| Voice and data communications can be one of the | | | | communications as this is the area most |
| first things lost in the event of a natural disaster | | | | non-business users are interested in. |
| or an act of terrorism. Without any form of | | | | Over the last decade there have been two |
| communication you and your family could be at | | | | primary providers of hand held satellite phones for |
| risk, this is why hand held satellite phones have | | | | North American users, Iridium and Globalstar. A |
| become so popular. | | | | couple of years ago Globalstar experienced a |
| The American Red Cross conducted a study | | | | problem with their satellites which have negatively |
| which found that over 40% of small business | | | | impacted voice communications. This left Iridium |
| owners went bankrupt as a result of losing their | | | | as the logical choice for anyone wanting a satellite |
| communications due to a major disaster. An even | | | | phone with global coverage. But a new option is |
| worse statistic is the one generated by the U.S. | | | | about to become available. |
| Dept. of Labor which found that a full 93% of | | | | In June of this year (2010) Inmarsat, the world |
| businesses that suffered a significant data loss | | | | leader in satellite communications, is launching the |
| would no longer be in business within 5 years. | | | | IsatPhone Pro. This new handset will offer such |
| A prime example of the impact a natural disaster | | | | essential services as satellite telephony, voice mail, |
| can have on a region was displayed when | | | | text and email messaging, GPS location data & |
| Hurricane Katrina devastated the New Orleans | | | | the longest battery life (up to 8 hours talk time |
| region in 2005. The area experienced a major loss | | | | and up to 100 hours standby time) in the industry. |
| of all communication systems when cellular, | | | | It will also be the only satellite phone to support |
| telephone and Internet networks went down and | | | | Bluetooth. With a an easy to use: intuitive |
| backup systems failed. Many businesses and | | | | GSM-style interface; high-visibility color screen & |
| individuals turned to satellite phones as their | | | | larger keypad for easy dialing with gloves on, this |
| primary mode of communications as evidenced | | | | phone will have it all. It will also provide global |
| by the 3,000 percent increase in use of the | | | | coverage over the Inmarsat-4 satellites. |
| Iridium network and the more than 16,000 Iridium | | | | Inmarsat will be making the handsets available for |
| satellite phones that were deployed into the | | | | close to half the retail price of the Iridium 9555 |
| region. | | | | satellite phone and also have lower calling costs. |
| When looking to purchase a satellite phone it is | | | | This is great news for individuals or businesses |
| important to understand your primary use, in | | | | that want to insure that communications will |
| other words, what will you be using the handset | | | | never be compromised in the event of another |
| for, voice, data or a combination of both? For the | | | | large scale natural disaster. |
| purpose of this article we will focus on voice | | | | |