A satellite telephone, satellite phone, or satphone is a mobile phone that communicates directly with orbiting communications satellites. Depending on the architecture of a particular system, coverage may include the entire Earth, or only specific regions.
The mobile equipment, also known as a terminal or earth station, varies widely. A satellite phone handset has a size and weight comparable to that of a late 1980s or early 1990s mobile phone, but usually with a large retractable antenna. These are popular on expeditions into remote areas where terrestrial cellular service is unavailable.
A fixed installation, such as used shipboard, may include large, rugged, rack-mounted electronics, and a steerable microwave antenna on the mast that automatically tracks the overhead satellites. Satellite phones have notoriously poor reception indoors, though it may be possible to get a consistent signal near a window or in the top floor of a building if the roof is sufficiently thin. The phones have connectors for external antennae that are often installed in vehicles and buildings.
Some satellite phones use satellites in geosynchronous orbit. These systems can maintain near-continuous global coverage with only three or four satellites, reducing the launch costs. However the satellites used for these systems are usually very heavy (approx. 5000kg) and therefore very expensive to build and launch. The major satellite systems in civilian use are Inmarsat and Thuraya. The satellites sit at an altitude of about 22,000 miles and therefore a noticeable delay is present while making a phone call or using data services.
The disadvantage of geostationary satellite systems is that many areas even where a large amount of open sky is present the line of sight between the phone and the satellite is broken by obstacles such as steep hills and forest and the user will need to find higher ground before being able to use the phone. This is not the case with Low Earth Orbit (LEO) services - even if the signal is blocked by an obstacle one can wait a few minutes until another satellite passes overhead.
Satellite Phone features include:
- An international voice mailbox is standard with all rentals and available worldwide
- Send text messages to other satellite phones (160 character limit applies)
- Send e-mail to any e-mail address (160 character limit applies)
- Free Text Messaging Service - Friends, family and colleagues can send a text message to your satellite phone at no cost to you or them. Use this link to send a message to a satellite phone
Read more about Verizon Wireless Satellite Phone Service
