Purchase of a Satelite phone

Hi Mudda,

Go to www.toxictech.com. I got a brand new ImarsatPro for the total cost of $123.75 plus 2 years credit of $50. This website - a licensed retailer has all the details for the Government subsidies. 85% if you live outside a mobile area and a 50% subsidy if you can dream up a travel itinary thar gets you out of range for 180 days spread over two years. 15 mins a day out of range = out of range for the day.

The Inmarsat Pro is the only satellite without a monthly plan (monthly plan = cost!) Charges are $1.00 for outggoing calls to a landlane and $1.20 pm to mobiles - no flag fall cost. Incoming call may be more - not sure. Credits last for 2 years. You can email via their website for free and TXT's are $0.50

Despite the name I found them great to deal with and all the details are on theor website.

Cheers John

I can't lie to get a govt subsidy but having done the research also got an Isatphone Pro for $700 and a good deal on prepaid calls.

The trouble with Spot Connect and Messenger is that you can only send out.

With their sat constellation you also need reliable low-angle lines to the North. Fine for the desert; not so fine in the mountains in Vic and Tas. I've tested a Messenger in those conditions and regard the device as marginal for critical incidents.

Buy your own. Get a Telstra one. Had 2 for about 7 years and would not leave home without them. No 000....absolutely useless in a real emergency.

Bought a Inmarsat last year, great phone. The fact that you can't dial 000 I don't see as a problem. I have stored all the RFDS, local Police in the area of travel and any other numbers needed into the phone - simply press the one you want. The phone gives you your exact Lon and Lat from place of call. Dialling 000 can mean you could end up being answered anywhere in Australia, so to have instant access to the local RFDS or police is a much better option to my way of thinking.

Cheers,

Mike

Telstra uses the Iridium sat constellation.

Do your own research on this. When I did it, there were many reports of the number of drop-outs. In-call, this is a pill and expensive.

We have the IsatPhone pro and have used it a couple of times and worked well in outback SA. When you save an incoming call from the sat phone to your mobile, what does the + mean.
If you want to give the no. to someone incase they need to contact, what no. do you give them, ie, what goes in front of the sat phone no?
I tried to call the sat phone using the no. and it didn't go thru.
thanks Hugh