Satellite telephone info
your guide through the world of
Satellite telephone and fax system

Over the years, avionics manufacturers have produced aircraft telephone systems and supported the networks that made them work. However, many of these systems were only affordable for owners of high-end corporate aircraft. Today, new technology is making a phone call as easy to make from your aircraft as it is from your office. Satellite telephones are far more reasonably priced than ever.

When initially proposed, handheld satellite phones were supposed to offer the convenience of a cell phone with the global coverage of a satellite system, and they certainly have their benefits. For the most part, they provide global or near-global coverage. The cost of the handset, while significantly higher than that of a cell phone, is less than that of a fixed antenna system, and they are truly mobile. For added convenience, the phone’s large omnidirectional stick antenna means that it doesn’t need to be pointed directly at the satellite, making it easy to pick up, turn on, and use.

On the flip side, handheld phones require a line of sight to the satellite. As a result, you have to be on deck and in the open to use the handheld phone, not exactly the ideal situation during foul weather. If you do want to use a handheld phone below decks, it must be physically plugged into an external antenna mounted above-deck. Handheld phones’ capabilities are also limited compared to fixed systems.

Satellite telephone systems are among the most versatile and valuable products available for vessels, whether the boat is used for weekend cruising, blue water sailing, commercial operations, or global passages. Satellite phones provide a link to business, a connection to home, and a critical resource in times of distress or emergency, flexibility to take advantage of future developments and emerging services.