Satellite Phone cheaper than your iPhone? $100 for Phone + $40 Per month for Unlimited Airtime
At $40 per month Globalstar is offering an unlimited airtime call plan for new customers. A plan both cheaper and with much greater call coverage than any cell phone provider.
gCaptian, Unofficial Networks sister site, purchased an older model GSP-1600 Phone via ebay
to test the voice plan. The results were good, we purchased a used phone for less than $100 and had it activated on the $40/month plan in just a few hours. Pretty seamless but there are a few minor concerns you should know about.
to test the voice plan. The results were good, we purchased a used phone for less than $100 and had it activated on the $40/month plan in just a few hours. Pretty seamless but there are a few minor concerns you should know about.
First Globalstar is know for having had connection problems in the past and they require that you sign a disclaimer – which states “I understand that there are some temporary limitations to the Two Way Voice and Data Services on the Globalstar Satellite Constellation.” – prior to activating the service. The service activation itself was also a bit strange. The company doesn’t allow you to activate the phone via their website or customer service number. Instead they email you a, rather confusing, excel spreadsheet which you must fax back tot he company. Once faxed our service was activate in a few short hours.
The plan itself requires a phone which range in price from $100 (used online) to $400 for the latest model sat phone. Once purchased you will also need to pay a $50 activation fee and this must all be done before the $40/month promotion expires on June 30st.
In short, I would not use this phone for emergencies but it – and the price of the unlimited voice plan – is perfect for making phone calls from the ship. Combined with a Google Voice account you can even have your incoming calls routed to both your sat and cell phones!
For those on international voyages be sure to check the Globalstar coverage map below to make sure it works in the areas your ship travels.
Globalstar satphone - checkout eBay http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p3984.m570.l1313.TR2.TRC1&_nkw=globalstar+satellite+phone&_sacat=0&_from=R40
duplex voice - http://www.globalstar.com/en/images/cid_101/voice-coverage_map_lg.jpg
simplex data - http://www.globalstar.com/en/index.php?cid=106&sidenav=232
Want to know how to save more? Contact me via e-mail
$40 UNLIMITED AIRTIME RATE WAS BAD INFO PER CUSTOMER CARE
Thank you for contacting Globalstar,
We are not offering any rate plans at that rate. Again, please click on links to view our available rate plans…. http://www.globalstar.com/en/index.php?cid=1250
Thank you.
Thank you.
Your Globalstar Customer Care Team,
North America: 1‑877‑452‑5782
Europe: + 353 1 296 2525
Australia: 0 424 21 7768
New Zealand: 1300 882 448
Our Operating Hours: Monday-Friday 7am-11pm(US/CST)
How can this be correct? Last time I checked satphone prices they cost $1500 and the airtime was $1.50 a minute. If this is correct its a good deal - beats Iridium and Inmarsat satphone prices - especially if Globalstar can improve their constellation - but checking online it appears Globalstar has financial problems which could place any investment at risk - so be sure to buy hardware at a discounted price just in case they go under you will not beholding expensive hardware which is constellation specific.
ReplyDeleteYour financial concern is spot on...
ReplyDeleteGlobalstar, Inc. (PINK:GSAT) Taking a Plunge Once Again
Well, the whole thing is caused by the fact that they have been unable to generate a profit ever since the beginning. Try as they might, the losses have been mounting over the years and looking at the developing trends in their financial statements, we're struggling to see how they will manage to keep their head above the water. Here are the figures as of December 31, 2012:
cash: $11 million
current assets: $154 million
current liabilities: $761 million
yearly revenue: $57 million
yearly net loss: $112 million
Their situation is not made easier by the fact that according to the terms of one of the notes that they have issued, they needed to make a $70 million payment to it back on April 1. They managed to negotiate a forbearance, but the new deadline is April 15 and that's just a couple of days away. All in all, things are not looking good.
Because of the tremendous amount of debt and GSAT's inability to pay it off, they recently announced that they will need to increase the number of authorized shares, which could be a sign that their stockholders are in for quite a lot of dilution. That said, this won't be the a first for them.
As we mentioned in the previous article that we wrote on GSAT, they recently signed an agreement with Terrapin Opportunities, L.P. according to which, GSAT can issue up to $30 million worth of shares whenever Terrapin deem it necessary. That could mean that there is quite a lot of stock waiting to see the light of day in the very near future.
In conclusion, we can say that while they are indeed a serious company with huge resources compared to other penny stocks, if they are not able to turn things around and start making money out of their business, they will have some really hard time maintaining a good image in front of their shareholders and potential investors.
BOTTOM LINE - IF YOU BUY HARDWARE FOR A BARGAIN PRICE YOUR ONLY RISK IS AIRTIME - NO CONTRACTS SO IT APPEARS TO BE THE BEST SATPHONE AIRTIME FOR THE PRICE - GET IT BEFORE THE JUNE DEADLINE.
Looking ahead competitor Iridium is proposing NEXT..
ReplyDeleteNext leap in performance
Our next generation satellite constellation, Iridium NEXT, is the embodiment of Iridium’s bold vision for the future of global communications.
Iridium NEXT is a fast-approaching, game-changing reality that will dramatically enhance Iridium's ability to meet rapidly expanding demand for truly global mobile communications on land, at sea, and in the skies. By supporting enhanced and entirely new services for Iridium partners and customers across an increasing range of industries and geographical areas, Iridium NEXT will drive innovation in high-growth areas such as:
Global enterprise voice and data connectivity
Asset tracking and other machine-to-machine (M2M) applications
New data-centric applications
Hosted payloads
Next level performance
Anticipated to begin launching in 2015, Iridium NEXT will recreate the existing Iridium constellation architecture of 66 cross-linked low-Earth orbiting (LEO) satellites covering 100 percent of the globe. Iridium NEXT will substantially enhance and extend Iridium mobile communications services, delivering:
Higher data speeds
Powerful new services and device capabilities
The advantages of innovative IP technology
Backward compatibility with current handsets, devices and applications
As part of the Iridium NEXT launch, secondary sensor payloads will be installed on each of the network’s 66 satellites and 6 in-orbit spares will enable an exciting variety of new innovations and initiatives. One such initiative is Aireon, a planned joint venture, that will provide air navigation service providers (ANSPs) – for the first time ever – the capability to continuously track aircraft in near-real time anywhere in the world, including over oceanic, polar and remote regions.
Iridium products - http://www.iridium.com/Products.aspx
Iridium airtime - no pricing on diridium.con but checking a reseller there are details - https://www.satellitephonestore.com/iridium/service
Don't confuse Inmarsat ISatPro handheld equipment/airtime which is a stationary satellite 22,000+/- miles out in space over the equator requiring your equipment a direct path antenna-to-satellite. Not recommended for mariners in northern latitudes nor for mariners in tight anchorages or fjords since the signal path is likely blocked.
Iridium and Globalstar use LEO (low earth orbiting) satellites which fly past your location horizon-to-horizon resulting in Iridium's worldwide coverage and Globalstar's reduced coverage area.
CHECK WITH SERVICE PROVIDERS COVERAGE MAPS BEFORE BUYING HARDWARE TO ENSURE LIKELY COVERAGE.
You can find details by using Google key word search, i.e. "Iridium airtime plans"
DO NOT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU SEE OR HEAR WITHOUT CHECKING WITH THE AIRTIME PROVIDER.
ReplyDeleteThank you for contacting Globalstar,
We are not offering any rate plans at that rate. Again, please click on links to view our available rate plans…. http://www.globalstar.com/en/index.php?cid=1250
Thank you.
Your Globalstar Customer Care Team,
North America: 1‑877‑452‑5782
Europe: + 353 1 296 2525
Australia: 0 424 21 7768
New Zealand: 1300 882 448
Our Operating Hours: Monday-Friday 7am-11pm(US/CST)
www.globalstar.com