Why do I need a Satellite Phone?
Until a few years ago satellite based voice communication was only available to a select few industries and markets with a bottomless pocket, such as the military, mining aviation, marine and media companies reporting from hot spots around the world. Within the last few years satellite phone prices and calling rates have dropped significantly and became very affordable. Now, many people buy or rent satellite phones and taking them on fishing trips, hiking and even business travel. Today’s satellite phones can be used by anyone who is traveling in remote areas that need dependable communications worldwide.
What is the coverage area of the inmarsat Service?
This map depicts imanrsat’s expectations of coverage. This map does not represent a guarantee of service.
imarsat complies with US embargo restrictions and as a result the following countries may not permit the use of Iridium Satellite phones or coverage may not be available: Myanmar (formerly Burma), Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, North Sri Lanka (temporarily opened for disaster relief), and Syria.
Why did inmarsat choose geosynchronous satellites?
Three geostationary or geosynchronous satellites provide the near global coverage of the inmarsat. The satellites sit at an altitude of about 22,000 miles (35,000 km), the amount of bandwidth available on these systems is substantially higher than that of the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) systems. This makes geosynchronous satellites the preferred network technology for BGAN (Broadband Global Area Network) units.
What is the coverage area of the Iridium Service?
The Iridium system is the only communications system providing true global communications coverage including oceans, and all land areas including the Poles. The Iridium system blankets the Earth, connecting global satellite coverage with local ground-based wireless services.
Why did Iridium choose low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites?
Iridium chose LEO satellites because this configuration offers a number of benefits to customers. Unlike geosynchronous satellites, which hover about the equator at an altitude of 35,900 kilometers (22,300 miles), the Iridium constellation of 66 satellites are in polar orbits at an altitude of only 780 kilometers (485 miles). This orbital configuration provides the following benefits over systems based on other orbital configurations: No significant transmission delays; small, handheld pagers and phones (versus laptop-size terminals); lower transmit power resulting in longer battery life; and complete global coverage, including all oceans and all land areas including the Poles.
Can I dial "911" on a satellite phone?
Yes. 911 Emergency Service is available in the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands by dialing "911" and pressing "OK"or the green soft key.
How reliable is a satellite network in the event of a natural disaster?
Space-based cross-links make Iridium impervious to natural disasters such as hurricanes, tsunamis and earthquakes, which can damage ground-based wireless towers. Calls are routed among satellites without touching the ground, creating a highly secure and reliable connection.
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