Yesterday I picked up my Satellite Phone from TC Communications after it was kindly donated to the Grey Nomad Website as the first place prize for the recent "Red" Photo competition. A really big thank you Cindy, TC Communications and everyone that voted for me.
I went to Auburn (Sydney) to collect the phone as they offered to show me how to use it and to say that the people there were fabulous is an understatement. Diana Minglis and Mark Nowakowski are a credit to their employer.
I did not know a lot about Satellite phones and thought that they would actually be a little bit expensive for me, BUT, now I have been suitably educated in them I would suggest people really think about getting one if they are travelling into areas that may not receive phone reception and where you are a little concerned and may need emergency assistance in remote areas.
The phone is valued at $599 which is on a par with an EPIRB, sometimes cheaper.
Now, the BEST thing about the phone which I did not know, is that there are NO ONGOING costs like a normal mobile phone. So, no monthly fees...Bloody bonus !!!!!
They gave me 25 prepaid units (minutes) for free and I also purchased another 25 minutes which cost me an extra $22.65. Now, these prepaid units last for 2 years, yes, 2 YEARS !! Unlike mobile phones which run out in a month or so.
I can use this phone Anywhere in the world (except the USA as you are not allowed prepaid there, but can get post paid). All you have to do is be able to see the sky and lift up the antenna and off you go !!
I believe this to be far more beneficial than an EPIRB as EPIRB's can only be used in an emergency and I don't think emergency services would appreciate travelling out into the bush if you had a flat tyre !! But with the SatPhone, you could just ring someone instead of emergency services.
Now there is a downside and that is that people ringing you could be charged up to $25 a minute from a telstra landline (That is Telstra's Fault, not the Satphone). However, there is a solution to this and that is if someone wants to contact you, they can either sms you (normal cost) email you with a special satphone email address, or go to TC Communications website and send you a FREE sms so you can then ring them to save them paying big costs on a phone call.
Your cost will only be 0.70c a minute from ANYWHERE in the world, or 0.90c a minute to a mobile phone. Now, that is fantastic !!
If you are thinking of getting a Satphone, please think about using the SPonsor of the Website as they are well worth it, I assure you. If you do happen to ring them to purchase, I would suggest you mention the Website (and me) so they know that there sponsorship is working. I just think that we should appreciate good service and use it when we can.
That’s fantastic news, Dunco. We are delighted that you are clearly so happy with your prize and that it is obviously going to be well used. It sounds like a great piece of equipment. I would certainly like to echo your appreciation of TC Communications in supporting the ‘Seeing Red’ competition with such a sensational prize. All in all, the competition was an outstanding success. However, for all of you still recovering from the disappointment of not taking out one of the prizes, be not downhearted! I am happy to announce that a new photographic competition will get under way on September 15 with another truly amazing top prize up for grabs. More details to follow in due course. So keep snapping everybody. As a final word on ‘Seeing Red’, I would like to thank once again all of our wonderful sponsors - TC Communications, Robyn Scotland and her SmartKlean Laundry Ball, and author Berni Homan – as well as our ever-industrious judge Steve Jones, everyone who voted and , of course, all of you who made the competition so very enjoyable by entering some truly amazing shots. And finally, of course, a huge congratulations to Dunco and to Peter and Margaret for submitting the winning shots.
thanks Dunco for such a comprehensive post - I don't believe you can compare a sat phone to an EPIRB - us having an EPIRB would not have enabled our son to contact us last year when their full term baby was stillborn - luckily we were contactable by landline and mobile allowing us to get to Victoria from Perth in a couple of days. I understand that there are conditions that at times will make a sat phone un-usable but this is still better than relying on mobile connections - the extra expense is the price we will pay for peace of mind and security thanks
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Jenny and Barry
2009 Roma Elegance / 2013 Colorado. Permanent travellers 2011-2015 now just travel for 4-6 mths
Hear Hear Dunco. Sponsors for these competitions need to be congratulated and made known to all of us. They do a great job and by all accounts well above what is normal from any retail outlet. Good on them and hope they get lots of sales from having been so generous.
I also have just purchased one of these phones and am very happy with it but it is not a replacement for an epirb. They are two totally different forms of communication. If I was in a remote area and in a life threatening situation I would set off my epirb first ( that starts a response) and then follow up with a sat phone call or even a hf radio call. I carry all 3 units because I do a lot of solo travel and you can never have to many forms of asking for help if you ever need it (thankfully I never have yet) cheers blaze
What a bonus Dunco. Well done on your feed back. Why can't the telco's operate on the same principles of the satellite phone charges? You've certainly scored very well, and the service you received seems to have been a bonus. Thanks for the description of how it all works. A worthwhile investment if going outside normal mobile phone range. Enjoy your prize.
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20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment. Transport has no borders.
Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.
Thanks Dunco for that feedback and congrats on winning. Les is very keen on us purchasing a sat phone before we travel so I will share this information with him. This is a great start to our plan. Hugs Donz
Congratulations from me also Dunco and the great explantion on how they operate etc. I've always wondered about them but never been sure what they were all about. A well deserved win too, that photo still blows me away whenever I look at it, must look great up on your wall!
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Vic
Hi Ace Pop Top Campervan & A'Van A'Lite Camper Trailer.....
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If you have a friend with a pre paid telstra phone (one of the ones you keep putting credit on by 1- topping up on the internet 2 - buy credit from the post office etc), try to ring them. My wife uses a prepaid testra phone and I cant ring her phone (comes up with a message) but I have no problems ring a telstra mobile on a monthly plan (can ring my mobile and its on a 49 a month plan). these are just examples. Still love my Ph, Have put all the state flying doc numbers in and a couple of police stations that I have manage to get the numbers to, along with family and friends, my mechanic, all saved to the address book. My mechanic probably wont be happy if I need to ring though as he is in hobart and I most like be in the middle of the country cheers blaze
I get it now Blaze....you are saying that you cannot ring a prepaid Telstra mobile from your SatPhone ?
I will test it later and try to ring my son...
And they also supplied me with all the emergency numbers such as police, flying doc, rural fire etc etc...in each State. Which I will enter into the phone later after I do my lawns
This thread has been so informative... thank you! We didnt get a sat-phone in the mistaken belief they cost over $1000 and ongoing fees too expensive to use. Now rethinking.
I have just seen this post and had decided to not get a phone even though I will be more than three months soon without any means of contacting through phone or email etc but will now look again as I was not prepared to go to all the trouble for 3 or 4 months. I was prepared to take the chance even though I will be the only one on the property for about one month of the time. Regards Brian
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11 Mtr house Boat based at Mannum hoping to travel up the Murray as far as I can get then drift back again
Could not find a list of sponsors on greynomads home page so had to do a search in google LOL. Their web site is scant on information such as cost etc so I have sent them an email looking for info. Regards Brian
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11 Mtr house Boat based at Mannum hoping to travel up the Murray as far as I can get then drift back again
