Satellite Phones

Ever been on a vacation, in a remote place where there's no cell phone coverage or internet access? Wondered something could be done? I had this feeling once when I went to "Turtuk", a remote village once belonged to Pakistan, now with India after the Kargil war. There was no cell phone coverage and the nearest telephone was a km away. Military always keeps in touch no matter where ever they are using satellite phones, but now as internet propagated from military to common man, satellite phone services are too...

LeisureComms | Thuraya

With these devices, one can make phone calls and internet access no matter where ever they are! All they need is a clear view of sky for satellite access. The Indian government is still very tipsy on these devices and are considered illegal for the time being! I'm sure any of our Indian service providers are providing VSAT services?

And those phone calls and data usage costs a bomb. Last time I checked it was Rs105 per min to call any number in India. I believe prices may have gone down but by how much? 50% ? It would still be a very costly affair.

Yes, those are meat for an emergency or when you are lost in a remote island!! hehe

I would have thought that one goes to vacation to dissociate oneself from the daily chores of life, enjoy the surroundings and give a break to you from ... yourself. There were days not too many years ago (circa 1998 and earlier) when there were no mobile phones, internet penetration very low (at least in India) and calling long distance very expensive. People used to enjoy then. People can enjoy now also. Try connecting with yourself for a change. Amen.

Satellite phones are quite expensive. A computer costs about $ 1,000, and may even have some much more expensive that include services like satellite internet. These teams are also sold through operators (Inmarsat, SkyTerra, Thuraya, Aces, etc) as mobile and have prepaid plans or plan, with different values depending on the amount of minutes.

I don't think Government authorities will ever encourage its wider usage except for certain fields like military intelligence. Their job demands uninterrupted communication service on critical situations. Moreover, it may not be easier to track a person who is using satellite phone. Nowadays, most the criminal cases are being solved based on the mobile phone's presence in the crime scene which can be easily detected through the nearest mobile tower. A large number of cases have already been resolved taking advantage of this technology, which is a good thing indeed. I am sure there will be some restrictions on use of satellite phones by general public.