Modern technology comes in a great variety of examples and it can almost be said that an average 21st-century human has a specific technological tool for whatever they need to do. While most of it serves to help us in our daily lives, there also exist numerously specified, dare we say professional tools meant for a certain activity or scenario. One such device is a type of telephone used for long-distance calls, and by long we mean the longest.
Satellite phones or sat phones as they are more commonly called are amazing devices that use satellite signals to cover great lengths and reach people thousands of kilometers away without any interference. Since they do not use regular telecommunications, you can talk to somebody located in the utter wilderness where no coverage exists from any kind of provider. If you are interested in these, you came to the right place.
In the article before you, we will examine five of the best and most well-reputed sat phones in the world right now. Among them, you will surely find exactly the type you are looking for, a high-tech device that will surely help you on your next extreme trip. To learn more about them as well as purchase some of the best-sat phones on the market, make sure to check out https://www.americansatellite.us.
1. Iridium Extreme 9575
We will start things off with one of the absolute best brands for sat phones on the market. This high-end device is quite pricey at around $1,200, but it has all you need no matter where you are going. Using its Iridium satellite network, its coverage spans across the entire globe. This is true for most Iridium phones as their coverage is total. The battery gives you 4 hours of talk time and 30 hours on standby. There are SOS and GPS options, but sadly no Bluetooth. A hands-free option does exist. There is no camera but do you need one on a piece of survival equipment really? Water-resistance states jet water, and it can survive temperatures from -20° C to +55° C. If you are looking for the best global coverage on the market, this phone should be your choice. This phone looks like a regular old-fashioned antenna phone and has a small monochrome screen. Its size is 5.5″ in height and 2.3″ in width. Its weight is 247 grams.
2. Inmarsat IsatPhone 2
For half the price of the previous entry on the list you can get an amazing mid-tier sat phone by another great brand in the game. The Inmarsat network has slightly weaker coverage at the poles but it is largely the same as Iridium. IsatPhone 2 comes equipped with Bluetooth and hands-free options, as well as SOS and GPS functions. No camera, but again, you do not really need it. This satphone is definitely for those looking for the best overall value option, making it the best budget choice on the market for around $600. It has a great, IP65 certified durability meaning it survives anywhere from -20° C to +55° C and jet water resistance. The phone sports a unique look that sets it apart from the rest, especially because it has a color display. It is quite big at 6.7″ in height and 3″ in width. It weighs 316 grams. The battery is amazing and among the best on the market with 8 hours of talking and 16 hours on standby.
3. Iridium 9555
Going back to Iridium, here is another phone by the famous brand, but this one has slightly weaker features. It is more online with the aforementioned IsatPhone 2 by Inmarsat and therefore it is its main rival on the market. With a price of $945 it is more expensive, but it is also lighter at 266 grams. The battery is weaker than both previous options at around 3 hours of talking time and 30 hours on standby. Like its more advanced brother, it has a small monochrome screen and it is slightly bigger, 5.63” high and 2.17” wide. It does not have SOS but has GPS. Like the previous two, it supports SMS. Water resistance and durability are largely the same as the two phones before it.
4. Thuraya X5-TOUCH
For a modern twist on satellite phones, here is an Android sat phone with a fully supported touchscreen color display. For around $1,200 you can get a familiar experience thanks to its amazing display that dominates the front part. Jet water resistance and IP67 durability are responsible for safety, which means it will survive unplanned dives as well as temperatures between -20° C to +55° C. It has SOS, GPS, a hands-free option, and Bluetooth. What is more, it also comes equipped with a camera, since it is a smartphone after all. If you desire touch sensitivity and a very familiar OS on your satellite phone, there is no better solution than this Thuraya device. However, their network’s coverage is the worst on this list as it does not cover North and South America, the South Pole, nor the southernmost parts of Africa. The better part of Cyberia is also lacking. For Europe, Asia, Australia and Oceania, and most of Africa however, it is perfect. The measurements sit at 5.7″ in height and 3″ in width.
5. Globalstar GSP-1700
Last but not least, we have the cheapest option with this $490 satellite phone that comes equipped with the bare minimum of features. While the network Globalstar gives you covers most of the world except the middle parts of Africa and the poles, everything else is lacking. There is no SOS, water resistance, hands-free features, or Bluetooth. You have GPS, but the durability is only IPX7. If low-cost service is all you require and especially if you make an occasional satellite call every now and then, this is more than enough. For anything more that though you will be far better off with either of the four satellite phones discussed above. The battery of this small color screen, 200-gram, 5.3” x 2.2”, orange sat phone lasts 4 hours when talking, and 36 hours when on standby, which is around the average for this list.
