Iridium 9555 satellite phone rental

[Dogbowl]

I am about to push the button on an Iridium 9555 satellite phone rental package. I'm renting it because I am going on a Raja Ampat liveaboard and want to keep in touch with home on a daily basis. I will purchase 75 global minutes to go with the hardware. Does anyone have any thoughts, good or bad, before I take the plunge? All-in, this is going to cost me about CAD$550 for a one-month rental, including the 75 minutes.

 

[broncobowsher]

Price sounds a bit high. A quick check show you can buy the phone for $1,000 USD. A 1-month rental costs half the price of the phone? Either the used phone market is garbage, in which case you should buy a used phone. Or the market is strong and it would be more cost effective to buy and sell when done.

 

[Dogbowl]

Price sounds a bit high. A quick check show you can buy the phone for $1,000 USD. A 1-month rental costs half the price of the phone? Either the used phone market is garbage, in which case you should buy a used phone. Or the market is strong and it would be more cost effective to buy and sell when done.

Let me break it down for you, in CAD:

Phone and accessories rental - $295
75 global minutes + insurance - $129
shipping both ways - $50
HST (VAT) - $61.62
Total - $535.62 or approx. USD$414.51 at today's exchange rate

I only go on trips like this to remote locations maybe once or twice a year. I have no problems buying a satellite phone, but I really want to test it out first before spending over $1,000. If it's good and reliable, I will buy one for next trip.

It is the global minutes that cost a lot, comparatively. Shipping and taxes don't help either. It all adds up.

 

[kelemvor]

Iridium 9555 Satellite Phone Standard Package

This website (I found them on google, I'm not vouching for them) shows the phone is 34.99/week to rent and 90 minutes = 129. Total would be 268.96 for a month.

 

[Dogbowl]

Iridium 9555 Satellite Phone Standard Package

This website (I found them on google, I'm not vouching for them) shows the phone is 34.99/week to rent and 90 minutes = 129. Total would be 268.96 for a month.

Thanks @kelemvor

I did a mock "purchase" of the rental package and 90 minutes (because they didn't have a 75 minute option for a direct comparison) but it came out to USD $446.46, of which $127.40 is shipping from the US! They seem to have built in a $50 deposit so I guess I'll get that back at the end of the rental. So USD$396.46 compared to $414.51. Not a significant difference at the end of the day and there may be customs duties and taxes charged at the border crossing...

 

[Brian G]

The reviews I've seen indicate the Inmarsat phone would have better sound quality and better speed for internet (doesn't sound like you were planning on using that). I've never heard anything bad about either. Canadasatellite.ca indicates the price would be CAD$482 for a month with 80 minutes. That includes CAD$135 in rental insurance and $20 return shipping. Does that save you anything?

 

[Dogbowl]

The reviews I've seen indicate the Inmarsat phone would have better sound quality and better speed for internet (doesn't sound like you were planning on using that). I've never heard anything bad about either. Canadasatellite.ca indicates the price would be CAD$482 for a month with 80 minutes. That includes CAD$135 in rental insurance and $20 return shipping. Does that save you anything?

Thank you @ Brian G. Yes, it saves me about CAD$50, but I have read very poor reviews about Canadasatellite.ca, that they were not very professional and don't deal with complaints particularly well.

While money is ALWAYS important, since this is my first foray into satellite phones, and know very little, my main concern is reliability and ease of use. Good customer service is also very important as I need help to learn how to use this thing when I get it. I don't know anything about the store that I think I will be renting from (roadpost.ca) but they don't have poor reviews, and so far, their email customer service has been clear and prompt.

I am looking into the Inmarsat satellite now. I was told that "Iridium has the best coverage" but I honestly did not look into Inmarsat.

I actually wanted to rent the Iridium Go!, which is a satellite Wi-Fi hotspot, but they did not rent it. Only satellite phones. I did not want to buy anything until I tried it via rental.

Update:
Here's what I found re coverage (not sure how up-to-date or accurate this is):

IRIDIUM
Complete worldwide coverage makes this service an ideal choice for hikers, adventurers and explorers. The equipment is robust, waterproof and perfect for use in any emergency.

TRULY GLOBAL COVERAGE, including polar regions
Satellites pass across all areas of the globe, so you have the best possible chance of getting a signal.

INMARSAT
Inmarsat gives you the best signal strength and lowest chance of dropped calls. It's the ideal portable satellite phone for marine and leisure sailors. Great on land as long as you are not too far north or south.

NEAR-GLOBAL COVERAGE, except polar regions over approx 70 degrees North or South

Satellites are always in the same fixed positions in the sky, so great if you happen to have clear visibility to the satellite, but not so great if you haven't!

 

[Damselfish]

I assume you've already checked what your LOB offers? I'd expect any will have satellite phone service of some sort, some may let passengers use it for a fee - usually a high fee, but if you are only doing quick calls it might work out.

 

[Dogbowl]

I assume you've already checked what your LOB offers? I'd expect any will have satellite phone service of some sort, some may let passengers use it for a fee - usually a high fee, but if you are only doing quick calls it might work out.

Haha, yeah, maybe I should ask first! I just automatically assumed they wouldn't let me use it.

 

[Brian G]

I was attracted to the Inmarsat device because (at least in the US) it is several hundred less to purchase. It also looks like there is a satellite right over Raja Ampat so the coverage should be pretty awesome there. In Toronto is it a big thing to drive to Buffalo NY to get stuff that has huge markup (or less discount) in Canada?