Some will have heard/read the various satellite phone rumours and stories about GSM sim cards etc.
I tried to find some first hand use of someone who had personally successfully used a mobile GSM sim card in a satellite phone, but could only find the "uncles, friends neighbour told my brother" stories.
I contacted Telstra satellite area and they could not have been less helpful, in fact they skirted around the question and only ran interference. They refused to confirm, or deny.
It was like that game where you cant say the actual word.
If i wasnt so P'ed O it would have been a good skit for a comedy routine.
The rumour is to use a GSM sim, it has to be Telstra, and full post paid account as opposed to prepaid.
Anyway i bit the bullet before we left for the Big Lap and bought a second hand superseded Iridium 9505 satellite phone for $300. Iridium is the only satellite network Telstra uses.
I put my mobile GSM sim card in it. My mobile uses a nano sim and the 9505 uses the old full sized sim so I had to buy a sim adapter (eBay $2)
I was flying blind, because i hadnt downloaded a manual at that point.
After some trial and error I found I had to register the phone on the sateliite network, which turns out is something it needs to do everytime you turn it on. Once registration was successful, i tried to ring my home landline.
It took a few attempts. Because i wasnt actually expecting it to work, i almost gave up but it finally connected. The weird ring tone didnt help either. I left myself an appropriate space message in my best Darth Vader voice.
The 9505, i think, will also access the normal GSM mobile network if that function is switched on, and of course if theres a mobile network available.
The true test would be in the remote outback.
I didnt get any indication of a satellite call on my Telstra account, so i wasnt convinced it didn't use the GSM mobile network to call home.
The true test came when we were sitting in Ormiston Gorge in the West McDonald Ranges, 140km west of Alice Springs, way out of GSM range and in the middle of nowhere.
The 9505 registered on the Iridium satellite network relatively easily and quickly inside the van. After a couple of false starts i rang my son on his mobile in Melb. The call was about 80% in quality and dropped out after about 4 min, but it worked pretty well i thought
My next Telstra account came with Satellite use and worked out at $4 per minute. Expensive, but thats far better than the alternative high priced satellite accounts that you are likely never to use.
If i dont use the phone at all over a year its free, a satellite account over a year with no calls would be hundreds. I dont want to use to call anyone other than for an emergency.
The other aspect not routinely considered is all phones, satellite included, are required to be able to access 000 or equivalent without any sim card inserted. Telstra operate the 000 network and they basically only the conduit to reach emergency services. Telstra play no other role other than transfer the call
The mechanics of a satellite emergency call is the same as any 000 call from any phone. The 000 call is answered by Telstra and you are asked which service you require, police, ambulance, fire. You pick your poison, and Telstra ask which state, city or town, then transfer the call to the nominated emergency service.
For example your legs fell off on the Gibb. You ring 000, say police Western Australia. Telstra transfer the call to the WA police comms centre and you are connected you directly to police WA.
The fact you are on a sim'less satellite phone is now irrelevant and you discuss your issues directly with the police, who dont know and dont care your on a satellite phone
You always ask for police because they are much better equipped to manage and co-ordinate all services and assistance required
Its a very effective way of getting all the safety and emergency benefits of a satellite without any cost. If you might want to make odd call but dont need an ongoing account, use your Telstra post paid sim.
I tried to find some first hand use of someone who had personally successfully used a mobile GSM sim card in a satellite phone, but could only find the "uncles, friends neighbour told my brother" stories.
I contacted Telstra satellite area and they could not have been less helpful, in fact they skirted around the question and only ran interference. They refused to confirm, or deny.
It was like that game where you cant say the actual word.
If i wasnt so P'ed O it would have been a good skit for a comedy routine.
The rumour is to use a GSM sim, it has to be Telstra, and full post paid account as opposed to prepaid.
Anyway i bit the bullet before we left for the Big Lap and bought a second hand superseded Iridium 9505 satellite phone for $300. Iridium is the only satellite network Telstra uses.
I put my mobile GSM sim card in it. My mobile uses a nano sim and the 9505 uses the old full sized sim so I had to buy a sim adapter (eBay $2)
I was flying blind, because i hadnt downloaded a manual at that point.
After some trial and error I found I had to register the phone on the sateliite network, which turns out is something it needs to do everytime you turn it on. Once registration was successful, i tried to ring my home landline.
It took a few attempts. Because i wasnt actually expecting it to work, i almost gave up but it finally connected. The weird ring tone didnt help either. I left myself an appropriate space message in my best Darth Vader voice.
The 9505, i think, will also access the normal GSM mobile network if that function is switched on, and of course if theres a mobile network available.
The true test would be in the remote outback.
I didnt get any indication of a satellite call on my Telstra account, so i wasnt convinced it didn't use the GSM mobile network to call home.
The true test came when we were sitting in Ormiston Gorge in the West McDonald Ranges, 140km west of Alice Springs, way out of GSM range and in the middle of nowhere.
The 9505 registered on the Iridium satellite network relatively easily and quickly inside the van. After a couple of false starts i rang my son on his mobile in Melb. The call was about 80% in quality and dropped out after about 4 min, but it worked pretty well i thought
My next Telstra account came with Satellite use and worked out at $4 per minute. Expensive, but thats far better than the alternative high priced satellite accounts that you are likely never to use.
If i dont use the phone at all over a year its free, a satellite account over a year with no calls would be hundreds. I dont want to use to call anyone other than for an emergency.
The other aspect not routinely considered is all phones, satellite included, are required to be able to access 000 or equivalent without any sim card inserted. Telstra operate the 000 network and they basically only the conduit to reach emergency services. Telstra play no other role other than transfer the call
The mechanics of a satellite emergency call is the same as any 000 call from any phone. The 000 call is answered by Telstra and you are asked which service you require, police, ambulance, fire. You pick your poison, and Telstra ask which state, city or town, then transfer the call to the nominated emergency service.
For example your legs fell off on the Gibb. You ring 000, say police Western Australia. Telstra transfer the call to the WA police comms centre and you are connected you directly to police WA.
The fact you are on a sim'less satellite phone is now irrelevant and you discuss your issues directly with the police, who dont know and dont care your on a satellite phone
You always ask for police because they are much better equipped to manage and co-ordinate all services and assistance required
Its a very effective way of getting all the safety and emergency benefits of a satellite without any cost. If you might want to make odd call but dont need an ongoing account, use your Telstra post paid sim.
