August 10, 2010 by JennaPhipps
Inmarsat have announced that they have contracted Boeing to construct “The Inmarsat-5s” – a new satellite constellation consisting of 3 satellites. This move is part of a $1.2 billion investment to create a global wireless broadband network called Global Xpress.
These satellites will be the first commercial global satellites to operate in the high frequency Ka-band. Inmarsat will be able to take advantage of the increased bandwidth available to offer download speeds of 50Mbps and upload speeds of 5Mbps which will revolutionise data usage within the satellite communications industry. Currently Inmarsat can only achieve download speeds of around 0.5Mbps with its BGAN X-Stream Service.
These services will be available as soon as 2014 and the satellites have a lifespan of approximately 15 years.
Read more from Inmarsat
Tags: inmarsat, inmarsat BGAN, Inmarsat Global Xpress, inmarsat gsps, inmarsat satellite phone service, satellite internet
Categories: Satellite Broadband •
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July 28, 2010 by JennaPhipps
Keep satellite phone costs down by sending free SMS to any Iridium or Thuraya sat phone. By using the links below anybody can send a free text message to a sat phone so long as they know the phone number.
Iridium numbers are 12 digit numbers starting with 8816
Thuraya numbers are 13 digit numbers starting with 8821
Just enter the phone number, your message and press send!
http://messaging.iridium.com
https://sms.thuraya.com
Tags: iridium, sat phone call charges, satellite phone sms, Thuraya
Categories: Satellite Airtime, Satellite Phones •
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July 23, 2010 by JennaPhipps
Global Telesat Communications are pleased to announce that they will be offering the new IsatPhone Pro from Inmarsat for rental from August 2010. Offering near global coverage the phone is great for those who temporarily need a sat phone solution.
The IsatPhone Pro is easy to use and can be used to send and receive voice calls and SMS and GPS co-ordinates can also be sent via SMS to let people know of your location. The phone also boasts the longest battery life in the sat phone market – up to 8 hours talk time and up to 100 hours standby.
IsatPhone Pro
Rental calls cost from £0.75 per minute and there is a refundable deposit payable of £400. The cost of any calls made will be taken off the deposit at the end of your rental period. Providing the phone is returned in good condition rental deposits are usually returned the same day the phone is received back to GTC.
Please contact us to organise your IsatPhone Pro rental. We will pleased to be answer your questions on which sat phone and airtime plan is best for your rental requirements.
Tags: inmarsat gsps, inmarsat satellite phone service, IsatPhone Pro, sat phone rental
Categories: Satellite Phones •
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June 30, 2010 by JennaPhipps
Global Telesat Communications is pleased to announce that we now have airtime rates available for the new IsatPhone Pro. Inmarsat are proving very competitive with their sat phone call charges on both pre-paid and post-paid airtime for their Global Satellite Phone Service (GSPS).
Other satellite networks such as Iridium and Thuraya offer a range of validity periods on different vouchers which can become confusing. Inmarsatare offering a flat two year validity on all pre-paid vouchers, even the smaller denominations. This is great for customers who only use their sat phone in emergencies but don’t want to lose their credit if they don’t use it. What’s more the rate per minute works out to be good value with costs varying from £0.61 – £1.00 per minute to fixed lines depending on the volume of airtime you buy.
A drawback for some pre-paid users will be that currently pre-paid service may not be used for calls within, from or to the United States. This will be resolved at a later date.
All other satellite phone networks offer a standard contract with a 12 month minimum period. Inmarsat are breaking boundaries by offering 3 different contracts, all with no activation fee and two of which have no minimum term! This makes the IsatPhonevery flexible for those occasional users. For those who frequently use their sat phone Inmarsat is offering two plans which have inclusive minutes making call costs even cheaper. Call costs to a fixed line range from £0.60 – £0.66 per minute depending on which plan you choose.
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Summary of IsatPhone Pro Post-Paid Plans
|
|
Standard Plan
|
Allowance 20 Plan
|
Allowance 60 Plan
|
| Monthly Fee |
$20.00
|
$35.00
|
$60.00
|
| Inclusive Minutes Each Month |
0
|
20*
|
60**
|
| Minimum Contract Duration (Months) |
0
|
0
|
12
|
|
| * Allowance for Voice to Fixed traffic only. No rollover of unused minutes. |
| ** Allowance is for mobile originated traffic to fixed/cellular/voicemail/GSPS/SPS/BGAN/FBB/SBB. No rollover of unused minutes. |
We have already had some questions as to why you would choose the Standard Plan when there are no inclusive minutes, why not just choose pre-paid? Well, the advantage that post-paid always has over pre-paid vouchers is that you do not have to worry about topping up your airtime, running out of credit or losing credit after validity periods have ended – you will always be able to make a call. Considering there is no minimum contract on the Standard Plan it is still a very flexible option for occasional users.
Global Telesat Communications are proud to be a verified bronze partner of Inmarsatwhich is why you can trust us with your IsatPhone Pro handset and airtime purchase.
Tags: inmarsat, inmarsat satellite phone service, sat phone call charges, satellite airtime
Categories: Satellite Airtime •
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June 29, 2010 by JennaPhipps
Global Telesat Communications are pleased to announce we are now stocking SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger – the 2nd version of the popular personal tracker. This device is essential for anyone who enjoys outdoor activities which may lead them into remote areas.
The SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger provides a link to friends and family and emergency assistance using satellite technology. SPOT works virtually anywhere even when mobile phones won’t. At the push of a button you can send your location to friends and family by email and SMS to let them know via Google Maps how your journey is progressing. Perhaps more importantly, you can send your GPS location to the GEOS International Emergency Response Center who will alert the local emergency services to your location. This gives you great peace of mind in case of emergency.
An example of the maps created by a SPOT Shared Page and the device itself.
One of the first rescues assisted by SPOT documented in the UK was in the Scottish Highlands. Niels Vinther, who had only bought his SPOT device the month before, was walking alone when he began to suffer from excruciating stomach pains. 15 miles south of Fort William he used his SPOT 911 button to alert emergency services which resulted in rescue by a Royal Navy helicopter. Niels says “With SPOT at my disposal I feel confident when getting back out into the great outdoors. I am able to keep friends and family in the loop, adding to my peace of mind. Also, the device will be great if I find others in need of assistance, who may not have such a handy device at their disposal.” Read more on this story…
Another rescue aided by SPOT took place in August 2008 in Dartmoor, Devon. The device was used to save two young walkers suffering from exhaustion and hypothermia. There was no mobile signal which prevented the walkers from contacting the emergency services in the usual way and so SPOT was called upon – within an hour the two injured individuals were picked up by an RAF helicopter and taken to a local hospital for treatment. Read more on this story…
The SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger is priced at £159.00 inc. VAT and is available now for next day delivery. The device also requires that you purchase an annual subscription fee which is obtained directly from SPOT. This is priced at €99.00 a year and includes unlimited messages. A great additional service available for an extra €39.00 a year is the Track Progress feature which allows you to continuously send and save your location so that friends and family can track your journey in near real time using Google Maps. Once the button is activated messages are automatically sent every 10 minutes for 24 hours or until cancelled. Creating a SPOT Shared Page allows you to share your journey progress in near real time on the web with friends and family – just give them the URL.
Tags: personal tracker, satellite tracking, spot gps messenger
Categories: Satellite Airtime •
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June 22, 2010 by JennaPhipps
On July 25th, Mike and Rebecca Tomlinson will set off on the
Jane Tomlinson Appeal‘s latest challenge. Together with a team of fellow cyclists they will set off on a 2,500-mile bike ride from Istanbul to Leeds.
The Tomlinson family will be joined by family and friends who will also take on the challenge of travelling through 12 countries over 5 weeks. As they travel across Europe you will be able to watch their progress through daily blogs and the latest pictures.
The Appeal to date has raised £3million for children’s and cancer charities nationwide. Through this event they hope to get one step closer to their new fundraising target of £5million.
During their trip the Istanbul to Leeds team will be carrying 3 Iridium 9555’s provided by Global Telesat Communications to use in case of emergency when travelling through areas where traditional communications infrastructure does not exist. Offering voice, fax and data services this sat phone is great for those needing to keep in touch frequently or just for emergency purposes - but we do hope that no emergency calls will be needed for the cyclists!
Wishing the team the best of luck…
Find out more about their journey: www.istanbultoleeds.co.uk
- Members of the team cycling from Istanbul to Leeds to raise funds for the Jane Tomlinson Appeal
Tags: iridium, Iridium 9555, satellite phone, satellite phones
Categories: Satellite Phones •
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June 11, 2010 by JennaPhipps
For those who frequently require internet connection in remote locations using a satellite terminal on the Inmarsat BGAN satellite network is a good choice with their portable terminals, fast data speeds and very reliable service.
But what about those who will only occasionally want to use a data connection while in remote locations? It is little known that satellite phones can also provide data services. Although the speed will not be as fast as Inmarsat BGAN, if you only require need data services every now and then, a satellite phone will suffice and will be a much cheaper alternative to BGAN. Every Iridium and Thuraya sat phone that we stock is capable of sending emails directly from the phone and the Thuraya SG-2520 even has an in-built browser meaning you don’t need to connect to your laptop to use the internet.
Iridium offers a data speed of 9.6kbps and each Iridium 9555 comes with a USB cable to connect to your laptop making data connections with your sat phone very simple. Thuraya’s basic data service offers speeds of up to 9.6kbps. However, their GmPRS service offers enhanced speeds of up to 60kbps (downlink) at an additional fee making data connections with your satellite phone more viable. With GmPRS you are charged by the volume of data you send and receive rather than the duration of the data call (as is the case with Thuraya’s basic data service). Uplink speeds are available at up to 15kbps. The GmPRS service is available on both post-paid and pre-paid data SIM cards.
As with Iridium phones, all Thuraya phones come with the data cables required to set-up your data connection quickly and easily.
So if you need to send and receive emails or browse the web while on the move a satellite phone could be just what you need. If you are not sure whether a sat phone or a satellite terminal would best suit your needs why not contact us with your questions?
Tags: inmarsat BGAN, inmarsat satellite phone service, iridium, Iridium 9555, satellite internet, satellite phone, satellite terminal, Thuraya SG-2520, Thuraya SO-2510, Thuraya XT
Categories: Satellite Broadband, Satellite Phones •
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May 28, 2010 by JennaPhipps
Just like mobile phones, when it comes to choosing airtime for satellite phones there are two options – post-paid and pre-paid airtime. There are advantages and disadvantages to both options but we aim to give you all the facts you need to make an informed decision to ensure you choose the most cost effective and best suited airtime option for your requirements.
Post-Paid Contracts
Satellite airtime contracts are available on the Iridium, Thuraya, Globalstar and Inmarsat satellite networks. If you are willing to sign up to the commitment of a 12 month minimum contract there can be many benefits to post-paid satellite airtime. Unlike pre-paid airtime you do not have to worry about minutes or SIM cards expiring – you will be able to use your SIM for as long as you keep the contract running after the minimum period. You can also benefit from cheaper call costs with a contract which is great if you will regularly be using your sat phone and unlike pre-paid airtime you are only paying for the minutes as and when you use them. Detailed call records are available with post-paid airtime contracts and are sent with your invoice on a monthly basis – this is something that is not usually done with pre-paid airtime.
Pre-Paid Vouchers
Pre-paid vouchers have the benefit of no monthly fees or minimum contracts. However, you are paying upfront for your minutes so make sure you choose a quantity of minutes most suited to your usage. This is because with Thuraya and Iridium prepaid options all airtime vouchers have an expiry date or validity period which will start from the date you add them to your SIM card. So if you don’t use your minutes, you lose them. This means you need to keep track of when airtime is expiring so that you don’t get caught out when you need to use your satellite phone although most providers will send you reminders before airtime expires.
Although it is possible to top-up your satellite airtime online, as most sat phones are used in remote locations it is useful to make arrangements with your service provider before you leave on remote trips as to how you will give payment for any top-ups you might require along the way.
With both post-paid and pre-paid satellite airtime you get free incoming calls and text messages making it easy to stay in contact with friends, family and colleagues back home via your sat phone.
The world of satellite airtime can be confusing with various tariffs, plan validities and units per minute available. The main question to ask yourself when choosing your airtime is how often you will be using your sat phone. We are happy to discuss the best satellite airtime option for you, please contact us.
|
Post-Paid Contracts |
Pre-Paid Vouchers |
| Advantages |
Low cost/minute, no need for top-ups |
Flexible, no contract or activation fees |
| Disadvantages |
12 month minimum contract |
Have to keep track of when minutes are expiring. Lose unused minute if let them expire. |
| Networks available |
Iridium, Inmarsat, Thuraya, Globalstar |
Iridium, Inmarsat, Thuraya, Globalstar |
| Payment |
Invoiced monthly |
Payable in advance |
| Calls charged in |
$/min |
Units |
| Best for |
Regular usage |
Emergency or short-term use |
Tags: iridium, sat phone call charges, satellite airtime, Thuraya
Categories: Satellite Airtime •
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May 24, 2010 by JennaPhipps
During 23-29 May 2010 Iridium will run its fourth annual “Test Your Satellite Phone” Week. Some satellite phones are used for emergencies only and so are not regularly tested. To avoid problems when you need the phone at that critical moment Iridium advise you to complete a call to their free number (00-1-480-752-5105) from your Iridium sat phone. Callers will hear a recorded voice message confirming they completed the call successfully and offering refresher tips for using the phones.
Sat phone users subscribed to networks other than Iridium can also use this procedure but they may be charged for the call.
For more information visit www.testyoursatellitephone.com.
Tags: Iridium 9555, satellite phone, satellite phones
Categories: Satellite Phones •
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May 18, 2010 by JennaPhipps
As we enter summer people start to enjoy the weather and get out and about by climbing, sailing, mountaineering and fishing more often. However, many of these activities can mean venturing into the unknown where there is no mobile phone coverage and in case of emergency it is essential that adventurers have means of communication. This is where a satellite phone would come in handy but if you only need it for a couple of months a year is it worth the investment? With sat phones ranging from £420 – £999 plus airtime charges it may be that satellite phone rental is a more viable option. Starting from just £140 a month sat phone rental allows you to stay in touch without the investment a sat phone purchase brings.
For coverage in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Far East and Australia consider Thuraya or Iridium. However, if you need to use a sat phone outside these areas Iridium is the only provider to meet your requirements. See network coverage maps for more information.
The Iridium 9555 satellite phone offers global coverage and is just one of the sat phones Global Telesat Communications offer for rental.
Once you have decided where you need to use the sat phone consider whether you need to hire any sat phone accessories. Good sat phone rental providers can offer normal mains chargers, solar chargers and additional batteries as well as hands-free and data kits.
Most providers work on the basis that you pay a refundable deposit upon booking your satellite phone rental. Any airtime charges you incur will then be deducted from this deposit upon return of the phone and accessories in good condition.
At Global Telesat Communications we offer the newest satellite phone handsets for rental – the Iridium 9555, Thuraya XT and Thuraya SO-2510. We will shortly be adding the new Inmarsat IsatPhone Pro to our rental stock which provides global coverage. Satellite phones are available for next day delivery and we can provide frequent traffic updates so you can keep track of your spending. We also offer basic airtime plans for rentals with emergency use in mind only or plans with inclusive minutes for those who know they will be frequently using the sat phone. For more information please contact us or visit our satellite rentals page.
Tags: Iridium 9555, sat phone coverage, sat phone rental, satellite phone, satellite phones, Thuraya SO-2510, Thuraya XT
Categories: Satellite Phones •
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