satellite phone A satellite phone is a piece of communication equipment that can be used from virtually any point on the globe. (The higher the altitude, the better) Satellite phones can be thought of as cell phones with a worldwide network. They get their name because of the fact that they use satellites orbiting the earth to transmit signals from one point to another. Although satellite phones have existed for many years now, they have seen predominant usage amongst governments and militaries. (Many countries require satellite phone users to get permission from the respective government before use) Over the last couple of years, however, satellite phones are being marketed for personal and business use. Cellular phones have become so popular that they've spoiled us in the sense that we expect to be able to get a hold of someone regardless of where they are or what they are doing. The trouble with cellular phones, however, is that they can only function within a set parameter. That is to say that if you are in a remote section of the world such as a jungle or dessert, the chances are you will not be able to receive a cellular signal. Ironically enough, these are the exact places that you might really have a need for mobile communication. With new developments in business, travel and technology leading to the increased human exploration of such remote locales, the demand for a system of communication, more effective than that of cellular phones, exists. It is for this sole purpose that satellite technology has been introduced. The satellite communications industry has great potential to become more prevalent over the next several years and has the ability to somewhat derail the ever-increasing popularity of the cellular phone industry. There are a number of competing mobile satellite services who expect to be able to "blanket" the globe with satellite coverage via the implementation of 1,000 (+) satellites by the end of 2004. These competing mobile satellite companies include: Inmarsat Iridium Globalstar Odyssey Teledesic ICO Thuyra ACes Agrani East By the year 2006, the Global Mobile Personal Communication Service (GMPCS) predicts that the mobile communications market will reach over $47 billion. Many communications services hope to tap into this market, however, it is the companies who got in on the ground floor who will reap the maximum benefits of this evolution in communication technologies. Compared to GSM cellular phones, satellite phones are extremely large, heavy and expensive. Costs can range anywhere from $700 (for older phones) to $1,500 (+) for the most cutting edge satellite phones. These costs solely represent the satellite phone hardware. The cost of the service is equally expensive, ranging from $1.50 / minute to an incredible $6 / minute. Whereas the older, cheaper models will generally offer the same service, they will be even larger and heavier than their newer counterparts. When used to transfer data such as emails or text messages, satellite phones are also incredibly slow. Whereas most cellular phones generally offer a data rate of 9,600 bps, the majority of Iridium satellite phones (for example) have a maximum data rate of 2,400 bps. Although some of the other, newer satellite phones are more data transfer capable, they still don't equate with the data rates of cellular phones. ============================================================================ > > > Take a look at some differing SATELLITE PHONE MODELS ============================================================================

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