[clementine]

Does anyone have any experience with this satellite phone?

It is new on the market and is apparently Inmarsat's first mobile phone. I have read mediocre reports online, but I'd like to know if anyone on here has one or has used one.

It is about 800$ cheaper than the Iridium and the service is cheaper as well. The phone also has a GPS receiver built in and can text/sms your location to any number world wide.

The phone is priced right and has some interesting features but if it's a piece of junk and can't make a call then it's worthless.

Thanks in advance if anyone has any experience with it.

-Sam

 

[JESSIELEE]

I have one. Used it 3 or 4 times. Worked perfect every time. It takes about a minute to locate the satellite but once it does the call quality is perfect. The phone and plans are priced right as well. It's a great alternative to Irridium.

 

[jtm91]

Inmarsat Isat

Purchased one last year after getting stuck out in the tuna grounds. Used it a few times and always works great. Purschased mine from GMPCS. They have a great price on an emergency kit that offers iphone, two batteries, charger and pelican case with 100 minutes of emergency air time.

 

[steveben]

sat phone

anythig has to be better than globalstar

 

[PAULN]

I have one...Takes about 5 minutes to connect/link with satelite...Once it does the connection is good and I have not lost a call yet...Battery holds a charge and the phone is pretty well built..good value for the money.

 

[clementine]

Thanks for the responses guys.

Definitely anything is better than globalstar. My friend has one and it is absolutely terrible.

Thanks for the advice about GMPCS, I'm looking into their kits now.

 

[tunaorlater]

What are the plans like? My Iridium is $45 a month with no minutes and you can't cancel the off months. It works great but the payments suk.

 

[JESSIELEE]

tunaorlater wrote:
What are the plans like? My Iridium is $45 a month with no minutes and you can't cancel the off months. It works great but the payments suk.

Mike,

I pay $15/month with 0 minutes and calls are around $1.00/minute.

 

[Jillybird]

I bought one when it came out last summer for around $500. I used it crossing the Drake Passage from Cape Horn to Antarctica and in Antarctica last December. It worked great, even though we were at the edge of its range. I used it in Panama fishing off of Coiba Island last February and it worked even better there, since the satellites circle over the equator. I used it two weeks ago when we were sharking 25 miles off of Montauk, and it took me a while to connect to the satellite. I don't know why, but once connected, it worked fine. The cost of my monthly plan is $14.95 and I pay 75 cents per minute which is awesome. I got my phone from SatPhone City which is up in Canada. I think Iridium has better coverage, but Iridium is wildly more expensive. For canyon use, I would go with the IsatPhone. Also, Inmarsat is a much more financially viable company than Iridium.

 

[Xlobsterman]

JESSIELEE wrote:
I pay $15/month with 0 minutes and calls are around $1.00/minute.

LOL, that sounds like my first Motorola cell phone plan back in the early 90's!!!!!

This post edited by Xlobsterman 06:11 AM 07/15/2011

 

[TunaBully]

We use Iridium and the reception quality has been phenomenal from the Revillagigedos to the Hudson Canyon. I bought a pre-paid plan that allows me to roll over any unused minutes provided I renew within the next twelve months. One thing to keep in mind when buying a satellite phone is that if you plan to call other people on Satellite phones while in the canyon - i.e. to share information offline - the cost of calling someone with a different provider jumps from $1-2 per minute to $10 per minute. As a result, if your fishing friends all use Iridium or Inmarsat and you want to call them offshore you should probably buy a phone from the same company.

This post edited by TunaBully 08:36 AM 07/15/2011

 

[sharaf4u]

I have Inmarsat isatphone pro for sale. Contact me on WhatsApp +923308350161