Stephen's Satellite Phone FAQ's

By definition, all satellite phones need to be operated in an open area away from buildings and trees so there is a clear line of sight to the sky. Since the satellites used for IsatPhone Pro service are in a geostationary position near the Equator you may have to direct the antenna in that direction. It follows that signal strength is reduced the farther away you are from the satellites orbit and middle distance obstructions such as mountain ranges are another factor to be considered. As long as you know where the satellites are positioned and your location relative to the satellite you should be able to determine whether or not you will have adequate signal strength to place and receive calls. For example: If you are in the 30o range, you should point the antenna straight up and your signal strength should be quite strong. If you are in the 20o range, you may get 2 bars but the service quality may be better if you pointed the antenna towards the satellite. Refer to the coverage map shown below and in the User Guide.

Make sure you are in the satellite coverage area (refer to coverage map shown in the User Guide on the support CD that came with the phone) and are in an open area, free from obstructions. Power on the IsatPhone Pro, raise the antenna and angle it in the direction of the satellite based on your location. The IsatPhone Pro automatically searches for the satellite and shows the search progress on the display screen.

If you have verified that you are in the coverage area and are in a clear area, you may need to manually acquire a new GPS fix. Select Menu then GPS Position, the new GPS fix is displayed. At this point, the phone will attempt to refresh the GPS fix every 30 seconds. Please refer to your User Guide on the support CD for additional details.

Power on the phone, make sure you have sufficient battery strength, have at least 2 signal bars (good) and the phone has a GPS fix. Using the international number format, enter 00 followed by the country code (1 for US), the area code and the number and press the green key. The display will show the messages Calling.

The phone must be powered on with least 2 signal bars (good) and the phone has a GPS fix (the GPS fix symbol is not displayed). The phone will ring when an incoming call is received and the display will show Call from followed by the name of the caller (if listed in your phonebook), the calling number or Withheld. Press Yes to answer the call. Press the red key to end the call.

The IsatPhone Pro is capable of receiving text messages as well as incoming phone calls. Text messages may be sent via the Mobell website. To call the Inmarsat satellite phone from the USA callers need to dial 011 followed by the satellite phone number. If calling from outside the USA, the caller must replace the 011 with the appropriate international dial-out code for the country they are calling from.

From the Messaging menu, select New message then Text Message. Enter your text message (max. 160 Latin characters) , the recipients phone number or email address and press Send. The message is sent.

An unread message (ƒx) icon will be shown on the status bar of the display screen. Info will display a list of all unread messages. Press Close if you wish to read the message at a later time. To read your messages you may, use the center selection and navigation keys to open messages from the Info list or from the Menu, select Messaging and Inbox. Use the navigation keys to select and open the messages.

Text messages may be sent via the Inmarsat website.

The voicemail icon will be shown on the display screen and in Info if you have new voice messages. To listen to messages, hold down the 1 key. You may also dial the short code 570 followed by the green key.

First, make sure the GPS fix you are going to send is current. From the Menu, select GPS Position -> Options -> Send GPS location -> Send -> Text Message or Email Message and enter the recipients address information in the To field. Press Send.

From Menu select Contacts and My phone number.

From Menu select Contacts and Service provider.

From Menu select Settings and About to display firmware version, SIM number and battery usage.

Yes, version 2.0 is supported.

Yes, there are a variety of docking stations that will support the IsatPhone Pro.

The IsatPhone Pro is water resistant, but not water proof. As with all electronic equipment, exercise caution when using in extreme conditions.

The IsatPhone Pro battery will support up to 8 hours of talk time and up to 100 hours of standby time. It should be noted that battery life and power usage will be affected by temperature and location. Refer to the User Guide for details.

The IsatPhone will store up to 300 contacts in the phone memory via the Phonebook and up to 250 on the SIM card.

Yes, the new circuit-switched data capability, offering an effective data rate of up to 20kbps.

Regardless of what you may have seen on television or in the movies, unless you have an external antenna, all satellite phones, including the IsatPhone Pro, MUST have a clear line of sight to the sky and cannot be used inside buildings.

You can check your pre paid balance at any time by dialling 591 from your Inmarsat handset or +870 772 000 591 from any other phone (ensure you have your satellite phone number ready).

Alternatively, you can press *106# while connected to the network to have your balance displayed as text on your IsatPhone Pro.

To add another pre paid package to your Inmarsat Prepaid SIM, please contact us at specifying which prepaid voucher you require:

Inmarsat Prepaid Vouchers

Please note it can take up to 2 business days to activate a top-up.