Satellite Telephone Information

[Twindolphin]

We are returning to Elbow Cay to begin clean up and dock reconstruction and would like any feed back regarding the best Satellite Telephone to bring and any experience folks have had with the best source to contact.

[der real ting]

I just purchased a Qualcom/Globalstar from GMPCS and am quite satisfied with the experience. I have not used it in Abaco yet but they were very efficient and helpful.

www.gmpcs.com

[der real ting]

www.gmpcs-us.com rather.

[Twindolphin]

In my research so far I have seen that Globalstar states that they do not have good reception in the Northern Bahamas, so I had dismissed that possibility. So far I haven't been able to find anyone who says they DO have good reception in Abaco!

[der real ting]

After researching all the options I really didn't find a clear winner (excluding a high end Inmarsat - too expensive for my purposes). My decision ended up being based on cost efficiency.

[PELLUCID]

I have used a Globalstar sat phone aboard my boat for a couple of years in the Abacos. It is my only e-mail and telephone service when I am out of wi-fi range. It works, but you need to understand its limitations.

The nearest ground stations are in Florida and Puerto Rico. Service has improved to the Abacos somewhat this summer since Globalstar upgraded the antennas at the Florida station. However, your conversations will usually get cut off within 5 minutes, and almost never hold for more than 10. This is because Globalstar uses fast, low-orbiting satellites which move across the sky quickly. In the Abacos, the distance from the ground stations means the satellite you are talking on will get too low to the horizon before another one comes up that both you and the ground station can "see".

When Jeanne struck the Florida coast, service was disrupted for about 24 hours. I am not sure if this was due to problems at the Florida ground station (near Melbourne I believe) or if it was due to sytem overload.

Bottom line -- it is by far the cheapest satellite phone, works great for quick phone calls, but is not good at all if you are a talkative person who hates to be interrupted.

[flyingdogs]

Thanks for the explaination, answers a lot of ? that the sat phone rental company wouldn't tell you. Here is a previous post when someone asked about sat phones.

Not that experienced with them, rented from Globalcom Satellite, It was a Motorola 9505 which they said was an upgrade. www.globalcom-usa.com Rented it for after Francis, and got there and didn't need it because most phone services were up within a day or two. Still had it for Jeanne and had only 2 calls that lasted for more than 3 minutes that it didn't drop the call or we couldn't hear each other and just hung up. Cell service was up after about 4-5 days after Jeanne. In that critical time during and after the storm any communication is better than none, but the sat phones don't seem to be able to handle the load or the reliability that is needed.

As others have said before Directway with dial pad or similar internet phone service seemed to have all the advantages of internet email and phone during or immediately after both storms. Glad Guana and the Tami news service was in operation for us.

[CarolP]

check your monthly bills with GMPCS. They make mistakes often. especially if you change your plan.

[Kimberly]

FWIW, the folks that we talked to at Satellite Outfitters were candid about the Globalstar phone's limitations with regard to reception in the Bahamas. Until Globalstar adds their planned Puerto Rico uplink site to their system, coverage in the central and northeastern Bahamas will continue to be spotty.

[HTVFR]

I understand that almost all the information published on the HTVFR website following Jeanne was transmitted via Globalstar phones, either by voice or e-mail.



In my research so far I have seen that Globalstar states that they do not have good reception in the Northern Bahamas, so I had dismissed that possibility. So far I haven't been able to find anyone who says they DO have good reception in Abaco!

[Alan Brown]

I've owned a Globalstar phone for the past couple years. Once you get used to the dropped calls and waiting for a signal, the phone works OK. I think the longest call I was able to make from from the Abacos lasted 13 minutes. Time of day and location (open areas worked best) usually determined how long I could stay connected. Please note that my phone behaved the same way in the Keys and in other parts of the Bahamas.

If I were thinking of creating an emergency communications network at a fixed base location, I would go with a shortwave radio set-up, not a satellite phone. The Globalstar system just isn't reliable or consistent enough to rely on.

[hdujohn]

DITTO as to IRIDIUM-whatever brand of phone. We had both the Motorola #9550 and the less costly Kyrocera.


Had to have near perfectly clear sky before either would work-majority of calls were poor quality and/or dropped.

Incoming call-forget about it!

Big waste of time, money and blood pressure medication.