Iridium 9555 or IsatPhone Pro - Which Phone is right for me
Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011
Prior to June of 2010, if you wanted a globally functioning satellite phone your only real choice was the Iridium 9555. June 2010 is when Inmarsat rolled out its' new IsatPhone Pro satellite phone. Since that time the consumer has been faced with deciding between the two apparently similar products. While the end results of each are the same, a phone call from point A to point B, how the phones accomplish that task is different.
When trying to decide between the Iridium 9555 and the IsatPhone Pro, it is important to understand how each phone works and how they differ from each other. They are both quite capable phones that route calls through their respective satellite systems via earth stations to the call destination. The difference in how the two satellite systems function is the most significant variable in how the phones perform. Understanding these systems work will help you make a more informed decision as to which phone is right for you.
Satellite Systems
The IsatPhone Pro utilizes the Inmarsat Satellite System which consists of 3 satellites in geostationary orbit. This means the satellites are in stationary position roughly equidistant from each other, sitting over the equator, approximately 22,000 miles above the earth. In order for an IsatPhone Pro to work, it must be able to "see" one of these satellites and because the satellites never change position, the satellite will only be "seen" from one direction. That direction will change depending on your location on the planet so you will have to know where the satellite is. If you are trying to use the IsatPhone Pro from a location where something is blocking the satellite, for example, mountains, trees or buildings, the phone will never get a signal. You would have to move to a location where that the satellite is not blocked. Also, the further away from the equator you are, the weaker the signal and if you travel far enough North (or South) you eventually lose the signal completely due to the curvature of the earth.
Contrast that with the Iridium Satellite System
which consist of 66 satellites orbiting the earth in low earth orbit (approx.
480 mile above the earth), moving from south to north in positions across the
globe. This system functions somewhat
like cell phone towers in space. As a
satellite comes into view over the horizon, it picks up your signal. Before the
pass out of view, the signal is handed off to the next satellite which has
already come into view. Essentially,
wherever you are, the satellite network comes to you. So, if you were in a
location with the horizon blocked in one direction, you would likely still get
a signal, as the satellite clears the obstruction and the signal would last as
long as that satellite is in view. Because the satellites are orbiting, the
Iridium network is available literally anywhere on the planet.
Latency
Latency is a term to describe a delay that you have from the time you say "hello" and the person on the other end actually hears the word "hello". Essentially, this is the time it takes for the signal to travel through the satellite system. With the Iridium 9555 the delay is not noticeable. With the IsatPhone Pro the delay is noticeable, and you will have to adapt to it when you use the phone.
GPS Capabilities
The Iridium 9555 does not offer any GPS capabilities. The IsatPhone Pro comes standard with GPS. The phone captures it GPS location and reports it in the typical Latitude/Longitude format, and allows you to send this information in the form of a text message. This is certainly a nice feature, but it comes with a down side. In order for the IsatPhone Pro to acquire the Inmarsat network, it must also acquire a GPS signal.
Network Acquisition Time
Assuming that both phones are in position to see their respective satellites, the Iridium phone will acquire a signal and be ready to dial much faster than the IsatPhone Pro. To give you a sense of the difference, the Iridium 9555 will generally acquire its' network in less than 30 seconds while the IsatPhone Pro may take 2 minutes or longer. The longer acquisition time is partly due to the distance to the satellite and the fact that the phone must also acquire the GPS signal as well.
Price Difference
When it comes to price, IsatPhone Pro holds a big advantage over the Iridium 9555 in both the cost of the phones and the airtime plans. The IsatPhone Pro is less the half the price of the Iridium 9555 as is the cost of the monthly subscription on the airtime plan. Clearly this difference is a major factor to consider.
Other Things to Consider
The IsatPhone Pro claims longer battery life with 30 hours of talk time and 100 hours of standby vs. the Iridium 9555, which claims 4 hours of talk time and 24 hours of standby. The IsatPhone Pro is Bluetooth compatible, the Iridium 9555 is not. Bluetooth is important to the overall functionality of the IsatPhone Pro. Reportedly once the IsatPhone Pro has acquired a signal, walking around with the phone while you talk could cause it to drop the connection. Bluetooth allows you to leave the phone stationary while you move around. The Iridium 9555 has no issue with maintaining connection on the move. In fact it will work in moving cars, boats, even airplanes with no connectivity problems.
Conclusions
If price is your primary concern, clearly the IsatPhone Pro is you choice. If you understand there are limitations on where and how the phone will work, and your intended use fits within those limitations you will probably be happy with that choice. If you are a casual user just wanting to check in from time to time this might be a good choice, or if you are just looking for back up communication for a specific location, the IsatPhone Pro may be a good fit. However, if your priority is to have the most reliable connection you can under the widest possible set of circumstances, you will want the Iridium 9555. If you are going to be on the move, communicating from different locations and in differing terrain you should strongly consider the Iridium 9555 as your choice.
Still undecided? Contact a G COMM representative by phone at 1-877-614-2666; by e-mail at admin@gardlinecomms.us; or visit our website at www.gardlinecomms.us
