Keeping same Iridium number?

[hoppy]

I'm looking at getting a satphone, possibly the IridiumGo for when I'm likely to be going on longer passages and for the rest of the year stop the subscription.

If you do that, does it mean that I would loose the number and get a new number the following year when I need the phone again? Is this something that might vary depending on which company you use for Iridium?

On company I looked at did mention that I would have to pay the minimum service amount of $50 per month to keep the number. This would be ok for a few months mid season but certainly not worth it over winter.

[MarkJ]

I have to get a new SIM card and new number each time.

[SirBismuth]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

I have to get a new SIM card and new number each time.

The company we bought satphones from required us to buy airtime every 6 months or so, or the sim/number lapses. Considering that our business did not justify keeping the sim going, we just did that, bought a new sim each time.

B

[hoppy]

That sucks.... Then there is no point putting a satphone number on a "business card".

[hoppy]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

I have to get a new SIM card and new number each time.

Do you keep your phone active throughout the sailing season or did you just have the phone for your sails to and from NYC?

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by hoppy

Do you keep your phone active throughout the sailing season or did you just have the phone for your sails to and from NYC?

Just for the passage as it can be contained into a month. There is a roll-over fee of $50 per month which I will pay for 1 extra month if I think the passage may be broken.

Its certainly not perfect trying to do it on a budget.
Also some companies charge an extra $50 per month just for the email box.

Crackers.

If I remember correctly, for my last trip to NYC I bought 75 minutes for 1 no th with 1 rollover fee.
It took the company 12 minutes to set the damn thing up!
I used 6 minutes on my first GRIB download and then 2 minutes for each subsequent group of grib + emails (send all together is much quicker)

And I got to NYC with at least 32 minutes remaining.

The trick with sending the emails is:
1) write Grib request email for a small as possible area and hit Send. It sits in Outmail till u connect and goes first.
2) write other emails to friends. Hit send.

3) Use a smartphone star gazing app like Star Guide (free) and see when an iridium satellite is about to come up over the horizon in a high trajectory so it will be high in the sky for the longest period.

4) connect Sat Phone. Connecting and signing off takes about 1 minute(!). Send emails first (Grib request goes first). By the time all emails are sent the Grib file is ready to be downloaded! So when u hit receive you get it.
5) Disconnect

I was finding its all done in 2 minutes. And 1 minute of that is connecting/disconnecting.

Saves a LOT of time.

Others may have a better trick


Mark

[Valyn]

If you are looking for a permanent number that you would like to put on a business card you could sign up for a Google Voice #and then just forward that to whatever # you want.

[thomaskoll]

Forwarding the number looks the best solution here, maybe even with VoIP. Meaning you'd give out that voip number which forwards to your iridium on the boat or cellphone when you are on the dry.

[Aquadome]

Better off getting an Inmarsat phone iPhone 2. The best plan for your situation is getting their six month 110 unit plan for about $100 and all your used minutes rolls over when you renew the plan with another 6 months with another 110 unit plan for the same price ...

[YPSILANTI]

Hi Markj,
What did 75 minutes cost you? It helps that you have provided the minutes used on transactions so one can calc the cost of transactions. On a crossing, how often did you need to download grib files? Rgds Mike

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by YPSILANTI

Hi Markj,
What did 75 minutes cost you? It helps that you have provided the minutes used on transactions so one can calc the cost of transactions. On a crossing, how often did you need to download grib files? Rgds Mike

I think the cost was $250 incl software and them setting it up.

I downloaded a Grib file every second day to start with then every day.

The sms messaging was free (or appeared free) when replying to a free sms sent via iridium messaging website.




Sent from a stupid phone that replaces words with weird stuff.