A satellite phone only helps if it can register on the network where your team is standing, boating, flying, or responding. That is the real decision behind Iridium versus Globalstar voice. Both services can provide voice calling beyond cell coverage, but they are built for different coverage expectations, operating regions,...

A satellite phone that has not been tested is not a backup plan. It is an unknown. Whether you are heading offshore, sending a utility crew into a remote service area, or packing for a backcountry hunt, knowing how to test a satellite phone before departure gives you time to...

A personal locator beacon can bring search-and-rescue resources to your location when you are beyond cellular coverage, but only if responders can identify who owns it and who may need help. Knowing how to register a locator beacon is therefore part of deployment, not paperwork to postpone until after a...