Fixed Satellite Phone Buying Guide - Global Telesat Communications Ltd
Fixed Satellite Phone Buying Guide
At Global Telesat Communications we sell a range of fixed satellite phones which can be used for voice communications at sea, in remote work locations, villages, areas affected by natural disasters or anywhere with no GSM coverage.
If you're looking to purchase a fixed satellite phone but don't know where to start, our buying guide is here to help. The following information is designed to help you pick the right fixed satellite phone for your requirements.
What can I use a fixed satellite phone for?
Unlike portable satellite phones which can be easily transported to various locations and are appropriate for individual users, fixed satellite phones are intended to be used in more permanent locations for multiple users. They can serve as a village phone for rural communities, a temporary fixed phone for welfare calling, provide remote site offices with voice connectivity or serve as back up to primary communications across a range of market sectors. They can also be used on ocean-going vessels such as fishing boats, cargo ships or ferries. Their compact design means that they can be easily transported to remote locations and set up without technical expertise.
Which satellite network is best?
At Global Telesat Communications, our preferred provider of fixed satellite phones is Inmarsat as their network has near global coverage and a network availability of 99.9% ensures that you can rely on voice connectivity whenever you need it. In addition to voice capabilities, the Inmarsat fixed satellite phones offers a range of data capabilities including SMS, short message emailing and GPS look-up-and-send, as well as supporting a data service of up to 20kbps.
Which fixed satellite phone best suits your needs?
There are four fixed satellite phones to choose from, all working off the highly reliable Inmarsat network. The one most suitable for you will vary depending on whether you need to use it on land or at sea, whether you require a privacy handset and whether you need GPS tracking capabilities. All fixed satellite phones have the same voice and data capabilities.
The Inmarsat FleetPhone Service is for maritime based applications and consists of two terminal options: Oceana 400, and Oceana 800. The IsatLink Phone Service is for land based applications and consists of two terminal options: Terra 400, and Terra 800.
Pay-As-You-Go or Pay Monthly Airtime?
Once you have chosen the most appropriate fixed satellite phone for your requirements you will need to decide how to purchase airtime to use with your phone. The Inmarsat network offers pay-as-you-go and pay monthly airtime options.
Pay-as-you-go airtime allows you to buy a specified amount of satellite phone voice minutes and once this has been used or expires you can either top-up or purchase a new card. This is very similar to the way that a pay-as-you-go SIM card works for a regular mobile phone.
If you plan to use your fixed satellite phone regularly throughout the year and do not want to worry about expiry dates or the inconvenience of topping-up pay-as-you-go SIM cards you may find it more convenient and cost effective to use a post-paid SIM card.
