Thuraya XT

towel401

Looks like the lads at Thuraya released a new phone. about time too because the 2nd generation handsets are of notoriously poor quality. a rugged phone could be just what they need. mang the So-2510 i had before was so flimsy I sold it and got an older Hughes 7101

the XT still has the good old 60/15kbit interweb access..

Honda08

towel401 wrote: »

Looks like the lads at Thuraya released a new phone. about time too because the 2nd generation handsets are of notoriously poor quality. a rugged phone could be just what they need. mang the So-2510 i had before was so flimsy I sold it and got an older Hughes 7101

the XT still has the good old 60/15kbit interweb access..

so have inmarsat, the isatphone pro! uses geo stationary satellites, 22,300miles above the earth. was released early June stock just became available this week, I expect mine to be delivered Mon, prob the first one to arrive in Ireland!! currently the best priced satellite airtime for a global ( bar the polar regions ) satellite phone, and much cheaper than an Iridium airtime contract, also the best battery life in any sat phone, and also supports bluetooth 2.0 out of the box, and unlike the 9555, supports user upgradable firmware.

watty

Handy for Mountain walkers and Sailors or visitors to isolated areas of Middle East/North Africa with no cell phone coverage.

Even in Ireland easy to go out of GSM/3G coverage on a large lake, hillside or offshore sailing.

I think some Thuraya phones have about 144kbps data? They do roam to GSM if it's available. Adding EDGE and 3G + HSPA would be good.

It doesn't have world wide coverage like Iridium nor the coverage of Inmarsat Began terminals.

Honda08

watty wrote: »

Handy for Mountain walkers and Sailors or visitors to isolated areas of Middle East/North Africa with no cell phone coverage.

Even in Ireland easy to go out of GSM/3G coverage on a large lake, hillside or offshore sailing.

I think some Thuraya phones have about 144kbps data? They do roam to GSM if it's available. Adding EDGE and 3G + HSPA would be good.

It doesn't have world wide coverage like Iridium nor the coverage of Inmarsat Began terminals.

well yes, iridium have blank spots too, they do, have experienced a few times where signal on my 9555 dropped down to 1 bar, for a while and couldnt get a call out, ( mid atlantic )

i have all 3 sat network phones, globalstar ( as useful as a chocolate teapot), iridium and, very soon inmarsat.

the only advantage that globalstar has is that it does not cost much to call one from an Irish landline, as globalstar issue french numbers from the globalstar french gateway in Aussaguel France, so you get a +33 64 number ( similar to a french mobile no).. its a pain as you have to use their call times too to work out when a satellite will be overhead so you can make/receive a call.. they are launching more satellites soon Sep/Oct signal should be vastly better on globalstar!

also with the iridium, many times i have had full signal with the phone sitting on the window ledge indoors.

signal on the inmarsat isatphone pro, should be very good, its global apart from polar regions, well i will know on monday..


well in terms of costs, recently it was much cheaper for me to call home on the iridium from San Francisco , than use my Irish mobile phone!

data on Isatphone pro, is not available until Jan 2011.