security for our children that we could let them know when we were delayed out of Next G mobile phone service, or knowing that they could ring us any time if they had an emergency.

Motherhen

Hi MH

I paid full price for my sat phone as well, and have only tonight found out that I would have been eligible for a subsidy. I must confess however that I would not have applied for it, as I believe that people who really need a subsidy should get it.

My sta phone is not pre paid, I get billed direct in my bank account, then notified by email what the bill was so that I can check.

I am assuming that I could get one of these SIM cards and get it in my phone for local calls or something, or am I misunderstanding that ?

Cheers

No Marc. For people who already have a regular (GSM or Next G) mobile phone on a plan, they have a SIM card inside that phone. Instead of taking out an additional plan for their satellite phone, they can just occasionally if needed, move the card from the mobile phone to the satellite phone, and although they will pay more for the calls, they won't be paying $30 per month for the satellite phone plan as well as their normal mobile phone monthly fee.



Mh

Thanks MH, I do understand now.

Cheers

I might be wrong but I think the SIM trick only works on iridium? May be no good on thuraya. Check that out first. Mike

...and Telstra's GSM/NextG post paid sim is the only Oz carrier's sim that will be recognised by the Irridium system.

This is an unintended (I think) outcome of Telstra's commercial arrangement to rersell Iridium services in Australia.

George_M

What I was saying is i don't know if the Tekstra SIM will go into a Thuraya phone. It may be a different SIM type and I'm not sure that the Thuraya phone will 'talk' to the Iridium satellite with the Telstra SIM in it even if it did fit. Lots of unknowns. Mike

Probably need both to be with Telstra Mike. Others should be able to confirm this.

Mh

Only A POST PAID that is on a plan Sim card works

PREPAID DOES NOT. So what you need is a

POSTPAID INTERNATIONALLY ROAMED TELSTRA SIM CARD.

THis is generally used in a Motorola IRIDIUM phone

Have tried a prepaid and it Doesnt work.

Also whilst you can SEND texts to OTHER PROVIDORS THEY CANT send them to you

EG My son on Vodafone cant and neither can my friend on Optus.

Doing this you pay for calls you make and also CALLS YOU RECEIVE at the rate

of approx $3.85 per min

If you are outback a lot or all the time you would be better on a plan as others have said.

To be eligible for a subsidy you must have an address that has NO PHONE SERVICE AT ALL of any sort for at least 120 days a year I think for 2 years.

Makes it hard to get unless you live like Marc.

Ahh Graham, you have revealed something for me! Thanks mate. You said......

"Also whilst you can SEND texts to OTHER PROVIDORS THEY CANT send them to you"

I'm using (rarely) a Motorola 8050/ Iridium/ Telstra plan and could not figure out why I could not send text messages. Thought my set-up had gone haywire! Yes I can receive text but not send. Weird! Why is that I wonder?

Check your model number They are 9500 can only receive texts,

9505 and 9505a can send and receive texts.

I said I could SEND TEXTS to OTHERS on Vodafone and Optus

BUT NOT RECEIVE TEXTS FROM THEM.

AS I said a 9500 can only receive texts.

I had a 9505 A so could do both.

Current scheme as follows. Scemes change from time to time.

Eligible consumers include individuals, small businesses, community groups, not-for-profit organisations, Indigenous corporations, emergency service organisations, health organisations and educational institutions.
· Eligible applicants must spend 180 days over a two year period outside of terrestrial mobile phone coverage.
· The application must be approved before the phone is purchased. Note: The subsidy is paid to dealers, who deduct it from the retail price of the phone to consumers.

Satellite phone subsidy


Mh

Yeah thought it had changed was the 120 days when we were going to apply


Was just as cheap to buy a s/hand one and sell it when finished trip.

Didnt really lose much on it either.

Hi Graham H

Sometime yesterday I found out (or thought I had found out) that in my situation I would have been eligible for the subsidy you have mentioned. In actual fact because I am a self employed tradesman I am not eligible for the subsidy, and that is as it should be.

I have however advised a few other people here that they are eligible to apply for the subsidy, and I will help them do sol.

Cheers

Hi Marc

The subsidy can only be paid as a rebate on purchase, when arranged and approved prior to the purchase of the satellite phone. It will not be paid after purchase.

I cannot see any relationship to self employment in the conditions. A previous subsidy scheme a few years ago was only for those who worked for something like six months of the year outside of a terrestrial service area.

"Eligible consumers include individuals, small businesses, community groups, not-for-profit organisations, Indigenous corporations, emergency service organisations, health organisations and educational institutions."

You would be eligible for a subsidy on a new purchase as an individual if you have no land lines or mobile service where you live. Also as a self employed tradesman, you are in fact a small business.

Motherhen

Hi MH

It is much of a muchness now, I have bought my own satellite phone and pay my quarterly fees, and I am totally satisfied with the service.

I am however going to have an accountant have a look at the small business aspect, as I now have a distinct feeling that I am paying way too much tax, if nothing else, thankyou very much for pointing that out (self employed tradey being a small business).

As in a lot of communities, Telstra will not put a land line in the houses here. Too many people here are illiterate, and do not recognise a phone bill when it comes in, therefore it does not get paid. It is great living withoput a landline or mobile coverage anyway, and the people that want to contact me know when I will be on line for Skype, and when I turn my satellite phone on.

My mobile phone I use only when I go to Halls Creek or Kununurra, which is unfortunately all too often.

Cheers

Hi Marc

Do you have a satellite disk for you internet? I note that many of the communities (probably the bigger ones) have Next G coverage.

How long does it take you to get from Mulan to Kununurra? Must be quite a drive.

Apologies to Julio for getting off track a bit.

Mh

Hi Mh

Balgo, about 40 km closer to the Tanami than us, has Next G coverage, but we do not. Yes, I have an account with Activ8 for my Internet and have a satellite dish on my roof, didn't really cost me all that much to get established.

Mulan to Kununurra is about 7 - 8 hours conditions depending, I normally drive in to Halls Creek, refuel, then through to Kununurra, we take our own tucker, so no need for the roadhouses.

Repeated apologies to Julio, but I always respond to questions asked.

Cheers

With TRT you can send and receive texts via emails. $1.00 out from the phone and free for the sender from email. Iridium also have a free messaging which all subscribers can use.
Outback Bob