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!
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
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?
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.
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Post-Paid Contracts |
Pre-Paid Vouchers |
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Advantages |
Low cost/minute, no need for top-ups |
Flexible, no contract or activation fees |
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Disadvantages |
12 month minimum contract |
Have to keep track of when minutes are expiring. Lose unused minute if let them expire. |
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Networks available |
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Payment |
Invoiced monthly |
Payable in advance |
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Calls charged in |
$/min |
Units |
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Best for |
Regular usage |
Emergency or short-term use |