Satellite phone

[trumpetguy]

I am researching Sat phones in order to conduct business while out of cell range. I do have the Wilson 4G but that does not work where no signal is present.

I will really appreciate hearing about any experiences anyone has had with these phones.

[GMFL]

They do not work well. Not like a normal cell phone. I do not think it will do what you want it to do. I have a delorme inreach for emergency services and use for texting while in South America but have yet to find a sat phone that will work well. Iridium has a blue tooth system that allows you to use your current cell phone with there sat device. I like that idea because you can set it up outside and as long as you are within blue tooth range ( 30') you can make calls. Not sure though how well it holds a signal

[trumpetguy]

Thx for the fast reply.

[TG2500]

The closer you are to a 180 degree view of the sky the better it will hold the signal. Very fuzzy 'digital' voice (much like early digital cell phone conversations years back) but you can certainly hear well and you can get worldwide coverage. Also relatively (compared to other sat phones) per minute rates and you can find used phones easily online.

I have that and an ISAVI terminal which I can also use as a phone with the mobile app. More expensive per minute rate but crystal clear calls. Geosynchronous satelittle so once you aim the terminal correctly you keep a strong signal (v iridium which switches among a contemplation of satellites as they move across the sky).

As an emergency backup, either is good enough.

[Troutboy]

Check out Spot (http://www.findmespot.com/en/ ) they have an "relatively" inexpensive sat phone. I have friends that have it and it seemed to work okay as we were in backwoods of Colorado. It did drop quite a bit. When we ha e done 14ers, seems to work well, so line of sight to clear sky is key. I wonder if it would even work inside an AS.

A friend that works for a large oil company took is company issued sat phone with us on a trip to Alaska. It was horrible. I ha e the DeLorey with texting the previous poster mentioned. It works well and saved our bacon I. Alaska when his high dollar phone didn't work.

I'm not sure the technology is there for sustained work like conversations and business. I'm no expert, just my real,life experience. If we couldn't hold a 10 minute conversation convincing our loved ones we were okay, not sure how it would work for a 60 minute work call.


Thx
Troutboy, aka Rich

[trumpetguy]

Thanks for the feedback. Based on what I am hearing Sat phones may not work for business calls after all.

Someone shared about a texting device for cell phones that appears to use hybrid technology. I'm a little unclear as to that methodology so if some can expand on the concept I will be grateful.

[crisen]

Originally Posted by trumpetguy

Thanks for the feedback. Based on what I am hearing Sat phones may not work for business calls after all.

Someone shared about a texting device for cell phones that appears to use hybrid technology. I'm a little unclear as to that methodology so if some can expand on the concept I will be grateful.

Google Delorme inReach. Their phone app is Earthmate, pairs your phone to the inReach. This uses the iridium sat network.

[Troutboy]

Yes, I have that as well, the delorme. It is a stand alone unit like a handheld Wilkie talkie size, it connects to the sat. You then have several options to send messages. You can preprogram custom messages on your computer at home, and assign them to buttons on the unit. For example, I have "we are fine, having fun", "we are fine but will be late on return", " okay but need help, send someone".

Then you can also preprogram on your computer who receives the messages. So I put my wife, brother, mom, and a few friends that like to follow our adventures. When you press a button, then it sends that message to your list. Of course there is a massive 911 button, that if you get in trouble and need serious help, you press that and it sends to your list as well as professional emergency responders.

All of that is the one way communication system built in. You can send, but not receive or have a conversation. You can use an android or iPhone and connect via Bluetooth to the app Earthmate. This acts like a sat text phone. I text my wife at her number a message, she receives it on her phone, texts back, etc.

It is really great. With 3 small kids, I go to all kinds of places, and we are able to say goodnight, let her know what's happens, etc.

It comes with a service fee, it's like $26 a month for a set amount of data, and if you go over they charge you. The most it has ever been was when I was in Alaska for 10 days, it was about $40.

You can also suspend it when not using, for example in the winter.

It is way more reliable than the sat phones I have used.

Hope this helps, let me know if you have any other questions
Thanks


Thx
Troutboy, aka Rich

[trumpetguy]

Thanks for this info. Can you send a regular text as opposed to a canned message?

[Troutboy]

Yes, when you connect to the Earthmate app, you text using that app like any other text or message app. You pick the individual you want to text, send them any message, you type it in, they receive, they type back to you, you respond, etc, etc,

You can not send photos though, just text.
Thx


Thx
Troutboy, aka Rich

[trumpetguy]

Thanks for the clarification. Wouldn't it be great to have a rally event where the agenda provided a format for sharing information.

[DumOleBob]

What do you mean by "to conduct business"? I've had and used a Globalstar for twenty years in some of the most remote places in North America and the darn thing works well (mostly), but you have to be out in the open where it can find the satellites. It will never replace sitting back in an office with a land line, but it is your only reasonable option if you are out in the sticks and need to stay in touch. All oil companies and the military use the things as well so why not you? Our troops all around the world stay in touch using Sat phones. Besides, if your in the real "out back" it may just save your life, or some stranger. Been there, done that!

Get one! If your business is THAT important it'll pay for itself over and over... anything else is a compromise. Anything you can do with a cell phone can be done with a sat: voice, text, data, Internet. If your business is really BUSINESS you can't afford to not stay in touch!

I also use a cell booster like yours and it's fine, but all it can ever do is make a weak signal useable.

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[trumpetguy]

I do still have to earn a living as a solo self employed sales rep and my customers expect me to be available when they need my service. I will look into the Globalstar phone as a solution. We do camp in areas where cell service is non existent and the ability to stay in touch would be beneficial.

[Troutboy]

I guess I should have clarified used for business, in my case I can be on conference calls and customer calls for 6-8 hours a day, and my experience with these phones is that they are not made for that type of use. And the cost would be very high for use.

For field work and brief conversations yes. Not sure for long, sustained, continuous calls.

I haven't seen the latest version and probably not the high end models, so maybe those work. The $500-$900 models I have seen in action wouldn't cut it for my daily work needs.

Thanks



Thx
Troutboy, aka Rich

[ghaynes755]

You may find what you want with something like the RV DataSat 840 from https://www.mobilsat.com/Mobile-satellite-internet/. They offer both internet and VOIP. Price isn't out of line with having a MiFI with lots of data. Service plans can be seen at http://www.rvdatasat.com. 4mpbs down/512k up, streaming for Netflix, etc for $329/month and add VOIP for $24.95/mo. Again, expensive but reading review on remobileinternet.com and the writeup at rvdatasat it is a solution for those that really love off grid.

[TG2500]

I get my equipment from https://satellitephonestore.com/. They are very helpful and easy to deal with. I have an iridium go. I'm on the unlimited data plan (which at 4800 baud means nothing but basic text email use) and 99 cents per minute for airtime. The lowest per minute rates on iridium, globalstar, or Inmarsat (with isathub) are around $1/min - perhaps a little less.

I don't know if you'll find anything cheaper than that. Expensive if you are talking about needing the sat phone to use hours per day.

To keep up to date on email (message transferred to/from as text only) and make short(ish) calls, any sat system should work. They work fine for long calls - just lots of $.

Iridium = global coverage - satellites closest to earth so conversations sound the most natural. need pretty clear view of the sky; portable handsets and/or wifi hub that uses your own phone

Globalstar = not global (but certainly good for someone working in the US in remote areas) - sats further out so calls sound a bit more "fuzzy/digital" -can sometimes find cheaper plans than iridium; portable handsets

Inmarsat/Isathub - more expensive but far faster service/more powerful sats so conversations sounds clearer.

I have both an iridium and isathub. Keep iridium because i'm grandfathered into an older cheap plan and like having standalone portable handset and it works while you are in motion.

Isathub requires the antenna to be fixed; much faster data speeds and clearer phone calls but more expensive ($100/mo for 50MB data vs. $100/mo for unlimited data on iridium). Isathub gives approx. 3G data speeds so you can use it to browse the web/read emals but 50MB of data goes very fast.

[DumOleBob]

My experience with Globalstar specifically, and sat phone in general, is Sats are ever bit as "useable", AND MORE dependable than cell phones in areas where signal strength is less than the strongest. Frankly, I cannot see how you'd tell any difference in quantity between satellite and Verizon while boondocking. Well, ok, there a difference: with Verizon you'd have no signal - With satellite you'd talk as if you were in a major city. The use you describe would require a unlimited rare plan. Looks like Globastar charges $150/month for unlimited voice and you may even get a phone for free. It sounds like your business calls for, even requires, the very best customer service. I'd spring for satellite without a second thought.

It used to be you could set a satellite phone to first look for a cellular signal. If more was available it would go to satellite. I don't really see what difference that would make if you were on an unlimited plan. I assume that's a throwback to the old days when the per minute satellite rates were very high.

Oh, you can also rent satellite phone so maybe you could try one?


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[trumpetguy]

Renting is a good suggestion because I don't need a sat phone all year...just for those trips that take me out of cell range. Blue Ridge Parkway, Southern UT, for example.

Thanks for all the feed back.