Satillite Phone

[whisky_mac]

I have just picked up a Motorola 9505A Sat phone. I have a remote trip coming up so it will be useful. I have been told that the Next G network chips can be used in them if you put it on international roaming.

I have to upgrade my standard mobile to next G as I am still on the old system. As such I know all most nothing about how to put the chip on internation roaming. The sat phone will only be used in life threatening emergences so if a come get me call becomes expensive, you only make them once.

[miky]

Now that is interesting. I haven't bothered with a sat phone cause I presumed that they could only be used on a satellite. But, if they can also be used on NextG... ????

But... don't you have to pay for satellite even if you don't use it via satellite - like a "plan" or something?

I am sure there is someone here who knows.


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[whisky_mac]

Hi Miky,

From what I can understand from posts on the exploreOZ site, no, you don't take out a sat plan, you just put in your next G chip with it on international roaming and it works. I think it is about $1.80 per 30 seconds a call with 60c flag fall. You can also send and receive text messages, still expensive but better than having to sign up for a plan.

I am trying to find if anyone in the ALROC has done this and weather they had any problems or things to be aware of. Exploreoz has a lot of comments that conflict with each other so I thought I would chase other opinions.