Tusker
20th June 2008, 09:09 AM
thuraya satellite phones dual mode GSM (http://www.thurayaphones.com.au/thurayasatellitephones.htm)
From what I can gather, they've been operating in the European market for a while, and and now branching out. A bit of Googling shows Everest climbers are using them in preference to 2-way radios, coz they're lighter. Presumably that means they are reliable.
Billing seems to depend on a GPS location, no sure how that works or why its necessary.
I've got an email with prices & plans, basically $30 pm subscription, calls are just over $1 a minute. Car kits will be less than $500 apparently. If anyone wants more detail, pm me with an email address. I have no interest in these or whoever the distributor is, by the way.
The opposition?
Optus seen to have faded away. The equipment was bulky, and the aerials unreliable. I was replacing mine @ $1200 every year. Not any more.
Globalstar have advised the US stock market they can't guarantee their satellites will still be working next year. They're all failing with the same particular issue.
Iridium. Old technology, but still going. Car kit as expensive as the phone. The network isn't viable without US military guaranteed usage. Oldest satellites which means a new network in the forseeable future.
Nera phone, Bgan etc. This is the future. OK for WA, but no good for the eastern states until - make that if - their Pacific satellite ever goes up.
So I'm keeping an eye on Thuraya. Better call quality than Iridium, similar delay coz of the single base station in the UAE, call costs about the same.
Regards
Max P
From what I can gather, they've been operating in the European market for a while, and and now branching out. A bit of Googling shows Everest climbers are using them in preference to 2-way radios, coz they're lighter. Presumably that means they are reliable.
Billing seems to depend on a GPS location, no sure how that works or why its necessary.
I've got an email with prices & plans, basically $30 pm subscription, calls are just over $1 a minute. Car kits will be less than $500 apparently. If anyone wants more detail, pm me with an email address. I have no interest in these or whoever the distributor is, by the way.
The opposition?
Optus seen to have faded away. The equipment was bulky, and the aerials unreliable. I was replacing mine @ $1200 every year. Not any more.
Globalstar have advised the US stock market they can't guarantee their satellites will still be working next year. They're all failing with the same particular issue.
Iridium. Old technology, but still going. Car kit as expensive as the phone. The network isn't viable without US military guaranteed usage. Oldest satellites which means a new network in the forseeable future.
Nera phone, Bgan etc. This is the future. OK for WA, but no good for the eastern states until - make that if - their Pacific satellite ever goes up.
So I'm keeping an eye on Thuraya. Better call quality than Iridium, similar delay coz of the single base station in the UAE, call costs about the same.
Regards
Max P