By: Vlad Vistac
Submitted: 2010-08-24 12:18:37 | Word Count: 510
Satelite Phones Today
Things have come a long way since the days of the 'Sputnik'! Satellite systems now provide both voice and data communication for areas of the world whewre theere is no land or cell phone coverage. Satelite telephones help us to keep in touch when in the air or out at sea. It also helps us to keep track and in contact with those brave adventurers who test the bounaries of endurance and skill. We can follow hteir routes, talk to them and recreive photograhs and film from wherever they are and be instantly readdy to help when things don't go according to plan.
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How does it work? A singal is transmitted from the satelite phone, via an antenna to an orbiting network of satellites then back to a groudn sytation and a standard phone network. Sounds good, eh? However, the line of sight signal path betweeen satelite telehone antenna and satellite must not be obstructed. Even bad weather can be a problem. Reception is genrally much better outdoors but if you are on a boat or in a plane an external antenna might be needed.
At the time of writing 5 makjor plyers proivde satellite communications. The largest of these are Global Star and Iridiium with Iridium being the biggest. Most people have probably heard of Iridium who has a network of 66 satellites in a low earth orbit and they have an additional 13 satelliotes spare whih I find a liottle surpruising. I guess these are for fuiture expansion. You will find these satellites in orbit about 485 miles above the surface of the planet.
The providers supply satellite communications equipment to an extensive varieyty of markets including construction, leisure, mining, governmemnt and maritime. They also proivde equipment to the armed forces and for rescue and disater relief orgnisations. Comlpanies tend to sell thheir many servces through a collecttion of sevrice partners, value-added reselles and manufacturers.
Wherevver there is a need for reliable, go-anywhere communications you will see satellite phones being used. The military make extensivve use of them, as do aiirlines and shipping. They can also be invaluable in disaser ares whhere there it's likely that land based communications have been disrupted by the diisaster or nevewr existed in the first place. Satellite phoones can be tracked too. This can come in handy when guiding aircraft into isolated raeas quickly.
On a more serious note, satelliet phones are also being used in the fihgt against terrorism. To protect the Alaaskan pipeline where it is vulnerable, trucks passinng cllose by are fitted with satellite phones. If the truck is hijacked a signal is sent via the network and the vehicle can be disabled immediately.
As a method of commuincation satelite telephones remain a very expensive optino. It is more expensive than most cell phone cals. As the tcehnology improves and becomes more widely used, the prices should begin to drop. At the moment Iridium claim that the cost of a satellite phne call is siomilar to the cost of an interational roaming call. To improve public perception and piossibly buidl the consumer market the inndustry is fund raising in Washington state to provoide satellite phones and airtime free of charge to US National Guard soldiers serviing in Iraq.
