Iridium satellite phone question

[gbanker]

I have one of the above phones on my boat but have never activated/used it. Where is the best place to buy minutes? What else do I need to do to activate the phone? I only want to use it for emergencies so I don't need a lot of minutes. Thanks

[swagman]

I googled and got www.globalcomstaphone.com

Iridium Satellite Phone Service Plans

Click Here To Download The Iridium Airtime Order Form

Plan
Service
Fee
Minutes
Included
Additional
Minutes
Voice
Mail
Basic
$39.99 / Month
3 / Month
$1.39
4.95
Standard
$70.99 / Month
20 / Month
$1.29
4.95
Traveler
$109.99 / Month
60 / Month
$1.19
FREE
Explorer
$149.95 / Month
120 / Month
$1.09
FREE
Value
$249.95 / Month
220 / Month
$0.99
FREE
Annual
$499.00 / Year
3 / Month
$1.39
FREE

Good luck
JOHN

[scotte]

You also might want to take a look at some prepaid plans - just make sure you check when the minutes expire...

[Hal]

An Iridium satelite just collided with a defunct, out of control Russian satelite this afternoon and they both blew up leaving thousands of pieces of debris at about 500 miles above Siberia. Irridium Holdings LLC is now owned by Greenhill and Company through GHL Acquisition Corp. which is traded on the NY Stock Exchange. They say they will replace the demolished satelite with one of their spares in about a month with the network still intact. You may want to check with GHL Acquisition Corp. for details. Irridium Holdings LLC is bankrupt.

Hal

[scotte]

Originally Posted by Hal

Irridium Holdings LLC is bankrupt.

Just to set the facts straight as I know it - The original Iridium corporation went bankrupt in 1999, however the resurrected company is a different legal entity and not bankrupt.

[Hal]

I did not mean to infer that the Iridium system was defunct. The military is heavily invested in this system, so I doubt it is going anywhere soon. In fact, I have been thinking of buying a satphone with this service for search and rescue operations. Cell phones are notorious for not working when you need them. Two days ago, we had five tornadoes in Oklahoma and it shut down the cell service in several areas. That would not happen with a satelite phone and of course, Amateur Radio. However, there are fewer Amateur Radio repeaters with autopatch systems now that cell phones have arrived.

[scotte]

Sorry I misinterpreted your post! This is the route I plan to take too, I just wish the phone prices would come down...

[Hal]

Scotte,

Sometimes I don't say it like I am thinking it. Gets me in alot of trouble with the Admiral. Then it costs me alot of money for dinner or something more substantial.

I was thinking: If they try and contact the old company and don't know it went belly up they won't know where to go, sooo I will just be real helpful and give them the new owners name I can see it really did not come out like that at all. And we were just having a conversation on how poor the communications were at work. Oh boy.

[GordMay]

Iridium Satellite LLC acquired the operating assets of the bankrupt Iridium LLC (Dec. 2000):

Iridium

[Gudgeon]

Have an Iridium phone on a prepaid plan. Minutes can be gotten cheaper this way but they do expire. Mine expire soon and I need to figure out what to do also. I can revalidate them for a fee. I bought the phone through Outtfitter satelite. I am currently looking at my options. Only use the phone when cell service is not available at an anchorage. Also us it for some internatinal travel.

[Zanshin]

I just bought 500 minutes for $750 yesterday, they are valid 1 year but if one buys more minutes prior to expiry the old minutes also roll over.

[scotte]

Originally Posted by Hal

Sometimes I don't say it like I am thinking it. Gets me in alot of trouble with the Admiral. Then it costs me alot of money for dinner or something more substantial.

You and me both, I've got the same problem on my side with my Admiral!

[Agur's Wish]

To reiterate what Zanshin said, If you buy more minutes before your minutes expire they will roll over. What you will find is that it is so much cheaper and easier to use Skype or other sources that you don't use you Iridium minutes and that's why you have them left over. However, when nothing else is working Iridium does, as it did for us during the Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne in Marsh Harbour.

[Gudgeon]

zansin Who did you get you mintues from? I think that is a little expensive.