A satellite phone or satellite text communicator device is necessary gear for those that work or play in the world’s remotest places. Some satellite phones perform well in mountainous terrain while others are more economical or have faster internet capability. This Buyer’s Guide discusses some of the considerations in order to sort through all of the choices. Our knowledgeable staff are standing by and ready to help.

Choosing a Satphone

Should I buy or rent the Satphone? We offer satellite phone rentals for short-term needs. We also offer free 2-day delivery though surcharges apply for Overnight or Saturday Delivery or AK & HI addresses. The rental packages include everything you would normally need and have flexible airtime bundles and various accessories options. If you want to purchase a phone, click here for detailed pricing and airtime plan information.

What if I already have a satellite phone but need a SIM card? We will send you Iridium or Inmarsat SIM cards free-of charge for later activation at your convenience. For more information on this or Airtime Rate Plan information, click here.

Is there coverage in my area? Iridium has global coverage including the polar caps that works even in the most mountainous areas. The Inmarsat IsatPhone 2 can be a very effective solution for users between 50°N and 50°S latitude that are not operating in mountainous terrain. Thuraya offers a very small handset but its regional coverage is limited to parts of Europe, the Middle East, India, Asia, Australia and Africa.

What if I need to use the satellite phone inside a building or vehicle? Special equipment with external antennas is available for in-building, in-vehicle, general aviation, and maritime applications.

I have heard that internet over satellite is slow. Will it be fast enough? Apps are available for your smartphone or computer that provide email and web access with data compression. Iridium or Inmarsat GSPS phones offer very slow 2.4 kbps internet data but light email usage (attachments under 100KB) are well supported. Much faster satellite internet terminals are available for users or groups of users needing web browsing, video, or other broadband applications. In the video below, Professional Hunter Spook Spann talks about using the Iridium GO! for voice, text and light email usage in remote areas of northern Alaska.

What is the lowest cost alternative? We both sell and rent the Bivy® Stick Satellite Communicator. It is very small and lets you share your location and send and receive texts through a smartphone app. In the event of an emergency it has an SOS button. Our prepaid 4-week, 8-week, 12-week and 12-month plans include unlimited usage so no matter how much you text or share your location you will never have any usage charges. Other safety features include a safety Check-In button and the ability to download weather forecasts.