Sat phones - not just for expeditions anymore

You must not use very many minutes. Right?

Whew! I just took a look at Globalstar, and it is indeed very pricey if you use the phone for anything more than emergencies:

Link to Globalstar pricing.

Up until I saw your thread, I had no idea that satellite phones were available for the consumer. Seems to me that I would wait a few years, when the prices become competitive with cellular phones, to even consider a satellite phone!

Do you REALLY want to spend 600 bucks for a phone that you will use for 30 minutes a month?

My ability to use minutes is directly proportional to my ability to get coverage. As I stated, rural Colorado/Utah/Wyoming/New Mexico ain't covered by no one, no how. But my GPS works in all those places. :wink:

And with my desire to travel north into Alaska/Canada and south into Central/South America, I think a sat phone would be a real asset, for the price, anywhere in the US and Alaska for $49.95 a month for 120 minutes per month. Long distance rates don't apply.

I barely use 20 minutes per month right now, due to lack of available coverage. And the dang thing costs me $35/month (thats analog, because they actually have more coverage than digital).

"Do you really want to spend $600 for a phone that you're going to use for 30 minutes per month?"

A refurbished phone with full warranty is $360. My primary use of the phone is for "Travel", hence the post in the Travel forum. I should point out that I travel almost every weekend, mostly by motorcycle, and mostly to rural locations.

Just wondering if anyone has any horror stories...

Friend of my has DirectPC satellite dish for $49/month.
High speed internet access (400-600 kbps) and ... free long-distance phone calls through the internet.

The dish is 36" x 24" but fits on top of an RV okay
and works anywhere there is a clear southern view.

What's the fastest modem you can put on a satellite phone?

I don't know, I think about 9600 k. Not something I'm likely to use it for, but a reasonable question. I'd mostly use the phone for my standard 20 minutes a month plus maybe a few more (I hate talking on the phone), to check voicemail (very useful when trying to meet other travelers along the road), to call roadside assistance if my bike breaks down, or for any other emergency (grizzly attack in Alaska or when the maragarita pitcher is empty on a deserted beach ). At only $15 more a month than I'm already spending, I'd actually end up with a phone that I could use once in a while.

I'll have to think about that 24" x 36" dish strapped to the back of my bike! :wink:

So... still hoping someone can chime in with info about Globalstar customer service, or problems that they've experienced with the phone...

Thanks. :wink:

With a dish like that, at least you'd have a decent sized wok for your evening stir-fries!
I wonder how it'd go on the back of the bike?


I'm a bit of a techno-nerd. I've only just discovered that I can use my mobile phone overseas, (not in the US, though). However, they do seem to want many buckets of money when you do so!