Inmarsat’s First Handheld Satellite Phone
The Inmarsat’s name is not as recognized as the popular Iridium and Globalstar satellite phones. Inmarsat’s most popular product is the BGAN satellite terminals which are about the size of a notebook computer. With the portable BGAN units the lid serves as the antenna which must be stationary when you acquire the satellite. The BGAN offers excellent data and voice service, but they are not handheld for sure but that is all changing with the new Inmarsat IsatPhone. IsatPhone is one of the most compact, robust and lightweight satellite phones on the market. The price is very economical at only $595.00 which is less than half the price of an Iridium 9505A satellite phone. Along with Inmarsat satellite service the IsatPhone offers GSM service giving the user text capability. With the optional USB cable the IsatPhone will provide low speed data.
The 1st generation Inmarsat IsatPhone as of the writing of this article offers coverage in Africa and
The 2nd generation IsatPhone offering coverage in North America is expected to hit the
The LandPhone Inmarsat fixed site solution and FleetPhone Inmarsat’s maritime solution will be available after the 2nd generation IsatPhone is completely perfected and launched.
Who is Inmarsat anyway? Inmarsat has been around a lot longer than Iridium and Globalstar. Inmarsat has stood at the forefront of mobile satellite services for nearly 30 years. Inmarsat is a pioneer in the satellite communication field. In the future when you make a mobile phone call or send a text message from an aircraft mostly likely it will be transmitted using Inmarsat satellites and ground stations.
The lives and livelihoods of the maritime community have depended on the reliable Inmarsat satellite communication for over a quarter of a century. Inmarsat was founded in 1979 to ensure that ships could stay in constant communication by satellite phone. Inmarsat was the first intergovernmental organization to transform into a private company. In 2005 they were floated on the London Stock Exchange.
posted by David & Brooke @ 9:41 AM
