Satellite phones are rugged and used for businessmen going on safari for the most part, and run about the same as a regular cellular communications phone. Why are there not any companies seeking to integrate satellite communication phones in the same fashion that cells are today, technologically and economically (i.e. touch screens, contracts)? Are there any difficulties in infrastructure or ability that are limiting in this development?

Satellite phones are rugged and used for businessmen going on safari for the most part, and run about the same as a regular cellular communications phone. Why are there not any companies seeking to integrate satellite communication phones in the same fashion that cells are today, technologically and economically (i.e. touch screens, contracts)? Are there any difficulties in infrastructure or ability that are limiting in this development?

 

I use them regularly - and frankly the connexion sucks. Admittedly I call them to and from the Ocean but the reception is patchy, poor quality, and slow for data. And these are with big infrastructure on board.

 

Emergency Sat phones - I believe - use a separate band and have better reception - but not sure they have the bandwidth nor the ability to keep contention down

I have to question your premises. Are they the same price? Do you get the same bandwidth? Would you be able to scale up to millions of customers?

 

A quick search indicates the handsets are generally more expensive and the calling is also more expensive. I suspect they are limited to voice and text.

 

Iridium phones started at $1100 on one site (linked below), and an another, $2 a minute was only attainable if you went with the top-shelf plan.

http://www.bluecosmo.com/satellite-phones

I have to question your premises. Are they the same price? Do you get the same bandwidth? Would you be able to scale up to millions of customers?

 

A quick search indicates the handsets are generally more expensive and the calling is also more expensive. I suspect they are limited to voice and text.

 

Iridium phones started at $1100 on one site (linked below), and an another, $2 a minute was only attainable if you went with the top-shelf plan.

http://www.bluecosmo.com/satellite-phones

Yes, calls seem very expensive. I read a blog by a mountaineer doing Everest, talking about expedition costs, and they clocked up $1800 in 2 or 3 months; calls and messages were quite brief each time.

Edited March 15, 201510 yr by StringJunky

I think it might be useful to refer to the answers in this, by the way, identical topic. The phrase "businessmen going on safari" evokes a memorably bizarre image.