The Comprehensive Guide to Getting a Satellite Phone Plan

Getting a new phone plan can feel pretty intimidating, especially if you’re not entirely sure what you are thinking about doing. Cellular phones are the most popular phones to get right now, including smartphones, because of all of the high-tech things that they can do if you do get one. From searching the web, receiving and sending text messages and phone calls, and being able to scroll through social media are some of the things you can do with a cellular phone, but have you ever heard of satellite phones?

Satellite phones are designed specifically for making and receiving phone calls, and nothing else. Newer satellite phones are able to access the internet using hot spots, but satellite phones are mainly for making phone calls. For some people, this is really all that you need, and if this sounds like you, then you should consider looking into them to see if they’re best for you.

If you are someone who wants or is needing a satellite phone, but not sure how to approach some of the phone plans that are out there for then, here are some of the best phone plans to look into and some other important information pertaining to satellite phones.

In this article, we’re going to cover a couple of different topics that include:

• What is a Satellite Phone?
• Satellite Phone Plans
• The Pros to Switching to a Satellite Phone Plan

What is a Satellite Phone?

Not sure what a satellite phone is? Here is some more information pertaining to it and more!

We’re sure that you’ve probably heard of satellite phones, but they tend to not be as common to have or use in this day and age, but they are very useful and come in handy for specific types of people. It’s important to know how and why someone would need a satellite phone and what it can do to see if getting one is the right choice for you.

Let’s get to it, what exactly is a satellite phone? A satellite phone is a phone that is specifically designed for telephonic communications, meaning that it is used to make and receive phone calls. It’s just that simple! 

In a day and age where cellular phones seem to rule the world with everyone owning a smartphone and surfing the web, scrolling through social media, or texting, there are times where cellular phones don’t seem to work, and oftentimes it’s in very rural areas where they won’t be able to receive connection. This is where satellite phones come in handy and can help make a connection with loved ones, or even to call for help if it is needed.

The Difference between Satellite and Cellular Phones

It’s important to understand the difference between satellite and cellular phones so you can get a better and clearer idea of what you choose to get whenever it comes to phone plans. There are significant differences between the two, so it’s important to distinguish how different they are and what you want as a customer.

If you’re stuck on what kind of decision you should make when it comes to getting a new phone, check out the differences between satellite and cellular phones to make the best decision for you:

Satellite Phones:

• Do not rely on land-based towers to make phone calls
• Utilize transmit signals via satellites that orbit the earth
• Signal from the satellite phone transmits to the nearest satellite, which sends the signal to the nearest land-based center in order to successfully make the phone call
• Can use to call landline phones, cellular phones, and other satellite phone
• Useful in remote areas since the satellites that orbit the earth are located everywhere

Cellular Phones:

• Phone calls are carried by the closest cellular tower you are by
• Can experience weak signals or phone calls may drop due to there not being cellular towers located everywhere, especially in remote towns and cities
• Have an advantage when it comes to not only making phone calls, but receiving and sending text messages, surfing the internet, etc.
• Cheaper than satellite phones

Now that you know the difference between satellite phones and cellular phones, if you are leaning towards a satellite phone, then let’s get into the many different plans that you can get and try out!

Satellite Phone Plans to Choose From

If you’re looking for one of the best satellite phone plans, here are some of the best ones that you can choose from!

Are you interested in getting a satellite phone, but not sure how to approach the phone plans that you can get for them? Lucky for you there are a ton of different phone plans that you can look into if you love the concept of satellite phones and if they work better for what you do for a living, or even where you live. An important thing to note is that there are monthly and annual plans for satellite phones that range in prices, and costs for each additional minute you are on a phone call.

Here are some of our favorite satellite phone plans that you need to check out at some great deals as well!

Iridium 10-Minute Monthly Plan

If you’re looking for the cheapest satellite phone plan that you can find, then you need to consider looking into the Iridium 10-minute monthly phone plan. Iridium is one of the most popular satellite phone companies that are out there and they have a ton of different plans depending on how many minutes that you want to have.

The 10-minute monthly plan is one of the cheapest plans that you can get for a satellite phone plan. There is a twelve-month service agreement for this plan where unused minutes can be rolled over into the next month with incoming calls and incoming text messages being free, but outgoing calls and texts are charged by the minute.

• Price: $59.99 a month
• Activation Fee: $50
• Max Time: 10 minutes plus $1.49 for each additional minute
• Max Text Messages: 10 text messages plus 20 cents each additional text
• Minimum Term: 12 months
• Termination Fee: $250

Iridium 60-Minute Monthly Plan

There are a ton of different satellite phone plans ranging in how many minutes that you are looking to have. The lowest one is a 10-minute plan, but you can also even get a 60-minute monthly plan as well. For $74.99, you can get up to 60 minutes to talk on the phone with loved ones, or even for emergency situations where you need to contact the police, an ambulance, or even the fire department.

This is also another twelve-month service agreement where the minutes can be rolled over to the next month and incoming calls and text messages are free, but outgoing texts and calls are charged by the minute, and for each additional minute that you go over, it’s $1.39. Luckily, this phone plan is a great deal compared to a lot of the other satellite phone plans, so you get more minutes for every dollar that you spend. 

Price: $74.99 a month

Activation Fee: $50

Max Time: 60 minutes plus $1.39 for each additional minute

Max Text Messages: 10 text messages plus 20 cents each additional text

Minimum Term: 12 months

Termination Fee: $250

Iridium 90-Minute Monthly Plan

Do you just need a little bit more than 60 minutes for only our phone plan and think spending the extra money to get an increase in minutes is worth it? If so, then you need to get the Iridium 90-minute monthly plan. This phone plan only costs about $15 more than the 60-minute one, but getting an extra 30 minutes to talk on the phone can be very enjoyable for many people.

The Iridium 90-minute monthly plan is great no matter where you live, or how often you talk to loved ones, you’ll always seem to have extra minutes that you will appreciate and thank yourself later for getting. If you do go over, each additional minute is $1.39 and you can even get some ten text messages that you are able to send as well.

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Price: $89.99

Activation Fee: $50

Max Time: 90 minutes plus $1.39 for each additional minute

Max Text Messages: 10 text messages plus 20 cents each additional text

Minimum Term: 12 months

Termination Fee: $250

150-Minute Annual Plan

Instead of a monthly plan, are you considering checking out some of the annual plans that Iridium and other companies can offer for you when you’re considering getting a new satellite phone plan, or are getting one for the first time? One of the cheapest annual phone plans that you can get is the 150-minute plan for $799.

While we know that spending $799 for a satellite phone plan can seem pretty expensive, there are a lot of reasons why it is worth it. Annual fees tend to be cheaper than monthly fees, so while you are handing over a large sum of cash for your satellite phone plan, you are saving some money while also taking into consideration how many minutes that you can use each month. The only difference with this plan is that you are not able to send text messages.

Price: $799

Activation Fee: $0

Max Time: 150 minutes plus $1.59 each additional minute

Max Text Messages 0 text messages plus 20 cents for each additional text

Minimum Term: 12 month

Termination Fee: $0

300-Minute Annual Plan

Not satisfied with the 150-minute plan? Don’t worry because the next plan up is a 300-minute annual plan that goes for $825. For an extra $25 a year, you can get double the minutes that you receive with the 150-minute plan, which makes for an incredible deal where you can get more for every dollar that you spend, and more time to talk to loved ones on the phone as well.

The 300-minute annual plan has the same exact standards and rules as all of the other monthly plans, just with an increase in minutes, which is great if you’re someone who started off with the plan with the lowest amount of minutes and want to upgrade and get more. Annual plans tend to work out and be more useful than monthly plans, so why not spend the extra money for more minutes than some people get in a year on other plans.

Price: $825

Activation Fee: $0

Max Time: 150 minutes plus $1.25 each additional minute

Max Text Messages 0 text messages plus 20 cents for each additional text

Minimum Term: 12 month

Termination Fee: $0

Iridium Global Pre-Paid Service - 75 Minutes

Are you someone who has a satellite phone who wants to make phone calls to loved ones who live overseas, or are you someone who lives overseas who wants to stay in contact with family members, friends, or other loved ones? Whatever the case may be, the Iridium Global Pre-Paid Services - 75 Minutes plan may be the perfect phone plan for you.

Just like all of the other monthly or even annual phone services through Iridium, or any other company, each minute is credited $1 for every minute that you are on the phone with someone and even unused minutes can be credited if you upgrade to a new bundle as well. Also, direct phone calls to the Iridium phone, voicemail, call forwarding, call barring, and incoming text messages are all free.

Price: $159

Valid For: 1 month

There are a ton of incredible satellite phone plans to choose from, and the hardest part is figuring how many minutes you want to communicate with loved ones, or for other emergency services. Figuring this out first is important to then figure out how much you want to spend to purchase a satellite phone and pay for the minutes alongside the phone.

The Pros to Switching to a Satellite Phone Plan

A satellite phone plan is something that a lot of people have, but is it worth it?

Are you someone who loves to travel overseas to remote areas that may not have a lot of cellular towers to use your cell phone at? Traveling is a passion for many people and many people enjoy doing it by themselves and venturing to many different parts of the world. While their cellular phones may not be able to reach their loved ones, or contact emergency services in dire situations, this is where a satellite phone comes in handy.

A satellite phone is mainly used for people who love to travel and there are many reasons why investing in one is one of the safest things that you can do while traveling all around the world. There are many pros to having one and it’s important to consider this whenever you’re planning your next big trip.

Let’s make sure to go over the pros of having a satellite phone plan:

• Stay in contact with loved ones while traveling
• Contact loved ones during an emergency
• Contact authorities in case of an emergency or natural disaster
• Automatically transmit your location during hunting trips to alter people where you are using GPS tracking
• More reliable than a cellular phone
• Satellite phones are able to be used all over the globe
• Very easy to use even for the non-tech savvy

It’s important to consider getting a satellite phone whenever you’re traveling, or even if you live in a remote area where cellular service is hard to come by, and it’s one of the safest things that you can do for yourself. Having a satellite phone is great to contact help from emergency services if it’s needed, and to also keep in touch with your loved ones to reassure them that you’re safe no matter where you are.

Getting a satellite phone may seem like a big commitment for many, but it is also one that you should consider doing to protect yourself from any type of issues you could stumble upon out in the wilderness, or even in a very remote location. 

Consider looking into satellite phones, the pros to getting one, and even check out some of the incredible phone plans that they have to offer today!