The 'better' satellite phone plan—Monthly or Prepaid—depends entirely on your mission and usage. There’s no one-size-fits-all. Satellite phone monthly service plans offer benefits like uninterrupted service, overage on minutes, pay as you go plans, USA phone number, Rollover minutes, discounted phone devices etc. VS Prepaid plans which are more expensive, offer a limited amount of minutes, no overage, no usa phone number, and minutes can be rolled over only if a new prepaid plan is purchased before the old one expires. Monthly service is always recommended for satellite phones.

It depends which satellite phone device you have or planning to buy. Inmarsat service plans are generally cheaper than Iridium, as well as the Inmarsat satellite phone device. Inmarsat offers global coverage except the North Pole, South Pole and Alaska. Inmarsat service is great for out in the open but it can experience service interruption or no service in deep canyons or at the bottom of tall mountains. Iridium satellite service plans are a little more pricey but offer 100% global coverage and work well in canyons, mountain ranges etc.

For maritime application we recommend going with Inmarsat service. Inmarsat specializes in maritime connectivity and offer excellent service at sea, clear HD voice, and a spectrum of other solutions that include broadband internet as well.

Rollover Minutes let you keep your unused airtime from one month and add it to the next, so you don't lose what you've paid for. It’s an add-on feature, typically for a small monthly fee (e.g., $10/month), available on many of our monthly satellite phone plans. It's a smart way to build up a bank of minutes for periods of heavier usage.

A USA phone number add-on makes it easier and cheaper for people in the US to call your satellite phone. Normally, sat phones have an international number, which can be costly or blocked for callers. This $10/month option (available with most monthly satellite phone plans) gives you a standard US number that routes directly to your satellite phone. Callers dial a familiar number, and they aren't hit with international charges. Keep in mind, incoming calls using this US number will deduct minutes from your satellite phone plan allowance, just like any other incoming call to the sat phone itself.

Both Iridium and Inmarsat satellite phone services provide strong coverage across the South Pacific (including Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga) and South America (including the Galapagos). Iridium offers complete pole-to-pole coverage, so there are literally no gaps. Inmarsat covers these regions comprehensively as well, with the exception of the extreme polar areas. The absolute key, regardless of network, is a clear line of sight to the sky, away from tall obstructions. If you have that, you'll get a solid signal for your satellite phone.

Best service plan deal is the 100 minute monthly plan with a free IsatPhone 2 satellite phone for $89.95 + tax.No other service provider offers this deal and it's exclusive to SatellitePhoneStore.com

Satellite phones are not subject to roaming costs. You are able to make calls anywhere in the world to any cellular or landline at the same flat rate cost. Average cost per minute on satellite phone networks is $1. But higher service plans of 100+ minutes monthly reduce this cost per minute to less than 80 cents.

Absolutely. Satellite phones are critical for maritime communication. Both Iridium (with its pole-to-pole reach) and Inmarsat provide reliable satellite phone service far out at sea, well beyond cell range. To get the best performance on your vessel, we highly recommend pairing your satellite phone with marine-specific accessories like external antennas and docking stations, which we stock.

We recommend buying the Inmarsat IsatPhone 2 at a special price of $395 with a 50 minute monthly plan of $49.95 per month + tax.

Typically, you are not charged for receiving standard voice calls or texts directly on your satellite phone's international number, regardless of the plan. The minutes are usually deducted from the caller's end if they are calling from a landline/cell, or from the sender's plan if it's another sat phone. However, the person calling your satellite phone's standard international number might incur significant international charges from their carrier. That’s precisely why we recommend the 'USA phone number' add-on for our monthly satellite phone plans; it makes it a local call for them to reach you.

Satellite phones do not provide sufficient data connection to use internet services on your device. For internet use we recommend satellite internet devices like BGAN explorer 510 or IsatHub Isavi.

No, not directly with just the handheld satellite phone itself. Satellite phones require a direct line of sight to the orbiting satellites in the sky. Buildings, roofs, and even dense tree canopies will block the signal. However, you can get satellite phone service indoors by using an external antenna mounted outside with a clear sky view, cabled to a docking station or repeater that then connects to your satellite phone inside. We stock these solutions to bring your satellite coverage into vehicles, buildings, or vessels. Antennas and docking stations that allow your satellite phone to work indoors.

Satellite phone communications are inherently more secure against casual eavesdropping than standard cellular calls. The direct signal path to orbiting satellites makes them much harder to intercept than terrestrial cell signals. While no communication system is 100% untraceable or un-spyable by determined, highly sophisticated state-level actors, for most practical purposes, intercepting and decrypting satellite phone calls is extremely difficult and resource-intensive. For users requiring enhanced security, specific encrypted satellite phones and secure communication protocols are available.

When the SOS button is pressed a preconfigured notification sequence is activated and GEOS 911 services are contacted and your GPS coordinates are sent out. GEOS will attempt to call you immediately to coordinate a rescue mission to your location. Additionally if preconfigured your family members will be notified about your situation.