in need of satellite phone

[HummerLV]

i am in need of a good satellite phone for my remote out of the way hummer trips.
looking for either a motorola 9505A or globalstar 1600
anyone have any ties, other than ebay.

thanks to all the service men and women, our prayers of your safe return are with you always.

[HummerLV]

i am in need of a good satellite phone for my remote out of the way hummer trips.
looking for either a motorola 9505A or globalstar 1600
anyone have any ties, other than ebay.

thanks to all the service men and women, our prayers of your safe return are with you always.

[KenP]

Have you thought of renting one for the trips?
When we sail offshore, and I mean OFFshore, we always take a rented one. It is sent to your home programmed, you take it with you and then just mail it back.

[Big Z]

I have the Iridium 9505, picked it up @ GMPCS (www.gmpcs-us.com (http://www.gmpcs-us.com)). Have to buy 500 minutes minimum, for the yearly plan. Just make sure your friends don't call it to much! $7-8.00 bucks a minute! http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif Needed a sat phone twice in the wilderness, there wasn't going to be a third!

[tower]

If you use these for rescue/distress calls only, you might consider a PLB (Personal Locator Beacon). The savings, over time, are considerable.
t~

[RI Hummer]

BlueCosmo has rental sat phones with low call fees and the latest equipment. This technology is changing so quickly that most units are obsolete in 8-10 months as newer equipment comes out. When I race offshore I just rent the equipment now. Otherwise you will rarely use the phone and find the plans are expensive.

Phone rental (http://www.bluecosmo.com/shop/product/1/Iridium_Satellite_Phone_Rental/)

[KenP]

I just checked with the parents and they are looking at buying one now and waiting on a couple of quotes. If you want to hang on a bit I can get you all the info.

This is one thing they told me, GlobalStar is better on land and out to sea up to about 100 miles. After that Iridium is better. GlobalStar is also cheaper.

This is who they have rented through and will probably buy through.
http://www.gmpcs-us.com/
Same company as Big-Z.

[H2Finally]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Big Z:
500 minutes minimum ... $7-8.00 bucks a minute! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>$4,000 just for the minutes...?? http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

[HummerLV]

ken, i will await your information, i know globalstar is a monthly plan at $40.00 mo and 40 minutes included and the iridiums are prepay or $30.00 mo with no minutes, renting is maybe an option but i prefer to own, i am leaning to the 9505A and the $30 mo plan as i hope not to use it too much. but need to communicate for an emergency, and on-star needs cell sites to work.
thanks to all for the replies

ken are you leaving us, you got the ride for sale quick

[HummerLV]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by H2Finally:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Big Z:
500 minutes minimum ... $7-8.00 bucks a minute! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>$4,000 just for the minutes...?? http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

iridiums are 500 minutes for $500 and you have a year to use the minutes as well as other more minute plans, and only $1.20 or so per minute after that

[Big Z]

Gotta read the first part! http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Just make sure your friends don't call it to much! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

"Receiving" a call on a sat phone is very expensive for the Caller!

[KenP]

HummerLV, No. Just checking options. I'll keep you up to date as soon as I hear anything on the phone.

[AHels]

Any idea if the Iridium minutes are international or if you get charged an extra (arm and a legs) fee for calls to say.. England.

Obviously with it being satellite technology it should be able to be routed to a base-station in the country we're calling but...

I know Globestar inclusive minutes are US only, which is sorta a no go for us.

[bass806]

I'm sure you have probably thought of this already, but does your Hummer have Onstar with phone capability. I've used it on back country trips when there was no cell service at all. It's not that expensive.

[KenP]

If anyone has more questions about the Iridium, let me know. My parents will be back on land in the next couple of weeks and I can get the info then.

[Dallion]

Yea the personal calling via Onstar uses Verizon. The cool part is that now you can share minutes between your verizon phone and your Hummer, so you can use it as often as you want not have to buy minutes from Onstar at crazy prices.

I have the Iridium 9505 and have never had to use it. Just feel better when I'm out in nowheresville http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif I think I paid 1150.00 for it from a local vendor here, not a bad price for new.


Here is the link for share your Verizon minutes with your Onstar Personal Calling, if anyone is interested;

http://www.vzwshop.com/onstar/

[Beastmaster]

Yes, OnStar uses standard cell service through Verizon. The other major issue is that by 2008, OnStar has to go all digital.

This means that unless you can reach a digital cell site, you're stuck.

I've been in the boonies where Verizon, Cingular, Alltel, T-Mobile, and even analog doesn't get you anywhere, but Satellite phones will.

For more information, check out this FAQ:
http://www.onstar.com/us_english/jsp/explore/onstar_basics/helpful_info.jsp?info-view=tech_equip

[AHels]

KenP: If you could ask them about international calls (incl. minutes) I'd be very grateful, if they know that is.

As for the OnStar phone service.. I did look at that, but as ppl said, it actually uses standard cell services. I've also tried finding out if I would be able to change the sim card in the H2 to use another cell provider, but not even OnStar themselves have been able to answer that one - so any takers? http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

I know that here in Europe, where you get a integrated phone, you can swap out the sim for whichever provider you're with, but...

[KenP]

Will do it AHels. BTW, they're way out in the Atlantic and never mentioned Int calls.

[AHels]

Well that's always a good start http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

I'm guessing the Iridium service may be more 'lenient' on intl calls as it was designed as a truly intl service from day one.

Take it no-one has any idea on the OnStar phone service and changing sim-cards then?

[HUMMERcustoms.com/TAZ]

Someone knows the answer. Probably have not seen question yet. I would like to know the sim card answer also.

TAZ

[KenP]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by AHels:
KenP: If you could ask them about international calls (incl. minutes) I'd be very grateful, if they know that is.

As for the OnStar phone service.. I did look at that, but as ppl said, it actually uses standard cell services. I've also tried finding out if I would be able to change the sim card in the H2 to use another cell provider, but not even OnStar themselves have been able to answer that one - so any takers? http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

I know that here in Europe, where you get a integrated phone, you can swap out the sim for whichever provider you're with, but... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Just got off the phone with them. They did as Big Z did and bought the 500 prepaid minutes. They're good anywhere and are good for one year.
http://www.gmpcs-us.com/

[AHels]

Thanks very much for that.
Guess I'll be adding an iridium phone to my list then http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif